Police: Man tries to strangle girlfriend; victim saved by bat-swinging mother

Police are looking for the La Mesa man accused of punching and strangling his girlfriend early Sunday morning.

29-year-old Eddie Carbajal, of the 200 block of Las Flores in La Mesa, is charged with one count each of Aggravated Battery Against a Household Member, Battery Against a Household Member and Criminal Damage to Property.

Shortly after 3 a.m. on Sunday, May 14, police officers were dispatched to a domestic disturbance on the 1100 block of La Fonda Drive.

Investigators learned Carbajal and a 26-year-old woman, who lives at the residence, had been in a relationship for about 18 months.

The woman was asleep, in her room, when she was awakened by Carbajal knocking on her window. The woman let Carbajal inside and he allegedly consumed a “shot” of cocaine, police say.

The woman told detectives she fell asleep and woke up again to Carbajal punching her face and body. The woman’s mother heard the commotion and went into her daughter’s bedroom where she pulled Carabajal off her daughter.

Investigators learned Carbajal then placed his hands around the 26-year-old woman’s neck and began choking her, police said.

Police say the woman’s mother grabbed a small baseball bat and struck Carbajal’s back. The mother and her daughter were then able to shove Carbajal out of the residence.

Anyone with information on Carbajal’s whereabouts is asked to call police immediately at (575) 526-0795.