Plea deal reached in New Year's domestic disturbance

BARSTOW • A Barstow man pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge during his pre-preliminary hearing Tuesday and was sentenced to seven years in state prison, court records showed.

Antonio Angelo, 29, was arrested by Barstow Police on Jan. 1 originally on a charge of attempted murder, after he allegedly choked, smothered and threatened to kill his pregnant girlfriend and their unborn child, police said.

At approximately 11:39 a.m., police were dispatched to a Motel 6 room at 150 Yucca Ave., where arriving officers found Angelo and the victim, who was bleeding from a laceration above her eyebrow, crying and visibly upset.

The victim told police that Angelo became angry with her for an unknown reason, began hitting her and pinned her down while choking her with one hand and smothering her with the other hand over her mouth and nose. The victim also reported to officers that Angelo threatened to kill her and their unborn child.

Angelo has prior convictions for domestic violence, drugs and alcohol abuse in San Bernardino County, according to court records.