Charges delayed for crash suspect

Lolita Harper

The arraignment of a Costa Mesa man arrested on suspicion of

vehicular manslaughter and drunk driving after a fatal accident

outside the Pierce Street Annex bar last week was postponed until

March 19.

Language barriers snagged the usually swift arraignment process

Tuesday, officials said. Pawel Stanislaw Wiater, who was allegedly

driving the Mitsubishi Eclipse that struck two men on Friday, killing

one of them, primarily spoke Polish, officials said. Andre Felipe de

Oliveira Braga, 31, of Laguna Beach, and John Garazulis, 25 of

Westminster, were hit while crossing 17th Street at the corner of

Raymond Avenue in Costa Mesa early Friday morning after leaving

Pierce Street Annex. Braga died at the scene, and Garazulis was taken

to Western Medical Center with serious injuries.

Wiater, who is tall and slender with short, dirty blond hair and a

goatee, had asked for an interpreter before the arraignment began,

but because one was not readily available, he tried to make due

without. He addressed the court from the defendant’s box and stared

straight ahead, at times biting his lower lip. Often during the

proceedings, he would lift his head in the direction of a group of

four women who smiled and waved at him when he walked in.

Superior Court Judge Geoffrey T. Glass asked Wiater if he

understood the accusations against him, such as causing bodily injury

to more than one person, including brain injury and possibly

paralysis. Wiater answered with a soft “Yes, sir.”

It was when the judge asked if Wiater needed a public defender

that language became an issue.

“I think so,” Wiater answered. “I cannot afford an attorney.”

Glass said that defense counsel would be appointed at the expense

of the people, and Wiater agreed.

“Do you understand what I am asking?” Glass said.

“I know the word afford,” Wiater answered. “Yes, I want an

attorney.”

“You want an attorney, free, at no cost to you?” Glass said.

Wiater hesitated for a minute and then answered, “No.”

The women in the front row of the courtroom vigorously shook their

heads and waved their hands at Wiater, who then changed his

statement. He again asked for a Polish interpreter, and the court

waited until one could be found.

One of the women sat hunched over the seat in front of her, with

her forehead resting on her clenched hands. She wiped her eyes when

she saw Wiater enter the room and gasped when he declined an

attorney. She huddled with the rest of the group in the hall while

waiting for a translator but refused to comment.

Wiater has three previous traffic violations, including for

speeding, not having proof of insurance and passing on the right

shoulder. The charge of manslaughter is punishable by four, six or 10

years in prison, according to the California Penal Code.

* LOLITA HARPER is the community forum editor. She also writes

columns Wednesdays and Fridays. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275

or by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.