News Briefs: September 8, 2010

Vehicle trial moving forward

A Colusa woman charged with vehicular manslaughter, despite tests that show she was not under the influence and the victim was, is set to appear in court today.

Belinda A. Remley, 54, is charged with a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter in connection with a Nov. 4 crash that killed Mark Eisele, 40, of Paradise.

Remley was arrested following the crash and charged with driving under the influence, but tests show she was sober at the time of the crash and that Eisele was more than three times over the legal alcohol limit and also tested positive for marijuana use.

Prosecutors have called those test results irrelevant and have filed a motion to exclude Eisele's test results from the case file.

Remley said Eisele had pulled off to the south side shoulder of Highway 162 as she was proceeding east on the afternoon of Nov. 4. She believes Eisele was trying to make a U-turn and pulled out in front of her.

However, the California Highway Patrol reached a different conclusion.

The CHP believes that Eisele had slowed to turn off the highway and Remley slammed into the back of his truck, causing the crash.

Remley is due in court today at 8:30 a.m.

Hammonds in court Thursday

The former Baptist pastor accused of sexually assaulting two teenage girls from his congregation is due back in court Thursday.

The long-delayed case against Carlton F. Hammonds is expected to go before a Glenn County jury later this month.

Hammonds, 56, has pleaded not guilty to four felony counts of performing lewd acts and sexual battery. He was arrested Nov. 20 outside his old Tehama Street church after a three-year investigation.

Prosecutors have said they believe Hammonds victimized many teenagers, but have only charged him with two victims.

The three-day jury trial is scheduled for Sept. 27.

Martinez set for trial

The man accused of beating his 3-year-old son is due back in court Thursday.

Jose Luis Martinez is charged with one felony count of inflicting corporal injury upon a child and special allegation of injuring a child under the age of 5. He has pleaded not guilty.

Martinez, 24, waived his preliminary hearing in July.

Initially authorities accused him of attempted murder, but prosecutors said there was no evidence that Martinez intended to kill the boy, Christpher Solis-Martinez, when he reportedly slugged the child one time in the chest.

Authorities said Martinez was upset because the child would not stop crying.

A jury trial is scheduled for Sept. 27.