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OREM — Police arrested a Springville man who they say severely injured his girlfriend in a brutal assault and then left her not knowing if she was dead or alive.
Kevin Paul Rieske, 38, was arrested Sunday for investigation of attempted murder, aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice and assault on a police officer.
The incident began when Rieske called for police to conduct a welfare check on a 37-year-old woman in her Orem home. Rieske and the woman had been dating on and off for many years, and have a daughter together who is now in her 20s, police say. He claimed he "hadn't seen (the woman) for several hours, and that she may be drunk. He was not willing to offer more information to the 911 dispatcher and not willing to cooperate any more," Orem officers wrote in police affidavit filed in 4th District Court.
When officers knocked on the door, they heard a woman calling for help. Police found the woman on a hallway floor, "badly beaten, with severe life-threatening injuries, and only slightly conscious. Kimberly was immediately taken to (the) emergency room to be treated for her injuries," according to the report.
"Blood and pulled hair were found throughout the bathroom, in the main hallway, and into a bedroom that is adjacent to the bathroom. From my training and experience investigating violent crimes, it did appear that a crime of a very violent assault did occur," an officer wrote in the report.
At the hospital, doctors discovered that "both of her orbital eye sockets have multiple fractures; that she has a brain bleed, a collapsed lung, a lacerated liver, multiple broken ribs and bruising around her wrists, indicating she was held down. There are wounds to her back and side that may be consistent with being repeatedly beaten with an object like a broom handle," the report states.
Despite the extent of her injuries, police say the woman was stable and able to speak to investigators. She told them that Rieske "repeatedly said he was going to 'kill' her while he was assaulting her," according to the report.
Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition: Utah's confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- YWCA Women in Jeopardy program: 801-537-8600
- Utah's statewide child abuse and neglect hotline: 1-855-323-DCFS (3237)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
#dv_resources
Rieske called his aunt after the assault and told her "he didn't know if (the victim) was alive or dead," the report states. The aunt tried to convince Rieske to return to the house to "face the consequences" for his actions. Rieske initially refused, saying he was at Denny's to clean up, according to the report.
The aunt found Rieske at the restaurant and took him back to the victim's house where police were still investigating. Officers arrested Reiske, and then told him they needed to take his clothes, which had blood evidence on them, the report states.
"When officer advised they needed to seize his clothes, he did become resistant and combative. He did kick one of the police officers in the head during this incident," according to the jail report.
Rieske is no stranger to being arrested. Officers noted in the report that he has at least 13 prior convictions, and that some of his prior charges have included assault, sexual assault and assault on a police officer.
Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting the YWCA's Women in Jeopardy program at 801-537-8600, or the confidential statewide Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online at udvc.org.
