Trial ordered in alleged Hatfield domestic assault

Cesar Paredes, 53, faces trial on two criminal counts, but had a felony strangulation charge originally filed against him withdrawn

A 53-year-old Hatfield Borough man has been ordered to stand trial for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend during a domestic incident in early January, although he no longer faces the most serious charge originally filed against him.

Prosecutors withdrew one count of second-degree felony strangulation against Cesar A. Paredes, of the first block of West Broad Street, at his preliminary hearing on the afternoon of Feb. 22, at the culmination of which Lansdale District Judge Edward Levine held for trial one count each of second-degree misdemeanor simple assault and summary harassment, court records indicate.

According to a police criminal complaint filed in the case, cops responded to Paredes’ residence shortly before 9 p.m. on Jan. 2 for a domestic disturbance and spoke to Paredes, who said that he and his exgirlfriend had been arguing all day about “relationship issues.”

The woman told cops that she and Paredes had indeed been arguing, and that while she was in the bathroom Paredes came in and strangled her, impeding her ability to breathe, according to the complaint.

Police had said they observed red discoloration on the side of her neck and on her cheek, and Paredes was taken into custody.

Paredes, who is free on 10 percent of $5,000 cash bail, is set to be formally arraigned in Montgomery County court on April 12.

Attorneys could not immediately be reached Friday to discuss the case.

In October, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law a bill that established strangulation as a free-standing criminal offense, joining dozens of other states that have similar laws on the books.