Man who assaulted deputy who later died enters plea in domestic violence case
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Northshore man who fought with deputies during a domestic violence call shortly before one of them died in late August has reached a plea with the District Attorney’s Office.
Alex Michael Castillo, 22, of Nice pleaded guilty to making threats, resisting an officer, felony child endangerment and felony inflicting corporal injury on another person with a prior conviction, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.
On Aug. 22, Lakeport Police officers and Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic violence call in the city of Lakeport where Castillo had assaulted his girlfriend and tried to walk off with his young child, as Lake County News has reported.
Deputies Nate Newton and Rob Rumfelt struggled with Castillo and apprehended him. A short time later, as he was leaving the scene in his patrol vehicle, Rumfelt crashed into a tree. He was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Castillo initially had been arrested for manslaughter on the theory that the struggle may have led Rumfelt to having a medical emergency such as a heart attack, but Anderson concluded that pursuing such charges would be difficult to prove.
Instead, Anderson’s office moved forward with the domestic violence case against Castillo, who previously was convicted of assaulting the same woman.
When he’s sentenced, Castillo – who has remained in jail since his August arrest – faces a maximum of five years and eight months in prison, “which is what we will be arguing for,” Anderson said.
Anderson said he is still working to complete his investigation and findings on the cause of Rumfelt’s death.
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