WOODLAND, Calif. — A Yolo County Superior Court judge ordered a transient man facing multiple misdemeanor cases and a new felony vandalism charge to remain in custody Tuesday afternoon after prosecutors argued his repeated failures to appear in court made release unlikely to ensure his return.
The accused appeared in Yolo County Superior Court before Judge Danette C. Brown with six separate misdemeanor cases on the calendar, having charges ranging from burglary, vandalism and possession of paraphernalia. The cases heard in court included two misdemeanor arraignments, as well as four review hearings for previous misdemeanor matters.
During the hearing, Deputy Public Defender Monica Brushia asked the court to release the accused on supervised own recognizance, or SOR, despite the felony vandalism charge.
Brushia stated that the accused’s criminal history consists primarily of misdemeanors and argued that circumstances tied to his transient status may have contributed to the situation leading to the crime. She added that all past matters have been moved.
The accused has currently been booked into custody for allegedly breaking into a food truck. Brushia claimed those charges should have been kept as misdemeanors instead of being elevated to a felony vandalism charge.
Brushia added that the accused is a transient who often faces hunger and suggested he was possibly just trying to get food because of his circumstances. She asked the court to consider releasing the accused on SOR due to those factors.
Deputy District Attorney Robin Johnson opposed the request for release, emphasizing to the court that the accused had four cases in 2025 in which he did not appear unless he was already in custody, which she described as a pattern that has contributed to additional cases being filed.
“Now he has three more cases because we can’t get him to court,” Johnson stated, stressing that the accused’s repeated failures to appear had complicated the court’s ability to move the preexisting cases forward.
Johnson also highlighted the financial impact of the alleged vandalism, stating that approximately $2,600 in damage was caused to the food truck owner.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Brown said the court must determine whether any lesser conditions could reasonably ensure the accused’s future appearance in court.
“I don’t know if there are any lesser means to ensure he appears,” Judge Brown stated.
Judge Brown ultimately concluded that nonfinancial conditions alone would not ensure the accused’s return, subsequently ordering that he remain in custody.
For the cases, bail was set at $10,000 for the felony vandalism charge and $1,000 for the misdemeanor charges.
The accused’s cases remain pending in Yolo County Superior Court, with future hearings expected as the court continues to address the multiple matters currently on his docket.
From the position of the accused, the cases illustrate the challenges that can arise for transient individuals navigating the justice system, where unstable housing and limited resources can create roadblocks to attending court or accessing services that can help move their cases forward.
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