Teen faces aggravated robbery, assault charges

WILLMAR -- A 17-year-old Willmar girl pleaded not guilty Monday to three felony charges of first-degree aggravated robbery and third- and fifth-degree assault for allegedly beating a woman in an effort to get her cell phone.

Sara Ann Saldana also faces a misdemeanor theft charge in Kandiyohi County District Court. Her next appearance is Jan. 25.

Felony charges against 16- and 17-year-old juveniles are public information.

According to the petition, Willmar police were called to a residence Nov. 11 in the southwest quadrant of the city.

A woman there reported Saldana had come to her home the previous evening and assaulted her while grabbing for her cell phone.

The woman had a bruise above her eye, a cut on her lip, and complained of a headache and dizziness. She said Saldana punched her, took her to the ground and kicked her.

She said the assault lasted five minutes and that she'd blacked out for some portion of the time.

Saldana had left with the cell phone, but had returned it while the victim was at another location using the phone to call police.

The woman told officers that she had previously lent the girl the phone, but that the teen had run up the phone bill and that's why she didn't want to give the girl the phone.

Saldana's criminal history includes two previous adjudications for fifth-degree assault, both in October 2007, but on two different persons.