A woman accused of killing her boyfriend and prompting a seven-hour standoff with police pleaded not guilty during her arraignment Monday.
A judge set a $50,000 bail for Georgette Cramer Cervantes, 58, who faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon in the death of her boyfriend in the 3700-block of Franklin Avenue.
Prosecutors allege that on Oct. 2, Cervantes and the victim – whose identity has not been released – got into a verbal fight in front of the Mountain View home.
Cervantes had been wielding a pipe, and when her brother came out to see what was going on, she threw the pipe at him.
Later that evening, the victim started to leave the property as he usually does, by hopping over a 5-foot side fence.
Prosecutors say that as he was climbing over the top of the fence, Cervantes pushed him from behind. He fell hard, hit his head on the cement and died from a broken neck.
At 9:20 p.m., police were called to the home to investigate a man’s body left in the driveway. When officers tried to make contact with Cervantes, she refused to leave the house.
At this point, an overnight standoff began. Police called in SWAT and a negotiations team to get Cervantes out safely. Seven hours later, she was taken into custody.
At her arraignment, prosecutors did not give a motive for the killing.
Cervantes will return to court on Oct. 17 for a readiness hearing. She faces up to six years in state prison if she is convicted.
