People v. Contreras CA1/1

Filed 4/29/25 P. v. Contreras CA1/1 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION ONE

THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, A172936 v. ALEJANDRO CONTRERAS, JR., (Butte County Super. Ct. No. 24CF01886) Defendant and Appellant.

Defendant Alejandro Contreras, Jr., appeals from a judgment sentencing him to four years in prison after he pled no contest to assault with a deadly weapon. His appellate counsel asked the court for an independent review of the record under People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436 (Wende). After considering a supplemental brief submitted by Contreras and independently reviewing the record, we find no arguable issues and affirm.1

1 On April 10, 2025, after briefing was complete, the appeal was

transferred from the Third District Court of Appeal to this court for decision.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND On the afternoon of April 20, 2024, Contreras and the victim, his girlfriend, gambled at a casino in Butte County.2 Contreras was upset with the victim because she would not share her winnings with him and then lost them all. As Contreras was driving them away from the casino, he told the victim to get out of his vehicle. She refused, because the vehicle was moving, and Contreras began hitting and kicking her. He then opened the passenger’s door and “produced an X-Acto knife and began slashing at the victim.” The victim pepper sprayed Contreras before he was able to force her out of the vehicle. When sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, the victim was “visibly upset and crying.” She had a large cut on her thumb that required stitches and other “lacerations” and “scratches” on her head and torso. Contreras was quickly located and arrested. He denied having a knife or hitting the victim, claiming she broke his vehicle’s windshield and “her injuries were self- inflicted.” Contreras was charged with felony counts of injuring a girlfriend and assault with a deadly weapon. It was also alleged as to both counts that he personally inflicted great bodily injury (GBI) on the victim under circumstances involving domestic violence.3 In May 2024, under a plea agreement, Contreras pled no contest to the assault count in exchange for a maximum sentence of four years and dismissal of the other count and the