Cle Elum Man Facing 16 Counts Of Illegal Gun Possession After Alleged Assault

A Cle Elum man is in jail facing 16 counts of illegally possessing a firearm after a search of his home that occurred following his arrest for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.

The Ellensburg Daily Record says deputies with the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence on Sunlight Drive in Cle Elum on Feb. 21 after a woman called 9-1-1 and stated someone was trying to kill her before hastily hanging up.

When officers arrived at the scene, they reportedly heard a commotion inside the home and entered forcibly out of concerns that an assault might be in progress after no one answered the door.

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Once inside, officers noted a shotgun that was in plain view and identified its owner as 60-year-old Joseph James Svik, who told them he used the weapon to dispatch birds from his property.

After running a background check on Svik, it was learned that he is a convicted felon who is prohibited from owning firearms, and the subsequent servicing of a search warrant at his home turned up 15 additional guns, including one which is believed to be stolen.

While Svik was arrested, his girlfriend was transported via ambulance to a local hospital for several injuries she claims Svik inflicted, including multiple cuts to the face she says were caused when he smashed a drinking glass against her head and rib trauma from his shoving her against the railing of a stairwell.

The victim also reportedly told investigators that Svik had bloodied his clothes by breaking the glass on her face and that he changed into clean clothes after she called police in an attempt to hide any evidence of the assault.

She also remarked to police that she was concerned Svik might kill her if she contacted law enforcement and was surprised she'd survived several previous assaults he allegedly committed, including at least one which she reportedly produced visual evidence of to investigators that depicted her with two black eyes.

Svik was booked into the Kittitas County Jail on 16 counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, fourth-degree assault - domestic violence, and two counts of violating a no-contact order.

At his recent arraignment in Kittitas County Superior Court, Svik pled not guilty to all charges and Judge Chris Herion established his bail at $25,000 with a trial date of April 27.