A Michigan judicial candidate faces domestic assault charges after he was caught on video allegedly striking his girlfriend with a belt.
Jason Kolkema, 51, who recently won the primary for Muskegon County’s 14th Circuit Court judicial seat, claims he was hitting his belt against a chair in front of his girlfriend, who has not been named.
The incident comes two days after he allegedly spat on the girlfriend’s 12-year-old daughter as she slept in his apartment with her mother, despite a court order prohibiting him from being near the daughter, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Kolkema allegedly spat toothpaste on the mother-daughter duo before throwing water on them, as he retaliated for a previous argument.
The following day, the lawyer allegedly threw a Gatorade bottle at them, but missed and hit a nearby lamp.
He has faced charges of domestic assault in the past, but they were dropped.
In May, police returned a call from the girlfriend who said Kolkema had slapped her. The girlfriend subsequently recanted her statement once police arrived.
Jason Kolkema, 51, was captured on video allegedly striking his girlfriend with his belt
He is seen changed into a blue-collared shirt before taking his belt off
Kolkema paces the room back and forth during the incident
The girlfriend said Kolkema was attempting to continue a conversation while she wore a headset, leading to him allegedly striking the chair in front of her. No injuries were spotted on her
Police arrived at The Leonard apartments in Muskegon to find the ‘visibly upset’ girlfriend with a ‘blank stare.’
When asked by officials who she had a dispute with, she responded, ‘Jason Kolkema,’ but refused to provide details on the situation.
No injuries were seen on the woman who was wearing a long dress.
In correspondence between the Detroit Free Press and the girlfriend, the girlfriend said Kolkema was trying to get her attention while she wore a headset and was ‘distracted.’
‘It was rude of me to ignore him so I do take responsibility for that part,’ she said.
‘He’s not dangerous. He’s never beat me. He’s not scary or threatening as a person … just boisterous, animated – almost bouncy at times. It’s just not fair to him … it looks so much worse and different than what it was.’
Pictured: The Leonard apartments in Muskegon, Michigan, where Kolkema was seen on video
The lawyer previously faced other accusations and dropped domestic assault charges as far back as 2012
On New Year’s Day, the girlfriend’s 5-year-old son called his grandfather saying he ‘got hit in the eye with a doorknob by mommy’s boyfriend.’
When questioned by Child Protective Services, Kolkema said he ‘had no recollection’ of being inside the home at the time, despite the girlfriend and son saying he was.
Charges were dropped against Kolkema and the girlfriend after an Ottawa County prosecutor determined ‘this is a strange set of facts.’
The grandfather complemented the phone call from the son, adding that the couple constantly fights and yells at each other.
‘I’m just trying to give my grandson a normal life,’ he said. ‘I just want peace and normalcy for (him).’
Kolkema’s ex-wife filed a domestic assault complaint in 2013 alleging he shoved her to the ground during an argument. No charges were filed because Kolkema was uncooperative and a lack of witnesses who could ‘substantiate the alleged assault.’
In 2012, Kolkema admitted to pulling the ex-wife’s hair during another argument. He left the home before police arrived, as Kolkema represented agencies with pro-arrest policies for domestic violence, according to court filings, and he wanted to avoid being arrested.
Later that year, CPS investigated Kolkema leaving his sick 6-year-old daughter at home while he drove his older son 20 minutes away. The daughter was later found by a neighbor wandering around looking for her father.
Kolkema was not charged in that incident.
The accused judicial candidate won an August primary for the Muskegon County Circuit Court
Two days prior to the incident, Kolkema allegedly spat on both the girlfriend and her daughter
One of the witnesses who watched Kolkema allegedly use his belt to strike his girlfriend said the lawyer could be seen ‘ranting and raving most of the morning.’
He was seen arguing for 40 minutes as he paced the room back and forth. The witness alleges she saw Kolkema grab the girlfriend at one point, who then swung back.
‘It was sick, makes you just sick to your stomach, and that’s all you can think about for days and days and days,’ she said.
‘The video is not as accurate as my eyes. You could clearly see that belt connecting with her.’
Kolkema was charged with misdemeanor assault one day after the video circulated social media. He posted a $500 cash bond after turning himself in.
‘Although the couple have garden-variety arguments, it is not a relationship that can be characterized as abusive, and there is no evidence of past incidents of abuse,’ his lawyer said.
‘Domestic violence includes violence that can either be physical or threatened. Contact is not required,’ said Katie Norton, an assistant prosecutor. ‘We’re prepared to try this case if that’s what Mr. Kolkema wishes.’
A trial date has been set for November 21.