Kings Defenseman to Stand Trial for Allegedly Choking Wife

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov, who is accused of punching and choking his wife, was ordered today to stand trial on a felony domestic violence charge.

Voynov, 24, is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 29 on a single count of corporal injury to a spouse with great bodily injury.

During a preliminary hearing before Superior Court Judge Hector M. Guzman, an investigator said Voynov’s wife told police that the hockey player initially punched her during a Halloween party, then later shoved her to the ground, choked her, kicked her and shoved her into a flat-screen television mounted on a wall.

Prosecutors said Voynov’s wife suffered injuries to her eyebrow, cheek and neck during the Oct. 19 fight with her husband.

Voynov was arrested Oct. 20 after police were called to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance, where his wife was being treated. Redondo Beach police had initially responded to Voynov’s home after receiving reports about a woman screaming, but nobody was there when they arrived.

Voynov was immediately suspended indefinitely with pay by the NHL following his arrest. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Earlier this month, the Kings were fined $100,000 by the National Hockey League for allowing Voynov to skate with the team during a “club practice.” The Kings acknowledged the mistake and vowed to be “more vigilant in managing this situation.”

• City News Service
• Photo Credit: Patch Archive