Olivia woman's assault case dismissed after victim recants

WILLMAR -- The criminal charges against a 33-year-old Olivia woman have been dismissed after the alleged victim recanted.

For that reason, two felony charges of second-degree assault and criminal vehicular operation, plus a misdemeanor charge of domestic assault, against Mary Christina Ortega-Castillo were dismissed Nov. 5 by the county attorney's office.

Willmar police had been called on Oct. 1 to a 16th Street Southwest address on a report that a vehicle had rammed another vehicle. Officers arrived to find a white GMC Yukon parked in the middle of the yard, with a red Dodge Neon with front end damage nearby. Ortega-Castillo said that her foot slid off the brake pedal and onto the accelerator and her Yukon hit the Neon.

Another woman there said that Ortega-Castillo had come to the home, argued with her about both women dating the same man and then left when that man arrived in the Neon. The woman said Ortega-Castillo assaulted the man and then got into her vehicle. The woman heard a crash and saw the Yukon push the smaller vehicle and stop in the yard. The man, via an interpreter, said he arrived, was assaulted by Ortega-Castillo and was struck by his vehicle when Ortega-Castillo's vehicle was pushing it. The man had a scrape on his arm and complained of soreness from being knocked to the ground.