Wife Reported Abuse but Refuses to Testify : Woman Jailed in Case Against Husband

A Sunland woman who reported her husband to police for beating her and causing an automobile accident wound up in jail briefly herself Wednesday after she refused to testify at his preliminary hearing.

The husband, Craig Michael Bryson, 27, faces five felony counts stemming from a Feb. 15 hit-run accident in Sunland that left three persons seriously hurt. Bryson, who prosecutors allege was driving drunk, is also charged with beating his wife, Lois, 24, shortly before the collision.

San Fernando Municipal Judge Paul I. Metzler ruled that Lois Bryson is required to testify against her husband on the battery charge, citing an exception to the rule that spouses cannot be forced to testify against each other. Under California law, a spouse can be required to testify when the offense involves an injury to the spouse.

When Bryson refused to testify, the judge ordered her into custody for contempt of court.

Metzler eventually ruled that there was enough evidence, without the wife’s testimony, to require Craig Bryson to stand trial on all six counts. Bryson was ordered to appear for arraignment Aug. 6.

Released and Fined

Then the judge released Lois Bryson and fined her $60. Metzler told the woman, who said she is pregnant, that the decision to find her in contempt for refusing to testify against her husband “was the hardest thing I have had to do as a judge.”

But Metzler then warned the woman that she could be held in custody indefinitely if she refuses to testify when the trial begins in Superior Court next month.

Lois Bryson was driving the couple home Feb. 15 after her husband became intoxicated at a wedding reception, Deputy Dist. Atty. Carol J. Straughn said. When the woman became lost, her husband began beating her, then took over the driving, Straughn said.

Craig Bryson is accused of forcing another car into a head-on collision with a third car. Injured were David Chambers, 26, of Burbank and his 3-year-old son, Thomas.

Bryson allegedly fled the scene immediately.

Several hours later, Lois Bryson reported the incident to Los Angeles police, who arrested her husband that night, Straughn said.

Craig Bryson, who is free on $1,000 bail, refused comment.