Man accused of endangering life of child, DUI appears in court

Prelim hearing to be scheduled in August

A man charged with child endangerment and driving under the influence of alcohol after allegedly driving his pickup truck into a tree in Bridgeport, sending both he and a toddler to the hospital, appeared in court Wednesday.

Kevin Hussain, of Saugus, appeared in San Fernando Superior Court to set a date for a preliminary hearing but was told the date-setting would take place next month.

During a preliminary hearing, prosecutors will present evidence in the case, and the defense can respond; the judge can then decide if the case should go to trial.

Hussain, 30, is expected back in court Aug. 29, Ricardo Santiago, spokesman for the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday.

He was arrested Feb. 5 after his truck smashed into a tree in Bridgeport, shearing a water main and sending at least 15,000 gallons of water down the drain.

“Deputies found a toddler in a carseat in the vehicle,” Shirley Miller, spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station said at the time of the crash.

“The child (who appeared to be about 2 years old) was out of the vehicle when we arrived,” one firefighter said at the time of the collision.

“The crash was on the driver’s side, so (the driver) was able to climb over the console,” he said. “Deputies (with SCV Sheriff’s Station) got the child out on the passenger side. They pulled the child to safety. The child was uninjured.”