COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A man who is facing a felonious assault charge and whose actions while confined in recent weeks has led to 450 hours in overtime for the Branch County Sheriff’s Office was found competent to stand trial during a competency hearing in Branch County District Court Thursday.
49-year-old Daniel Torres is charged in connection with a violent incident with a 53-year-old woman on December 2, 2018 which led to the woman suffering facial bruising and lacerations as well as a reported broken jaw.
Torres is also a registered sex offender with the State of Michigan after being convicted of first degree criminal sexual conduct in Pontiac back in 1993.
His bond was continued at $50,000 following Thursday’s hearing. A probable cause hearing was scheduled for January seventh with a preliminary exam on January 14th, 2019.
Branch County Sheriff John Pollack updated the County Board of Commissioners during recent meetings on the excessive amount of overtime that piled up for his department due mostly to Torres “aggressive behavior”.
The Sheriff said during a work session December 6, 2018 that psychiatric services were unable to quickly and efficiently place Torres in a facility that could handle and treat him. He added that two of his officers had to watch him all the time while he was confined at ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital.
