Peninsula Man Who Choked, Hit Pregnant Girlfriend Convicted of Assault

REDWOOD CITY, CA – A San Mateo man was found guilty of felony domestic violence and assault on Wednesday for choking his pregnant girlfriend, throwing her to the floor and repeatedly punching and kicking her last November, prosecutors said today.

A jury returned the guilty verdicts against Charles Hightower III, 32, after an 11-day trial. The jury found him not guilty of a second assault charge and deadlocked 10-2 on a false imprisonment charge.

Hightower was arrested on Nov. 17 after the couple's landlord called 911 during an argument. The victim threw Hightower's game console against the wall and Hightower started choking the woman in a rage, prosecutors said.

The woman tried to defend herself, grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed him twice. She ran to the door but he chased her, threw her to the floor and repeatedly punched and kicked her.

She ran away when he stopped. Police arrived and the woman, pregnant with Hightower's child, described the attack and another choking incident that had happened two months prior, prosecutors said.

After he was found guilty, Judge Leland Davis revoked his $125,000 bail and remanded him into custody, prosecutors said. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 2.

– By Bay City News Service / Image via Shutterstock.