DeKalb man accused of beating, choking woman on Christmas Eve to prevent her from calling 911

DeKALB – A DeKalb man is facing charges after police said he beat a woman and tried to choke her to prevent her from calling 911 on Christmas Eve, according to DeKalb County court records.

Gabriel A. Galindo, 44, of the 500 block of North Seventh Street is charged with domestic battery, interfering with a domestic violence report and resisting a peace officer. If convicted of the most serious crime, domestic battery, a class 4 felony, Galindo could face up to three years in prison.

Police responded to two reports of domestic violence at Galindo’s home on North Seventh Street about 11 p.m. Dec. 24, records show.

Police reported that when officers arrived, Galindo was uncooperative, yelling at officers, threatening to fight them and refusing to separate himself from the victim, records allege. A witness told police that she’d heard the woman screaming for help.

More DeKalb police officers responded to the home and “were able to contain” Galindo, records show, so that the victim could recount her experience.

The woman told police that Galindo allegedly had gotten upset with her when she had grabbed her cellphone inside the home. Galindo is accused of grabbing the woman by her throat and shoving her against the wall, striking her in the mouth with his closed fist, records show. Galindo allegedly dragged the woman across the bedroom floor by her hair and pulled the cellphone out of her hand to prevent her from calling 911 for help.

At one point, the woman was able to get to the other side of the bedroom to use her watch to call 911, records show. She also told police she screamed for the witness to call police, too.

Galindo was arrested without incident initially, although began to alledgely resist by pulling away from officers while police escorted him to a squad car, records show. Police reported that Galindo had to be carried down several flights of stairs while kicking to avoid arrest.

During a Dec. 26 bond hearing, Galindo was given a $5,000 recognizance bond by Judge Jill Konen, meaning he was released from DeKalb County Jail without needing to post money. He’s been placed on an electronic monitoring device and ordered to appear for a status hearing at 10:15 a.m. Jan. 19.

Galindo is being represented by the DeKalb County Public Defender’s Office, which was not available for comment.

Galindo was convicted of misdemeanor domestic battery in DeKalb County in 2009, court records show.