Trial delayed for suspect in drunk vehicular attack

The jury trial for a Pasadena man accused of trying to run over at least six people in his car in Newport Beach last year has been delayed, officials said Thursday.

Bryan Curiel, 23, was scheduled to go to trial today after police said he tried to run over a woman and her friends Aug. 31, 2008, Labor Day, after the woman rejected his advances earlier at a local doughnut shop.

A scheduling conflict has forced attorneys to delay the trial, officials said.

According to prosecutors, Curiel and a friend were drinking at a Newport Beach bar near the pier that night. From there they moved on to a doughnut shop across the street, where Curiel hit on a group of three women. The women rejected his advances and went outside, where they met another female friend and a few guys, police said.

After another unsuccessful attempt, a drunk Curiel swore at the group and left, officials said. Ten minutes later, the group of women and their friends headed to their cars in the Newport Pier parking lot, police said. Curiel was also there, behind the wheel and, in a rage, targeted the group and sped toward them at more than 50 mph, police said.

He missed, and ended up crashing into stone benches along the beach sidewalk, prosecutors said. One man in the group was slightly injured.

Curiel is being held in lieu of $1-million bail and could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted on all six counts of attempted murder and other various related felonies.

Reporter JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].