A St. Paul man pleaded guilty to first-degree assault this week for pushing his girlfriend out of a moving vehicle last March.
Wilson Townsel, 58, entered an Alford plea in the case, meaning he admits the state likely has enough evidence to convict him of the charge but still maintains his innocence.

The plea was entered Wednesday after a deal was reached with the prosecution.
Bleeding from her head and neck, his girlfriend walked up to a house in St. Paul around 2 a.m. last March 24 and started knocking. When no one answered, she tried another home.
When police found her, she had blood running down her face from a wound on her forehead, where a large area of skin peeled away, court documents say.
She told police she had been driving with Townsel, her longtime boyfriend, in St. Paul when he suddenly reached over, opened her passenger door and shoved her out of the moving vehicle, according to the criminal complaint.
She was taken by ambulance to Regions Hospital and rushed into surgery, the complaint said.
In addition to the head wound, the woman suffered a collapsed lung, fractured ribs and a ruptured spleen, along with bruises and scrapes on other areas of her body.
Townsel’s attorney, Marcus Almon, declined comment.
Townsel is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 27.