Trial set for man who allegedly drove through crowd
A trial date was set Thursday in Yuma County Superior Court for the man who last year allegedly drove a vehicle through a crowd of people — injuring six — following a fight in the area of the confluence of the Gila and Colorado rivers.
When asked by Superior Court Judge Roger Nelson to provide the court with an update on the status of the case, attorney Michael Donovan, who represents Ryan Alexander Albright, asked for a trial date for sometime early next year.
Donovan added that he expected the trial would take about four days, with the prosecution concurring.
Judge Nelson then scheduled Albright’s trial for 9 a.m. on Jan. 16. He also set a final pretrial conference for 8:30 am on Jan. 4.
Albright, who appeared for the hearing via telephone, has been charged with seven counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count each of aggravated assault, aggravated assault with intent to cause serious physical injury and attempted 2nd-degree murder.
Donovan at a previous hearing stated his client was not involved in a fight with anyone there that morning until after a brawl had broken out. He added the injuries that happened were the result of Albright attempting to protect himself while trying to leave as his vehicle was being swarmed by a group of 20 to 30 angry teens.
All of the charges against Albright carry mandatory prison sentences, and it is the prosecution’s contention that he intentionally ran over someone, then backed over them a second time.
According to the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, the incident happened at approximately 4:15 a.m. on Sept. 6. When deputies arrived on scene they were told by several witnesses that Albright and a friend were at the confluence when a fight broke out between them and two other individuals.
There was supposedly a prior incident that occurred that led to Albright and the individual he was with coming to the confluence.
Once the fight had ended, the two got into their vehicle and Albright allegedly intentionally drove it through a crowd of people, hitting several victims, including one who was run over twice.
Six people were injured in the incident and transported by ambulance to Yuma Regional Medical Center.
According to the Sun’s archives, Albright’s mother, Melissa, said her son and his friend went to the confluence for a party and someone his friend had been having problems with started a fight with him.
She said she was told someone else jumped in during the fight, which caused her son to try and help his friend. Soon after that, she said, about 20 to 30 other teens joined in and it turned into a brawl.
According to Albright, her son, who was driving the vehicle, and his friend were in fear of their lives and were only trying to get away, not purposefully trying to hurt anyone.
“They broke out all the windows and people were jumping on the hood trying to tear open the sunroof. It is hard to see when you are getting punched through the windows,” Albright was quoted as saying. “If you don’t want to get run over, don’t stand behind a vehicle.”
The sheriff’s office, however, concluded in its investigation into the incident that the other teens didn’t get involved until after the altercation ended and Albright had allegedly driven through the crowd.
Albright’s vehicle allegedly got stuck as they were attempting to leave and the other teens pulled him and his friend from it and began physically assaulting them.