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FARMINGTON — A Clearfield man has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault in the death of a woman he punched at a New Year's Eve party, causing her to hit her head.
Alcario Jesus Archuleta-Valdez, 33, pleaded guilty last week to a reduced charge of assault, a class A misdemeanor, in the death of Bobbie Jo Barnett, 35. Archuleta-Valdez was initially charged with criminal homicide by assault, a third-degree felony.
In exchange for his plea, Davis County prosecutors have agreed to recommend credit for time served and that a potential one-year jail sentence run concurrent to sentences from three other cases.
Sentencing has been scheduled for Jan. 12.
Archuleta-Valdez was at a New Year's Eve party with three other people when a fight broke out between him and another person, according to police. When that fight was ending, Barnett walked toward Archuleta-Valdez and he "turned around and punched the victim which caused the victim to fall and hit her head," according to charging documents.
Barnett, of Ogden, died as a result of her head injury on Jan. 3.
After speaking with witnesses at the party, investigators believe Archuleta-Valdez intended to hit Barnett and the attack was not a wayward punch or an accident.
Charges weren't filed against Archuleta-Valdez until April. One problem for investigators was that Archuleta-Valdez had given the three other women at the party a fake identity and none of them knew his real name, according to police. Another problem was that a lot of alcohol had been consumed at the party.
