San Juan Bautista Mayor George Dias’ trial for his suspected
altercation with a sheriff’s deputy had been set to start Monday
but was delayed until April.
San Juan Bautista Mayor George Dias’ trial for his suspected altercation with a sheriff’s deputy had been set to start Monday but was delayed until April.
Dias’ attorney, Larry Biegel, said there will be a new date next month but he isn’t sure when. The proceedings were continued for a later date because Biegel said he has a three-week trial to finish.
Dias had an incident last April with San Benito County sheriff’s deputies at a trailer fire on Mission Vineyard Road. He is facing a misdemeanor charge of resisting a peace officer causing serious injury.
The sheriff’s office has claimed previously that Dias wouldn’t move in order to allow firefighting equipment to gain access to a burning trailer on his property. Deputies allege he told deputy Jason Leist: “Go get a real cop. I am not moving.” Leist placed Dias under arrest and then suffered injuries when he, Dias and another deputy fell into a nearby shrub, the sheriff’s office has reported.
Biegel claimed in earlier court documents that Leist approached his client in an “aggressive and belligerent manner while using profanity.”
