Ex-Girlfriend Pepper Sprays Intruder

An abusive ex-boyfriend was apprehended in Fair Oaks early last Saturday, hours after he allegedly punched his ex in the face in a dispute over a dog.

Despite having an active restraining order against him, Jesus Peralta, 25, arrived at the Fair Oaks Boulevard apartment of his 26-year-old ex-girlfriend to discuss ownership of their pet dog early the morning of April 30. Peralta then allegedly struck the victim in the face with a closed fist and threatened to break in and kill her if she called the cops, according to a report from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department.

The victim contacted authorities anyway, who responded but were unable to locate Peralta, the report said. After leaving the woman’s apartment around 3:30 a.m., Peralta apparently tried to make good on his promise by shattering an apartment window and gaining entry.

But the woman was ready, filling her intruder’s face with pepper spray, causing him to flee. Around 5:15 a.m., deputies spotted Peralta a block away at Fair Oaks Boulevard and New York Avenue attempting to leave the area.

“The suspect smelled strongly of pepper spray,” said Deputy Jason Ramos, spokesman for the department.

Ramos said Peralta at first started to run, but quickly submitted at the threat of a department K-9 being released.

Peralta was arraigned last Tuesday in Sacramento Superior Court on single felony counts of burglary and inflicting visible injury on a current or former spouse or cohabitant.

Peralta and the victim formerly lived together, though not at the Fair Oaks Boulevard apartment.

Peralta was also arraigned on a misdemeanor count of willfully disobeying a temporary restraining order. He is due back in court May 17 for further proceedings.

Fair Oaks has been the site of at least two other domestic violence cases this year.

A trial is set to begin this week for Hwan Jordan, 38, of Fair Oaks, over a Feb. 20 incident in which he allegedly threatened his live-in girlfriend. He faces one felony count of making criminal threats.

“The cause of domestic violence is a choice,” said Katherine Maes, a Women Empowered Against Violence (WEAVE) advocate who often works with the Elk Grove Police Department. “Someone chooses to be an abuser, chooses to be controlling.”

No charges were filed following a late-January domestic assault investigation in which Dewayne Mitchell, 25, of Fair Oaks, was accused of putting his wife in a chokehold during an argument. According to the initial sheriff’s report from the incident, Mitchell was alleged to have first threatened to kill himself and then his wife if his children were taken away. He was arrested Jan. 24 and booked at the Sacramento County jail.

No charges were filed due to insufficient evidence, said Shelly Orio, spokeswoman for the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.