Ramona man posts bond in SWAT standoff

A Ramona man charged in a 7-1/2 hour standoff with SWAT officers on Oct. 11 has posted $250,000 bond and faces a Dec. 2 preliminary hearing in El Cajon Superior Court.

Lawrence Steven Monterastelli, 42, is charged with domestic violence, making a criminal threat to his girlfriend, attempting to dissuade a witness from reporting a crime, assault with a firearm and damaging a telephone line. He pleaded not guilty to all charges Oct. 15 and posted bail later that night, said Deputy District Attorney Timothy Campen.

Ramona sheriff’s deputies received a report about a domestic dispute at a house in the 2700 block of Luelf Street in the Holly Oaks development at 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 11. A 38-year-old woman fled the home and neighbors called 911 after someone reported hearing shots being fired. Two children left the home around 4 a.m. safely.

Deputies from the sheriff’s Special Enforcement Detail and others surrounded the home. Monterastelli somehow left the home and hid inside a recreation vehicle on the property. After SWAT officers fired tear gas into the vehicle around 6 a.m., he was arrested.

Monterastelli will return to court on Nov. 16 to check on the status of the Dec. 2 preliminary hearing, according to court records.