A woman was seriously hurt Friday after what police describe as a violent attack by a former romantic partner at a southwest Portland apartment complex. Officers responding to a domestic disturbance call shortly after 4 p.m. found her with significant injuries. The suspect later surrendered and was arrested in Beaverton, according to police.
Portland Police officers were called to an apartment complex on SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway near SW 62nd Avenue, where the victim told officers her ex-boyfriend had assaulted her. By the time officers arrived, the suspect had already left the scene. Police, with help from the Washington County Sheriff's Office and a drone, searched the surrounding neighborhood. A short time later, the suspect called police and said he wanted to talk. Beaverton officers arrested 23-year-old Kai L. Froelich that night near SW Canyon Road and SW Hall Boulevard, and he was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center, as reported by KPTV.
Charges and legal context
Froelich faces charges including first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, strangulation and menacing, with each count carrying an added domestic-violence allegation. Under Oregon law, rape in the first degree (ORS 163.375) and sodomy in the first degree (ORS 163.405) are classified as major felony sex crimes and come with some of the state's most severe penalties. For statute text and sentencing guidance, see the Oregon Revised Statutes as outlined by the legislature: Oregon Revised Statutes.
Portland police and local context
The Portland Police Bureau has recently asked the public for help in separate sexual-assault investigations, highlighting how detectives rely on community tips in complex cases. In March the bureau released a sketch and requested information in an unrelated assault investigation, per a Portland Police Bureau news release. That release included contact details for people with tips to share. Portland Police Bureau
Support for survivors
Anyone affected by this incident or in need of immediate support should call 911. Survivors of sexual assault can reach the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) for confidential, 24/7 help; the hotline is operated by RAINN. Local victim-services organizations can also assist with medical care, advocacy and reporting options.
