Four individuals with assault charges from different cases made their first appearances on Monday in Mower County District Court. All four will have initial court appearances on Dec. 16.

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Jason Tyler Dulitz

Jason Tyler Dulitz, 26, of Austin was charged with felony third-degree assault – substantial bodily harm.

According to the court complaint, an officer was dispatched at about 8:34 p.m. on Nov. 15 to the area of Austin High School on a report of an assault.

The officer made contact with an adult male who was in an ambulance. The man said he had been assaulted by Dulitz at Dulitz’s residence in the 300 block of First Avenue Northwest.

The victim alleged that Dulitz accused him of stealing money from him. He denied stealing the money and told Dulitz he could check his pockets, but Dulitz began punching him while they were in the stairwell of the apartment complex. He claimed Dulitz punched him about 10 times and also used a “knee strike” during the assault. He also said he briefly lost consciousness during the assault, then walked toward the high school to call police.

The officer observed the victim was bleeding from his face and had multiple bruises. He was transported to Mayo Clinic Health System-Austin, where his injuries (a facial fracture with involvement of the sinus and eye socket) were classified as “substantial bodily harm.”

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Paul James Mason

Paul James Mason, 21, of Austin was charged with felony domestic assault.

According to the court complaint, a report was made to law enforcement on Nov. 26 that a woman had been assaulted by Mason. Law enforcement met with the woman, who said she and Mason had been arguing about him using her vehicle to go to Albert Lea. They were at a residence in the 400 block of First Street Southeast when Mason decided to leave and started packing his things. They started arguing about him leaving, at which point the victim said Mason hit her in the back of the head as she was walking away. She then said she turned around and hit him and that he continued to slap and hit her. She then said he hit her in the face, pushing her glasses into her face and causing a cut, bruise and bump on her left eyebrow. She also said she had red marks on her neck from the altercation.

She reported that she had blood running down her face after he struck her. She called a friend, who arrived and found her bloody from the cut on her face. They then went to another friend’s residence and called the police.

A review of Mason’s criminal history shows prior convictions for drug possession, theft, domestic assault and violating a domestic abuse no contact order.

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Tiffany Anne Loverink

Tiffany Anne Loverink, 44, of Austin was charged with felony second-degree assault – dangerous weapon.

According to the court complaint, police responded to a domestic disturbance at about 9:53 p.m. on Nov. 27 in the 700 block of Eighth Street Southeast. Loverink opened the door and yelled, “He’s trying to kill me!” Officers separated Loverink and a male at the residence and interviewed them separately.

The man reported that he and Loverink had been drinking and arguing, which culminated in Loverink cutting him with a knife. He said she had a serrated kitchen knife and started waving it around. When he told her he was calling the police, he claimed she threatened to cut herself.

Police noticed cuts on his hands that looked like defensive wounds.

Officers observed that Loverink was highly intoxicated, but she refused to preform a preliminary breath test. She told police the victim was trying to “kill” her and that she wanted him out of the house. She said they had been arguing about “alcohol” and that they had been drinking “a lot.” When asked about the cuts on the victim’s hands, Loverink said she had “no idea” he was cut. Police observed superficial cuts on her arms.

A review of Loverink’s criminal record shows a prior conviction for assault.

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Michael Ricardo Smith

Michael Ricardo Smith, 35, also known as Sonny Smith, was charged with felony third-degree assault – substantial bodily harm.

According to the court complaint, police responded to a fight at about 12:12 a.m. on Nov. 30 at a residence in the 800 block of Ninth Avenue Southwest. They observed blood in the snow on the sidewalk leading up to the front door of the residence. They made contact with an adult female, who brought them to an adult male who was bleeding from his ears and had blood running down his cheek. He also had a swollen right cheek and his right eye was swollen shut. An officer requested an ambulance for the man, who said Smith had assaulted him.

An officer spoke to Smith, who admitted to assaulting the victim. He said the victim was “coming at” him prior to the assault, saying he was “in my face… so I beat him up.”

A woman at the residence indicated the victim was ‘antagonizing” Smith. She said Smith told the victim they “could take it outside.” They went outside and she heard yelling, at which point the man came back inside and was “all bloody.”

The victim was transported to Mayo Clinic Health System-Austin, where his injuries (orbital wall and nasal fractures) were classified as “substantial bodily harm.”

A review of Smith’s criminal history shows prior convictions for assault.