A 31-year-old Easton man will serve six months in jail after admitting he grabbed his wife by the neck and pressed his forearm to her throat during an argument over their divorce. Humberto Diaz-Acosta pleaded guilty to second-degree domestic-violence assault in a deal that dismissed two other charges tied to the same incident.
Diaz-Acosta accepted the plea agreement during a change-of-plea hearing on Sept. 10 in Kittitas County Superior Court, according to goskagit.com. Deputy Prosecutor Robert Porter told Judge Chris Herion, “This was a mid-range offer,” according to the same report. The agreement called for six months in jail with credit for time already served, followed by 12 months of community custody once Diaz-Acosta is released.
As part of the deal, two additional counts — fourth-degree assault and interfering with a report of domestic violence — were dismissed, the outlet reported. A judge also approved a 10-year no-contact order barring Diaz-Acosta from his wife.
What Happened in Easton
The case stems from an incident at a residence in the 400 block of Railroad Street in Easton on the morning of May 31. Court documents state that Diaz-Acosta and his wife were quarreling over their impending divorce when he grabbed her around the neck and pressed his forearm to her throat in an attempt to strangle her, according to NewsRadio 560 KPQ.
His wife managed to break free during the struggle and tried to call 911 on her own cellphone, the station's report states. Diaz-Acosta then took the phone from her, forcing her to use her daughter's cellphone to eventually call for help, per the same account.
How Washington Law Treats Strangulation
Under Washington law, assaulting another person by strangulation or suffocation is classified as second-degree assault and, with a specified exception, a class B felony, according to the Washington State Legislature. State statute defines strangulation as compressing a person's neck in a way that obstructs blood flow or the ability to breathe, or acting with intent to cause that obstruction, per the Washington State Legislature.
Legislative findings describe nonfatal strangulation as among the most dangerous acts of domestic violence and sexual assault, according to the Washington State Legislature. That framing underscores why prosecutors pursued a felony charge even though Diaz-Acosta's wife was able to break free before the assault escalated further.
With the plea deal finalized, the case is closed pending Diaz-Acosta's release and the start of his community custody term. The 10-year no-contact order remains the primary legal protection in place for his wife going forward.
