WOODLAND, Calif. — During a motion hearing Tuesday in Yolo County Superior Court, Judge Catherine A. Rayhill issued a bench warrant after the accused failed to appear in court. Deputy Public Defender James Bradford asked the judge to continue the motion to another day so he could attempt to contact the accused, noting the accused was unhoused and did not have access to a phone.
The accused is charged with felonies and misdemeanors related to the possession and use of hard drugs. According to court documents, the accused was ordered to attend treatment at least twice because of prior convictions. The accused was also given a bus pass from the probation office to attend court hearings, indicating limited financial resources and transportation options.
At Tuesday’s motion to suppress hearing, the accused failed to appear. DPD Bradford noted the accused was unhoused and may not have known whether they were expected to report to the probation office to appear online or appear in person.
Following the failure to appear, Deputy District Attorney Stefanie DeCillis stated the accused had been provided a bus pass to attend the court hearing.
The defense noted the accused did not have a phone and that communication with the accused had been limited. The defense therefore asked the court to wait one or two weeks to reestablish contact with the accused and requested that the judge not issue a bench warrant.
Previous court documents show the accused had appeared at the majority of court hearings since the arraignment in December 2025. The accused had been released on SOR, meaning they were allowed to remain out of custody without bail so long as they complied with certain conditions. DPD Bradford also noted there had been some contact between the accused and the probation office.
DDA DeCillis disagreed with DPD Bradford, citing the accused’s prior failure to appear at an earlier court date. Despite the accused’s prior record of appearing in court, limited financial resources, lack of access to a phone and ongoing mental health challenges, Judge Rayhill agreed with DDA DeCillis and issued a $25,000 bench warrant.
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