Court imposes $10K bail on Saluta

The 40-year-old Saluta surrendered to authorities after learning that a warrant for his arrest had been issued.

Saluta was remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections after he failed to post bail following the hearing yesterday.

Govendo directed Saluta not to have any contact with Alejandro Orellano, the victim, and Benita Galera, the victim’s girlfriend.

Govendo raised to $10,000 the $5,250 bail  earlier set by Associate Judge David A. Wiseman who issued Saluta’s arrest order.

In his affidavit, Detective Sean White said the Department of Public Safety received a 911 call from a woman reporting that a man, later identified as Saluta, was threatening to kill her boyfriend in the Fina Sisu Market area on April 19, 2009.

White said Saluta confronted Orellano who was with Galera at the time.

Saluta asked Orellano “why he was staring at [the defendant who then] pulled out a knife from his pocket, opened it and swung it at Orellano,” White said.

Saluta chased Orellano and continued swinging the knife at his victim, White added.

Orellano ended up tripping and falling to the ground.

Saluta only stopped swinging the knife at Orellano when Galera shouted that she was pregnant, White said.

Galera further told Saluta that he would be responsible for hurting her boyfriend.

Saluta then ran away, White said.

Saluta was in the news last month for seeking shelter at a park with his wife and five young children after being evicted from an apartment.

He has been unemployed since April 2007 while his wife lost her job in 2003.

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