San Diego

Municipal Court Judge Wayne L. Peterson granted a continuance Wednesday in the preliminary hearing of murder suspect David Allen Lucas to allow his attorney an opportunity to examine coroner’s reports of violent crimes against women that occurred during early June. Defense attorney G. Anthony Gilham said the San Diego County coroner’s office Tuesday afternoon refused to honor a subpoena requesting the documents because it wasn’t specific enough. The hearing was rescheduled for March 8. Lucas, 29, a self-employed carpet cleaner from Spring Valley, is charged in the Nov. 20 slaying of Anne Catherine Swanke, 22, abducted after her car ran out of gas in La Mesa, and the Oct. 23 killings of Rhonda Cheryl Strang, 24, of Lakeside and 3-year-old Amber Fisher. Lucas is also accused of the attempted murder of Jody Santiago, 30, of Seattle, who was abducted June 9 as she walked from an El Cajon nightclub.