Defendant Haidl Is Detained Again

For the third time since his arrest in a high-profile rape case, the son of a prominent law enforcement official has been detained by sheriff’s deputies.

Gregory Haidl, 18, whose ongoing rape trial could result in a 55-year prison sentence, was stopped by Orange County sheriff’s deputies Thursday on suspicion of trespassing and vandalism in Dana Point. He was released with a warning.

The son of Orange County Assistant Sheriff Donald Haidl and two friends are accused of raping an unconscious girl during a summer party in 2002, and videotaping the assault. The trial started Monday.

Haidl has had three encounters with deputies since his arrest in the rape case. He has remained free on $100,000 bail.

In his latest scrap, Haidl and two companions -- a 29-year-old man and 17-year-old boy -- removed a handrail from a private stairway and used a second handrail as a skateboard ramp, sheriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino said.

The incident was reported by homeowners. The stairway leads to a condominium complex across from Lantern Bay Park. Haidl and his two friends were observed unbolting the top handrail and throwing it in the bushes, Amormino said. He said they then smeared candle wax on another rail and used it as a ramp for their skateboards.

The Pacific Terrace Homeowners Assn., which owns the stairway and railing, declined to press charges, Amormino said. Unless someone presses charges, police cannot make an arrest for a misdemeanor if they do not witness the crime, Amormino said.

Haidl and his friends were told not to frequent the area again, he said.

Amormino declined to identify Haidl’s companions because they were not charged with a crime. He confirmed Haidl’s involvement only after a reporter inquired about the incident.

Haidl is charged along with Kyle Nachreiner and Keith Spann, both 19, with raping a 16-year-old girl in the Corona del Mar home of the assistant sheriff. The elder Haidl was not home at the time.

The trial has been in recess since Wednesday and will resume Monday.

Since his arrest, Gregory Haidl has had a series of run-ins with sheriff’s deputies in South County, where he lives with his mother.

In October, Haidl was driven home in a sheriff’s cruiser after a deputy found a small bag of marijuana in a car in which he and two other teens were traveling. Although possession of marijuana is a potential felony, none of the teens was cited. Had Haidl been cited, his bail on the rape charges could have been revoked.

The incident was part of an Orange County Grand Jury investigation to determine whether deputies gave Haidl favorable treatment because of his father’s position with the Sheriff’s Department.

In March, Gregory Haidl and 12 other people were arrested by deputies for alleged trespassing at a boarded-up restaurant in Laguna Niguel. The case was forwarded to prosecutors.

“My son’s skateboard has now been reduced to about 100 small pieces,” Don Haidl said. He declined to comment further.

Times staff writer Claire Luna contributed to this report.