Hearing delayed in felony battery case

SANDPOINT - Another preliminary hearing is being postponed for a Ponderay man who allegedly rammed his sport utility vehicle into a lounge entrance during a confrontation with a bartender.

Shaun Lee Spencer told the court he is still lining up defense counsel to represent him in his aggravated battery case. Chief Public Defender Isabella Robertson withdrew from the case last month after a relative of the defendant's accused her of being in league with the prosecution.

Spencer told Judge Justin Julian on Wednesday, April 2 that he was unable to secure counsel in Montana and is in the process of obtaining an attorney in Washington state.

Judge Justin Julian and Bonner County Prosecutor Phil Robinson said they were uncomfortable with proceeding in the case if Spencer was without representation. Wednesday's hearing was to determine if Spencer should be tried on the felony battery charge.

Julian rescheduled the hearing and warned Spencer he has run out of continuances at this stage.

“Let me be abundantly clear: This is your last, last chance,” Julian said.

Spencer, 30, is accused of driving a Jeep Cherokee into a rear entrance at the Hideaway Lounge at the Bonner Mall in the early morning hours of March 1. Spencer is further charged with misdemeanor drunken driving.

The 28-year-old bartender, according to a Ponderay Police report, was knocked back as much as 30 feet and lost consciousness. The collision was reportedly precipitated by a bar brawl involving patrons Spencer was with at the time.

Spencer contends the bartender was the aggressor in the dispute and that he drove into the entrance after seeing the man shove his girlfriend to the ground. Spencer also told police he did not mean to injure the bartender.