Trial Postponed for Man Accused of Trying to Kill Cops

MURRIETA - With his attorney tied up on other cases, trial was postponed today for one of two men accused of placing booby-traps that were designed -- but failed -- to kill Hemet police officers.

Steven William Hansen, 38, of Homeland, allegedly carried out at least four unsuccessful attacks targeting law enforcement personnel.

Nicholas John Smit, 40, of Hemet, is similarly accused. However, in August, at the request of the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, Superior Court Judge Timothy Freer severed the two cases, paving the way for the defendants to be tried separately.

Hansen's attorney, Stephen Sweigart, asked Freer today for a delay in trial proceedings because he has several cases pending that have to be disposed, prompting the judge to reschedule Hansen's trial for Jan. 9.

The defendant, who remains in custody without bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center, is charged with one count each of attempted murder of a peace officer, conspiring to murder a peace officer and attempting to ignite a destructive device with the intent to kill.

Smit, who is expected to be tried later this month and also remains in custody without bail, is charged with multiple counts of attempted murder of a peace officer, placing booby traps, being in possession of a zip gun, conspiracy and attempting to ignite a destructive device. He also faces enhancements for allegedly having a rocket-propelled weapon and discharging a firearm.

During a preliminary hearing in December, investigators and acquaintances of the defendants testified that they harbored ill will toward the police department and were overheard plotting at least one attack.

Hemet police Sgt. Matthew Hess and Detective Chuck Johnson are named in court documents as victims.

Former District Attorney Rod Pacheco said during a July 2010 news briefing that Johnson arrested Smit in June 2009 on drug charges Hansen was paroled from prison in March 2010 after serving time for arson.

The pair, who once shared a house, are believed responsible for a failed attack on the Hemet Police Station June 4, 2010. They allegedly climbed the roof of a grocery store across the street and rigged a bazooka to fire into the building, but it failed to launch. It was later learned the rocket was a training device with no warhead.

Smit alone is suspected of rigging an improvised device to Johnson's patrol unit in March 2010, but it caused no harm.

Smit also allegedly placed a zip gun on a gate at the task force's headquarters on Feb. 23, 2010. The device was triggered when Hess opened the gate, firing a bullet that narrowly missed him, according to investigators.

The attacks began with a New Year's Eve 2009 attempt to blow up the Hemet-San Jacinto gang task force's building by rerouting a natural gas line into the facility. A spark could have ignited the gas, but the set-up was discovered in time.