People v. Ashford CA1/4

I. BACKGROUND

Ashford was once married to the confidential victim (C.V.), who lived with their three children, and the two had an “on-and-off” relationship. They reunited several years ago after Ashford was released from prison, and Ashford moved in with C.V. and their children. At the time, Ashford was subject to a 10-year stay-away order protecting C.V., which was to expire in 2026. In August 2022, Ashford and C.V. had an argument in their kitchen. Ashford hit C.V. once in the face. Two of the children were in the living room and one was outside playing basketball. C.V. told the children to call the police. When she said this, Ashford gathered his things, took C.V.’s and the children’s phones, and left. C.V. told her son to call the police using their neighbor’s phone. At a police officer’s suggestion, C.V. and the children stayed in a hotel that night. When they returned home the next day, their phones were on a table inside. The People charged Ashford with domestic violence through corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant (Pen. Code,2 § 273.5, subd. (a)), disobeying a protective or stay-away order (§ 166, subd. (c)(1)), and three counts of removing a wireless device to…