LAKEPORT — A judge Monday postponed pretrial proceedings for a Kelseyville man accused of causing a September 2009 fatal car crash.
Alejandro Aurelio Arias, 30, faces four felonies, including second-degree murder, for allegedly speeding through a highway red light and hitting another car, killing its driver, in Lakeport more than two years ago.
Arias, who remains in custody at the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility, has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
He appeared at the Lake County Courthouse Monday afternoon for settlement and trial-readiness conferences but his attorney, Doug Rhoades, asked the court to postpone those proceedings for several weeks.
Rhoades said a continuance would allow for further settlement negotiations and let him better gauge the progress of another case he is defending.
Rhoades represents one of two men charged with killing a toddler in Clearlake last spring. That case is currently at trial and could last until mid-May, which would cause a conflict for Rhoades on the Arias case — which is set for trial in mid-April.
Judge David W. Herrick Monday continued the Arias settlement and trial-readiness conferences to April 2 at 2:30 p.m. in Department 1.
Rhoades and prosecutor John Langan asked Herrick to leave the April 18 trial date in place.
Contact Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@record-bee.com or call him at 263-5636, ext. 37.
