Man pleads not guilty to assaulting elderly man with a chair in Laguna Beach

A homeless man accused of assaulting another man with a chair in Laguna Beach pleaded not guilty to a pair of felony charges Tuesday, according to authorities and court records.

Jason Adams, 45, is charged with one count each of assault with a deadly weapon and inflicting injury on an elder adult, court records show.

At about 10:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of a fight at the Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach, 286 St. Ann’s Drive.

Laguna Beach police said the incident occurred when an elderly man tried to hand Adams a bottle of water. Adams, police allege, stood up, grabbed a chair and pinned it against the other man’s face.

Witnesses pushed the chair away from Adams and tried to restrain him until police arrived, but he fled and was later arrested in a parking garage across from a bus depot, authorities said.

Adams was taken to Orange County Jail, with bail set at $65,000. He is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 17 for a pretrial hearing.

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