Restaurant owner shoves towel down woman’s throat in attempted murder, Ohio cops say
A restaurateur who boycotted broadcasting the Summer Olympics over “discrimination” of Christians is now accused of sexually assaulting and trying to kill a woman who lived with him, according to Ohio police and news reports.
Robert George, who also reportedly goes by Bobby George, is charged with attempted murder, rape, assault, strangulation and kidnapping, court records show. He was arrested Tuesday, Aug. 13.
George, 43, was identified by media reports, including WOIO, as the owner of several restaurants and businesses in Ohio.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by WKYC, the victim suffered a concussion during the first of the incidents in November.
“The victim claimed George pinned her to the ground and strangled her while slamming her head against a table, causing her to have blurred vision, ringing in her ears, and bleeding from her ears,” WKYC reported, citing the arrest warrant.
In June, George shoved a towel down the woman’s throat, according to the court documents also obtained by WOIO. The woman prayed she would not be killed.
“You think God is going to help you?” George told the woman, WOIO reported.
He is also accused of sexually assaulting the victim while holding her down in May and July, WJW reported.
George’s attorney, Kevin Spellacy, told WJW the woman’s allegations “did not happen.” He is attempting to get the charges dismissed.
“We deny any and all accusations,” Spellacy said. “They charged him without even interviewing him or getting his version of events.”
Speaking with WEWS, Spellacy said George’s last name — one well known in the community — factored into his arrest.
“In this instance, Mr. George is being treated extremely unfairly by an incompetent City of Cleveland law department with a lack of investigation. They didn’t do their homework,” Spellacy told WEWS.
George was being held in jail Tuesday on a $200,000 bond, court records show. He is due in court Aug. 13.
Four of the restaurants WOIO says Spellacy owns — TownHall, REBol, Green Goat and Mandrake — boycotted broadcasting the Summer Olympics following controversy from the opening ceremony, McClatchy News reported.
In a statement shared on social media, the restaurants said a portion of the ceremony “was handled with irresponsible level of irreverence, insulting the Christian faith.” They called it a form of “discrimination.”
This story was originally published August 13, 2024 at 11:44 AM with the headline "Restaurant owner shoves towel down woman’s throat in attempted murder, Ohio cops say."