Preliminary hearing in local man’s death scheduled to start April 13
A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for April 6, 2018, for a Seal Beach resident accused of involuntary manslaughter as the result of punching another Seal Beach man in the face in 2017, according to the Orange County Superior Court website. A preliminary hearing, which will determine if the case goes to trial, is currently scheduled to begin April 13. However, court dates are subject to change without notice. According to the DA’s Office, on July 18, 2017 at approximately 1:20 a.m., Matthew Paul Meier was socializing at Clancy’s, a Main Street bar where he was employed at the time, (the Sun does not know his current status with the business) when he allegedly punched 46-year-old James Tinsman once in the face with a closed fist, causing the victim to lose consciousness, fall backward, and strike his head on the pavement outside of the bar.
According to the authorities, witnesses called 911 and emergency medical responders took the victim to a local hospital. Tinsman died later that day as a result of severe head trauma sustained during the assault. In the early morning hours of Aug. 2, 2017, Seal Beach Police arrested Meier.He was released on $100,000 bail posted on Aug. 8, according to the courthouse website.
Hearing set for Home invasion defendants on March 28
A pre-trail hearing was scheduled for March 28 for two Costa Mesa men accused of a home invasion robbery that was reported on Seal Way in August 2017. Information about the hearing was not available at editorial deadline.
A preliminary hearing in the case was scheduled twice last year, but canceled both times.
On Wednesday, Aug. 30, Seal Beach Police detectives arrested Richard Henry Derderian, 33, and Aaron Michael Lipsey, 34, in connection with the Aug. 21 robbery on the 1100 block of Seal Way. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has charged Lipsey and Derderian with first degree robbery, first degree burglary, threatening witnesses and making criminal threats. Lipsey was released on $250,000 bail on Sept. 20, 2017, according to the Orange County Superior Court website. Derderian remains in custody, according to the Orange County Superior Court website. According to the Seal Beach Police Department, on Monday, Aug. 21, at approximately 4 p.m., two suspects broke into a home on the 1100 block of Seal Way in Seal Beach. Police said the three men who occupied the home were tied up and the suspects ransacked the home. Police said the suspects told the victims they had a gun, but no gun was ever seen. A safe was reportedly stolen.
Sentencing hearing continues in traffic death of German tourist
A hearing on an unspecified issue is scheduled on April 6 in the case of a Seal Beach man who has been convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. His sentencing hearing is presently scheduled to continue on May 4. He pleaded guilty on Sept. 17, 2017. In addition to the manslaughter charge, he also pleaded guilty to transportation for sale of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance with a firearm.
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Matthew Ryan Wood, 25, was high on methamphetamine in December 2016, when his pickup truck passed over the painted center median and was struck by a car being driven by German tourist Lisa Schelborn, 19. Schelborn died as a result of her injuries.
Hearing in misdemeanor sexual battery case set for April 19
A pre-trial hearing on an unspecified issue is scheduled for April 19, in the case of a Torrance man accused of misdemeanor sexual battery on a woman at a Seal Beach gas station in July 2017, according to the Orange County Superior court website. Adel Rezkallaa, 45, of Torrance, has pleded not guilty to charges of battery and touching an intimate part of another person.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office filed the court case in September 2017. On Tuesday, July 25, 2017, the Seal Beach Police Department received a call from a woman who reported that a gas station employee had touched her in an inappropriate and sexual manner. The victim apparently told police that she had gone to the Unocal 76 gas station, at 13980 Seal Beach Blvd., to buy gas for her car. According to prosecutors, the victim, a 29-year-old woman, went to the gas station and bought lottery tickets from the cashier, who has been identified as Rezkallaa. According to prosecutors, Rezkallaa followed the woman out of the gas station and grabbed both of her breasts from behind.
After an investigation, Rezkallaa was arrested and taken to the Orange County Jail. He was released on $500 bail on Aug. 10, 2017 according to the court website.
May 2 next scheduled court date for lewd conduct case
A pre-trial hearing on an unspecified issue is scheduled to be held May 2 in the case of a former Seal Beach youth sports coach who has been accused of abusing two children, according to the Orange County Superior Court website.
However, court dates are subject to change. A March 23 pre-trial hearing in the case was canceled, for example.
The jury trial was previously scheduled to start Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017, and was then scheduled to start on Feb. 15, 2018, only to be canceled both times.
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Scott Durzo, who owned a youth sports camp business called the Total Sport Camp, was originally charged Friday, May 9, 2014, with nine felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under age 14.
Durzo has been charged with 20 counts involving two victims, identified in court records as John Doe and John Doe 2.
According to the complaint filed with the court, 18 counts stem from incidents that allegedly occurred between May 1, 2005 and Oct. 3, 2006, involving John Doe.
The complaint also accused Durzo of two more counts of lewd conduct stemming from incidents that allegedly occurred between Jan. 13, 2003 and Jan. 12, 2005, involving John Doe 2, a child of 14 and 15 years of age.
In June 2014, Durzo was released on $250,000 bail.
