By Olivia Biliunas
WOODLAND, CA – A Yolo County Superior Court judge denied an accused man access to Addiction Intervention Court (AIC) Tuesday, a court program that helps individuals with substance abuse disorders involved within the criminal justice system.
The accused’s application to the AIC was denied, despite having been a homeless resident of Yolo County for over a year.
The accused is charged with both felonies and misdemeanors resulting from allegedly purchasing or receiving a stolen vehicle, driving with privilege revoked, circumstances of aggravation, evading a peace officer with reckless driving, driving under the influence, possessing a controlled substance, reckless driving with alcohol, and violating probation.
To be enrolled in an AIC court program, participants must be a Yolo County resident, said defense attorney David Nelson, adding only 20 participants are accepted at a time, the Yolo County District Attorney Office claims.
Deputy District Attorney Alex Kian relayed that Yolo County residents, like the accused, are eligible to be admitted to an AIC court. Defense Attorney Nelson said that the accused apparently, according to his denied application, does not qualify for AIC because he put his mother’s address and holds MediCal benefits out of Sacramento.
It was shared by Defense Attorney Nelson that the accused has been homeless in the County of Yolo for over a year now and it is a “catch-22” because the accused has filings with Sacramento but lives in Yolo County.
Deputy District Attorney Deanna Hays was sitting next to DDA Kian when she chimed in as a friend of the court, sharing that as long as the accused benefits from services in Sacramento they will not get AIC until they completely transfer to Yolo County.
Judge David Rosenberg established with both DDA Kian and defense attorney Nelson that the accused is a resident of Yolo County and should be accepted into the AIC program.
Defense attorney Nelson stated “there is a snafu in the system” and Judge Rosenberg replied, “That’s their rules we have to comply with.”
A preliminary hearing is scheduled later, and defense attorney Nelson said he is going to re-apply the accused for the AIC program one more time in hopes of getting him accepted.
