People v. Castellon CA2/6

FACTS

On January 26, 2024, police officer Silvano Gonzalez was dispatched to an address in Oxnard, California for a call in reference to “domestic violence with strangulation.” When Gonzalez arrived at the scene, he saw the victim, J.G., Castellon’s girlfriend, “crying” and “clearly shaken up.” She had a cut on her upper lip, redness on her arm, and an abrasion on her chest. Gonzalez testified that J.G. told him that Castellon placed her in a “chokehold.” This strangulation resulted in her seeing black dots. She believed she was going to “pass out and possibly die.” Castellon dragged her, and “as she was being dragged, she left marks on the ground where her foot was.” Sijifredo Fernandez, also known as “Ziggy,” was a neighbor of Castellon and J.G. After hearing J.G. screaming, he came out to help. Fernandez began yelling at Castellon, and challenged him to a fight, at which point Castellon let J.G. go and ran away. At trial, Fernandez testified he did not remember the incident. J.G. asked for an emergency protective order. Gonzalez testified J.G. was in “fear for her life.” She wanted Castellon to stay away from her. Gonzalez testified he subsequently talked with the witness,…