Teens Charged in Beach Attack Plead Not Guilty : Court: Citing seriousness of the case, referee orders four youths to remain in Juvenile Hall. A hearing is set to determine if they should be tried as adults.

Four juveniles charged in the assault that left a 17-year-old San Clemente youth in a coma pleaded not guilty Tuesday and were ordered to remain in Juvenile Hall while prosecutors pursued efforts to have the suspects tried as adults.

The four teen-agers, aged 16 and 17, each pleaded not guilty to six counts of felony assault and one felony count of throwing an object at a moving vehicle. During the incident, San Clemente High School senior Steve Woods was speared through the skull with the metal rod of a paint roller.

Two adults have also been charged with felony assault in the case that shocked and outraged the beach community.

Woods, who remains comatose at Children’s Hospital at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center, was injured Oct. 15 when a group of young men and teen-agers stood at the exit of the Calafia Beach parking lot and pelted four carloads of students with rocks, bottles and other items as the youths attempted to drive away.

Prosecutors have said there is no evidence the attack was premeditated or the result of gang activity, although some of the suspects told police they are members of a San Clemente gang.

Juvenile Court Referee James S. Odriozola set a Nov. 30 hearing date to decide whether the juvenile suspects should be tried as adults. If they remain in the Juvenile Court system, a trial would be held that day.

If convicted, the two adults charged in the case could serve a maximum of eight years in prison. The teen-agers face detainment in a juvenile facility until age 25 if they’re convicted as juveniles. If they’re tried and convicted as adults, they could be sentenced to up to eight years in prison.

The names of the juvenile defendants are being withheld because of their age.

Parents and family members of all four San Clemente teen-agers were in the courtroom Tuesday, some crying during the hearing, which was open to the news media because of the seriousness of the charges involved.

Despite requests from defense lawyers that the youths be released to the custody of their parents, Odriozola ruled that the teen-agers should remain at Juvenile Hall, citing the serious charges, which could be increased if Woods dies.

“The likelihood of murder charges are pending daily,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Gary Paer said.

He said the district attorney’s office might file additional felony assault charges against the suspects, and that more arrests could be coming.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service is also investigating the residency status of two of the juveniles, who are brothers, Paer said. He said that investigation requires keeping the juveniles in custody, largely because they pose a potential “flight risk.”

Lawyers for the teen-age defendants said the injury to Woods is a tragedy, but the injury is the result of a “freak accident” and there was no intent by anyone to cause harm.

Dennis McNerney, a lawyer defending one of the 16-year-olds, said his client is “bewildered” by the incident and never knew anyone had been hurt until the next morning when he was arrested by sheriff’s deputies.

Several youths admitted throwing rocks and other items at the cars, but said they thought the students were trying to run them over, according to police reports.

“They felt like they were there defending themselves or retaliating for these guys swerving their cars toward them,” McNerney said.

Although McNerney said his client should not be tried as an adult, he won’t be surprised if the court makes such a decision. The publicity and community outcry surrounding the case is causing “an awful lot of pressure” to try the youths as adults, McNerney said.

Shirley MacDonald, who is representing a 17-year-old suspect, said letters of support on his behalf from a teen center leader, school librarian and bilingual instructor were submitted to the court.

“This boy has never been in trouble before,” MacDonald said. “He’s basically been a good kid. He’s not a gang member, contrary to what everyone has said about the group. He’s a good student.”

According to police reports, the attack began when a 17-year-old student drove up to the suspects in the beach parking lot, thinking that he recognized somebody. Words were exchanged and the driver said he was punched in the face by one of the suspects.

He then drove to a lower parking lot to warn his friends that he had been struck and they should leave. A moment later, the youths got into four cars and headed toward the lot’s only exit at a high speed, where they were attacked.

The dispute between the driver and one of the suspects may have been sparked by a fight a day earlier, according to police reports.