CHULA VISTA (CNS) - One of San Diego County's top 10 most wanted fugitives, arrested after a roughly eight-hour standoff in Imperial Beach, pleaded not guilty Monday to attempted murder and other charges.
Ramiro Espinoza, 34, was ordered held on $3 million bail. He faces 40 years and four months in prison if convicted. He will be back in court Aug. 6 for a readiness conference and Aug. 8 for a preliminary hearing.
Espinoza, arrested early Friday, has a history of drug and domestic violence arrests. Most recently, he was wanted for the May 24 shooting of his ex-girlfriend in San Ysidro, according to sheriff's officials.
Espinoza is charged with wounding his 28-year-old ex-girlfriend in the head, neck and chest at her home in the 1800 block of Smythe Avenue while her 4-year-old child was there.
The woman, whose name was not made public, was hospitalized in critical condition, and authorities said she was expected to live. The child was unhurt.
Aside from attempted murder, Espinoza is charged with corporal injury to a spouse/roommate with allegations of great bodily injury, the use of a gun, assault with a deadly weapon, child abuse and being a felon with a gun. Espinoza was arrested in the 300 block of Elkwood Avenue about 1:15 a.m. Friday.
A deputy responding to a report of gunfire about 5:10 p.m. Thursday chased after Espinoza, who jumped a fence and temporarily got away, according to sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Caldwell.
Deputies sealed off the area, including about two dozen homes that were evacuated, and searched door-to-door until Espinoza was arrested early Friday, Caldwell said.
A shelter for displaced residents was set up at Mar Vista High School.