Deltopia Partyer Charged with Assaulting Officer Appears in Court

Desmond Louis Edwards, the 17-year-old Los Angeles male charged with resisting and assaulting a UCSB police officer during Deltopia Saturday night, appeared in court for the second time Thursday afternoon. Currently held at Juvenile Hall in Santa Maria, Edwards — escorted into the courtroom by probation officers, wearing an orange sweatshirt and pants — had his arraignment continued until Monday so he can be interviewed by pretrial services to determine if he is a threat to public safety and if he can be released on his own recognizance. His bail is currently at $100,000.

Sheriff’s officials have said the Deltopia crowd quickly grew and became “unruly” following the incident in which Edwards allegedly swung a backpack filled with full liquor bottles at the police officer’s face, who tried to grab him after witnessing him in a fight. (Officers arrested 17 others for the misdemeanor charges of participating in an unlawful assembly and refusing to disperse.)

Judge Thomas Adams upheld public defender Mindi Boulet’s objection to media requests for photos in part because Edwards is a minor. Edwards will be tried as an adult and faces multiple felony charges including mayhem, or physically disfiguring a victim, and his sentence could range from probation to 12 years in state prison if convicted. Prosecutor Mary Barron will handle the case. The injured police officer, who was treated for a laceration above the eyebrow, is expected to return to duty soon.