Police: Man bit woman's ear off when she tried to break up with him

LAKEWOOD -- A man who bit a "large portion" of his ex-girlfriend's ear off when she tried to break up with him faces charges of first and second-degree assault, the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office said.

Kenneth Clark, 22, was charged recently in Pierce County Superior Court.

At 10 p.m. on Aug. 3, police were called to an apartment in the 4200 block of 111th Street in Lakewood at the report of a domestic dispute. When they arrived, they allegedly found Clark's ex-girlfriend clutching her torn ear, with blood all over her face, neck and shirt.

Police quickly found the ripped-off portion of her ear on the ground and it was given to medical personnel in "hopes it could be reattached," court documents show.

Clark's ex-girlfriend allegedly told police she drove to the suspect's apartment to break up with him. He grew enraged at her, the victim said, and tried to stab her with a butcher knife and hit her with a bat before biting off her ear. After taking a bite, he ran out of the apartment, the victim told police.

Police contacted Clark, who allegedly admitted to choking and fighting her when she tried to break up with him. He was arrested following his statement.

He is being held in jail in lieu of $500,00 bail.