Man choked girlfriend until she passed out, then kidnapped her, CA officials say Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article311492934.html#storylink=cpy

A man accused of choking his girlfriend until she fell unconscious, then kidnapping her, is headed to prison, California prosecutors say. Salvador Pena Martinez, 44, of Oxnard was sentenced to 25 years and four months in prison in the “violent assault of his girlfriend in 2020,” the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office said in a July 22 news release. 

An attorney for Martinez did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on July 28.

“While the physical and emotional scars of such a brutal attack may linger, we commend the immense resilience and courage demonstrated by the victim and her family throughout this harrowing ordeal,” Deputy District Attorney Rikole Kelly said in the release. “With the resolution of this case, we hope they can now begin the process of healing and rebuilding their lives free from fear.”

As Martinez and his girlfriend argued “about her cellphone” on May 17, 2020, he “violently attacked” her, prosecutors said.

“He tore her clothing, punched her repeatedly, pulled her by the hair, hit her with the phone, choked her until she passed out, and pinned her down with his knees,” prosecutors said.

Martinez then forced his girlfriend inside his truck while threatening to get a gun, prosecutors said.

He continued to hit her as he drove to his cousin’s Port Hueneme home, according to prosecutors.

Upon arriving, the girlfriend escaped the truck, “screamed for help and said Martinez was going to kill her,” prosecutors said.

Martinez’s family called 911, but he fled before police officers arrived, prosecutors said.

The woman was taken to a hospital “with a concussion, facial bruising, and head wounds that required staples,” according to prosecutors.

Days later, a fire started at the woman’s Oxnard home, prosecutors said.

While searching the home, “investigators found a gas can near” where the fire started, prosecutors said, adding that they also found video footage showing “a white pickup truck, similar to Martinez’s, in the area at the time.”

On May 23, Martinez was arrested on counts stemming from the domestic violence incident and was released on bail days later, according to prosecutors.

More than a week later, prosecutors said, “police saw him driving and tried to stop him for the arson case.”

Martinez, however, did not pull over and instead led police “on a dangerous chase through Oxnard, nearly hitting people and cars,” prosecutors said.

He eventually left his moving truck and ran, prosecutors said.

Martinez resisted arrest but was taken into custody, prosecutors said.

As investigators searched his truck, they found a loaded semiautomatic handgun, prosecutors said.

Martinez’s sentence comes after he pleaded guilty to a slew of felonies, including “inflicting corporal injury, kidnapping, criminal threats, arson of an inhabited structure, evading an officer, and being a felon in possession of a firearm,” on April 21, according to prosecutors.

“Martinez also admitted to dozens of special allegations and aggravating factors, including causing great bodily injury,” prosecutors said.

Oxnard is about a 60-mile drive northwest from Los Angeles.