Husband pleads guilty after assault in Yosemite National Park involving his wife

A 59-year-old San Rafael man has pleaded guilty in federal court to a domestic violence charge after assaulting his wife during a trip to Yosemite National Park in August.

According to a statement from the Department of Justice, Stefan Niels Weiste Kirkeby got into a verbal confrontation with his wife while at Happy Isles, near the start of the Mist Trail.

According to court documents, he forcibly grabbed his wife and both fell to the ground before other park visitors intervened. He threatened to kill his wife and also himself before he was arrested.

Kirkeby is scheduled to be sentenced June 26 and faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

This story was originally published February 24, 2023 at 12:51 PM.