A 6th Circuit judge has scheduled Nov. 10 proceedings on whether he should order a new preliminary hearing for a 31-year-old man charged with vandalizing construction bulldozers on the Burr Trail.
Following a July 13-14 preliminary hearing for Grant Smith Johnson, Judge David Mower asked attorneys to submit more documents on whether Johnson should be ordered to stand trial on allegations he sabotaged construction equipment.Defense attorneys have argued prosecutors failed to tie Johnson to the four felony counts of criminal mischief.
Several environmental groups oppose Garfield County's plans to re-grade a 27-mile section of the Burr Trail, which runs from the town of Boulder to Lake Powell. Silicone poured into the oil pans of three bulldozers damaged the heavy earthmovers.
Law officers followed footprints from the scene to the Deer Creek environmental enclave but were unable to find shoes matching the prints. They arrested Johnson after finding marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms and LSD in his tepee.