Case moved for threat to judge

A Costa Mesa man’s pre-trial hearing for allegedly threatening his ex-wife, possessing explosives and endangering a child has been moved to Los Angeles County because Orange County judges have all recused themselves, prosecutors said Monday.

All future hearings for Ronald Turner, 44, will be in Los Angeles County up until the trial, if it goes that far, prosecutors said, because authorities suspect Turner threatened an Orange County judge along with his ex-wife and Huntington Beach police.

When Orange County court officials, such as a judge, are involved in a case, judges countywide will recuse themselves from the case to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, prosecutors said. Orange County judges recused themselves earlier this month.

Turner threatened the family court judge overseeing his case with his ex-wife, according to prosecutors. Charges for threatening that judge and against Huntington Beach police have yet to be filed pending further investigation, said Farrah Emami, a spokeswoman for the Orange County district attorney’s office.

Turner’s pre-trial hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles.

Turner was arrested July 2 during a traffic stop on the 22 Freeway, where sheriff’s deputies found handcuffs, pepper spray, throwing knives and a stolen 9 mm handgun with hollow-point bullets in his car, prosecutors said.

When authorities raided his home the next day, police say they found two homemade pipe bombs with timers, two homemade handguns and a bulletproof vest, among other things, inside.

Turner was on probation for violating a mandatory restraining order in April related to domestic violence. The day before his arrest, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach police tipped off sheriff’s deputies that Turner had a possible cache of weapons at his home. Child endangerment charges stem from the fact two children not related to him were staying in the room next to him, and in danger of being harmed by the explosives, officials said.

Turner faces up to 13 years in prison if convicted on all charges. Should the case go to trial, the case would return to an Orange County courthouse but a Los Angeles County judge would preside.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.