Two domestic violence charges were dismissed Wednesday against a Ridgefield man after his girlfriend, whom he’s accused of assaulting, died last month.
Clark County Superior Court Judge Jennifer Snider granted the agreed-upon recommendation to dismiss charges of residential burglary and a court order violation against Aarondeep Johal, 32.
The prosecutor had agreed to the dismissal because Johal’s girlfriend can no longer testify about allegations that he violated a 2020 no-contact order when he entered her apartment in April.
Johal was arrested again in October, accused of kidnapping his girlfriend as she sought help at a Vancouver convenience store, assaulting her and attempting to kill their infant daughter. He was out on bail in the pending domestic violence case when these latest allegations occurred.
Court records state that the woman died Nov. 7. Snider declined to tell Johal or his defense attorney how she died, but Johal has not been charged with causing her death.
He is still facing domestic violence charges of second-degree assault and fourth-degree assault and another felony charge of violating a court order in the 2020 case. He is also charged in the October case with domestic violence first-degree attempted murder, first-degree burglary, first-degree kidnapping, felony domestic violence court order violation, harassment death threats, third-degree assault, fourth-degree assault, third-degree malicious mischief and resisting arrest.
Snider also ordered that Johal’s bail remain at a total of $1 million, denying the defense’s request to cut his bail in half after dismissing the two charges.
Snider said she believes Johal poses a danger to his infant child and other family members on the witness list, as well as the community, because some of the alleged crimes were committed in public.
His trial is scheduled for Dec. 27.
