Christmas parade crash suspect’s preliminary hearing moved to October

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The man accused of driving with a blood-alcohol content more than three times the legal limit when his truck hit multiple people at the Bakersfield Christmas Parade had his preliminary hearing postponed to October during a brief hearing Friday.

Prosecutor Brandon Stallings requested the postponement in the case against Alan Lewis Booth because a necessary witness was unavailable.

The hearing is now set for Oct. 21.

In January, Booth, 73, pleaded not guilty to four counts of assault with a deadly weapon other than a gun, two drunken driving-related counts and misdemeanor resisting arrest after his pickup crashed into three people at the Dec. 7 parade.

Booth took a breath test after the crash that revealed his blood-alcohol content at 0.25%, more than three times the legal limit of 0.08%, according to police reports. Blood results showed his BAC at 0.28%, the reports say.

Arnold Rios , the eldest crash victim, suffered leg fractures and a skull fracture with a brain bleed, attorneys said.

Booth was released on bail until April — when he was arrested on suspicion of driving on a suspended license with a BAC at 0.24%. Misdemeanor charges were filed in that case and he’s since been held without bail.

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