Columbus businessman pinned woman against car before sexually violating her, cops say
A Columbus businessman pinned a woman he knew against a car outside a hotel restaurant, grabbed her by the neck and sexually violated her, a police officer testified Monday.
Carlos Alexander Rozwadowski was in Columbus Recorder’s Court on charges of aggravated sexual battery, false imprisonment and battery in relation to the Jan. 6 incident outside the Houlihan’s at the DoubleTree Hotel, 5351 Sidney Simons Blvd.
Police Cpl. Ryan Vardman said the 31-year-old woman told him that she and Rozwadowski were among two groups of friends who met for drinks at the restaurant and bar, with all eventually joining each other at the same table. She said she had been having problems with her car’s headlights, and Rozwadowski agreed to go out into the parking lot with her to check on them.
When they got outside, Rozwadowski first tried to put his arms around her and kiss her, she reported. When she resisted his advance, he grabbed her by the neck with one hand, forcing her against a car, and used the fingers of his other hand to sexually penetrate her twice, she told Vardman.
After Rozwadowski walked away, a food delivery driver who’d been waiting to pick up an order came over to check on the woman, telling her he had seen Rozwadowski pin her against the car. He gave her his contact information, and offered to follow her home, Vardman said.
Though the witness saw Rozwadowski grab the woman, he could not see what Rozwadowski did with his other hand, the detective said.
The five friends with whom Rozwadowski and the woman had been drinking, three of them his friends and two of them hers, did not see what happened in the parking lot, and surveillance cameras apparently did not record it, Vardman said. The delivery driver was watching from 20-25 feet away, the officer said.
He said Rozwadowski and the woman had a previous relationship years earlier, and had exchanged some recent Instagram messages.
The woman had marks on her neck from Rozwadowski’s allegedly grabbing her, Vardman said, adding Rozwadowski denied the allegations.
Judge Julius Hunter said he could not set a bond on Rozwadowski’s aggravated battery or false imprisonment charges. He set a $1,000 bond on the misdemeanor battery charge.
Rozwadowski, 46, helped start Century 21 Premier Real Estate, where he was a CEO and partner. His license became inactive on Feb. 16, according to the Georgia Real Estate Commission.
The National Sexual Assault Hotline can be reached 24/7 at 1-800-656-4673 or rainn.org.