City Councilman to Stand Trial in Assault
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LOS ANGELES — A judge has ruled that a La Puente City Councilman must stand trial on charges that he broke into his former girlfriend’s home and threatened to kill her and her new boyfriend.
Edward Rodarte, 26, a Walnut schools police officer and a Los Angeles police reserve officer, faces six felony counts of assault, making terrorists threats and burglary.
Prosecutors allege that last September, Rodarte broke into the East Los Angeles home through an open window and waited for his former girlfriend and her boyfriend. As the couple were about to go to bed, Rodarte came out of the bedroom closet, pointing a gun, said he was a member of the Mexican Mafia and threatened to kill them, Deputy Dist. Atty. Candace Foy Smith said.
A struggle ensued between Rodarte and the boyfriend, whom he attempted to strangle, Smith said. When the woman turned on the light, Rodarte hit her and yanked the telephone from the wall, the prosecutor said. He threatened to kill the couple if they went to police, Foy Smith said.
Rodarte, a former La Puente mayor, is free on $250,000 bail. His arraignment is set for Jan. 19 in Los Angeles Superior Court.
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