SAN DIEGO -- A former professional football running back who played with the St. Louis Rams and other teams pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of assaulting and choking his girlfriend in San Diego on two different occasions in 2005.

Lawrence Phillips, 33, fled to Los Angeles after the charges were filed, and he was subsequently arrested for driving a car into three teenagers following a dispute during a pickup football game.

In October 2006, Phillips was convicted in Los Angeles of assault with a deadly weapon and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

On Monday, San Diego Superior Court Judge David Szumowski ordered Phillips held without bail.

Prosecutor Nicole Cooper said Phillips is charged with assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury and other counts for attacking and choking a 28-year-old woman into unconsciousness on Aug. 2, 2005, in Mission Valley. Phillips faces similar charges for allegedly assaulting the same woman 11 days later. If convicted, he faces 20 years behind bars.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 24.

The Rams selected Phillips sixth in the 1996 NFL draft. He went on to play for the Miami Dolphins and the San Francisco 49ers.