Arcata homicide case postponed
Arcata man Russell Holt, who is accused of killing Ricky Smith — a beloved Arcata homeless man who was known to play guitar at the intersection where he was killed in February — was supposed to have a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, but Deputy Public Defender Wade Orbelian asked for a continuance.
“This has been set quite a few times,” Judge Kelly Neel, who ultimately granted the continuance, said before discussing the reason for the continuance at her podium with Orbelian and Deputy District Attorney Jessica Watson.
Holt was charged with voluntary manslaughter and assault likely to produce great bodily injury, and faces a few special allegations regarding two previous convictions for serious or violent felonies and five for less serious felonies.
Neel ultimately granted the continuance against Watson’s objection, and the hearing is now scheduled for Jan. 4, 2023. The hearing was estimated to take the entire day.
“We are prepared to go forward, this is almost a year-old case,” Watson said.
Holt has been in custody since February, with bail set at $500,000.
Fortuna teacher’s abuse hearing reset
The preliminary hearing for a former Fortuna Union High School math teacher accused of inappropriately touching several underage female students was rescheduled.
Gary Landergen was arrested in April and charged with four felony accusations of lewd acts with children and four misdemeanor counts: two regarding unlawfully touching an intimate part of another person and two regarding child molestation. All three minors in the case were 15 years old.
Landergen’s preliminary hearing was supposed to proceed on Wednesday, but Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm asked for a continuance, which was granted by Judge Timothy Canning. Deputy Conflict Counsel Jessica Bennett did not object to the continuance.
Landergen, who is out of custody and present for the hearing over Zoom, will have his preliminary hearing Jan. 31, 2023.
Drug trafficking case rescheduled
Tuesday also saw a continuance in the case regarding 69-year-old Jose Lomeli-Osuna, an Arcata man accused of running a drug trafficking organization, which when busted, resulted in the largest haul of seized drugs in Humboldt County Drug Task Force history.
Lomeli-Osuna’s preliminary hearing was put out because the parties were in the process of discussing a plea agreement with Judge Christopher Wilson, who was out sick. Canning allowed the continuance.
The hearing was rescheduled to Dec. 13. Lomeli-Osuna remains in custody.
Jackson Guilfoil can be reached at 707-441-0506.