A felon accused of severely beating his girlfriend at her Lake Elsinore residence, then barricading himself inside of it, culminating in a standoff with sheriff’s deputies, was charged Tuesday with domestic violence and other offenses.
Raul Benjamin Salas, 41, of Ontario was arrested Friday following the alleged confrontation with deputies.
Along with domestic violence, Salas is charged with assault resulting in great bodily injury.
He pleaded not guilty during an arraignment before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jeff Zimel, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for July 18 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta and ordered the defendant held in lieu of $2 million bail at the nearby Byrd Detention Center.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Dan Flores, around 2 p.m. Thursday, Salas was involved in an unspecified dispute with his girlfriend, whose identity was not disclosed, at her house in the 100 block of South Terra Cotta Road, near Broadway Street.
The defendant turned physical, inflicting “significant injuries during the assault,” Flores alleged.
Deputies were called to the location and discovered Salas had allegedly fled in the victim’s car, according to the sergeant. A search for the vehicle was unsuccessful.
Shortly after 6 a.m. Friday, Salas returned, and “he barricaded inside of the residence,” Flores said.
The victim was apparently away receiving medical attention.
Deputies went to the property, summoning SWAT personnel to surround it. The ensuing standoff lasted nearly two hours, before Salas ultimately surrendered peacefully, according to Flores.
Court records show the defendant has documented prior convictions for possession of controlled substances, driving under the influence, evading a peace officer and check fraud.