Two men accused of committing crimes within the Santa Clarita Valley returned to court in the past week.
Daniel Cierzan
A Saugus man accused of killing his uncle and leading homicide detectives on a four-year-long investigation returned to court on Tuesday.
Daniel Cierzan, 25, was arrested on July 31 of last year after investigators announced their belief that he had been responsible for the disappearance of William Cierzan in 2017.
Cierzan is set to return to court on May 3 for a preliminary hearing. At the preliminary hearing, the evidence is presented, and a judge decides whether there’s enough for trial.
The defendant’s uncle was reportedly last seen four years ago on the afternoon of Jan. 26 watching golf with his nephew on Cuatro Milpas Street, near Seco Canyon Road, investigators said.
At about 7 p.m., Linda Cierzan, William’s wife, arrived home and found the chicken cooked. Her husband’s wallet, keys and coat were in the house, as well as his blood.
Daniel Cierzan was with William at the time of his disappearance because the two were very close, said Will’s older sister Andrea Peck, noting that Will was excited about upcoming plans he was making for a 21st birthday celebration on his nephew’s behalf.
William Cierzan was working at Six Flags Magic Mountain at the time of his disappearance.
Daniel Cierzan is being held at Men’s Central Jail in lieu of $2 million bail.
Elsworth Fortman
A former L.A. City assistant fire chief returned to court this week while he awaits trial on a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge.
“On Jan. 26, 2020, (Ellsworth) Fortman allegedly crashed into a parked car while driving his personal vehicle at an unsafe speed,” Ricardo Santiago, a spokesman for the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office, noted in a previous story.
Fortman is scheduled to return to court on May 21 for pretrial motions. Held between a preliminary hearing and the criminal case going to trial, pretrial motions allow for arguments on what evidence should be excluded from the trial, who can or cannot testify and/or whether the case should be dismissed altogether.
The suspected incident reportedly occurred at approximately 10:30 p.m. near the intersection of David Way and Calhaven Drive, officials said at the time of the incident.
“One vehicle had run into the back of a parked vehicle,” said Sgt. Scott Shoemaker of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Traffic Unit.
Shoemaker added that the suspect’s vehicle reportedly hit the parked vehicle and then dragged the other vehicle 160 feet and up a driveway. A second vehicle was also struck and a light pole was knocked down, investigators added.
