Union-Bulletin

WALLA WALLA -- A man pleaded innocent Monday afternoon in Superior Court to assaulting a police officer while trying to resist arrest early this month at the Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days.

Fausto Diaz-Lara, 19, is scheduled for trial Dec. 14 on charges of second-degree assault, obstructing a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.

Officers on foot patrol reportedly saw Diaz-Lara -- who was wanted on a Superior Court warrant -- in the adult carnival area of the fairgrounds about 10:15 p.m. Sept. 3 and tried to detain him. Walla Walla police Detective Kevin Bayne was injured after Diaz-Lara resisted, officials said.

"Diaz-Lara stepped over Bayne's leg and in the struggle Bayne fell to the ground, yelling in pain and holding his left knee," according to a Sheriff's Office report filed in court.

Law enforcement personnel accompanying Bayne managed to handcuff Diaz-Lara, while another officer reportedly held several of Diaz-Lara's friends -- who were becoming increasingly agitated -- at Taser-point until backup help arrived.

Bayne was treated at Providence St. Mary Medical Center and discharged.

Diaz-Lara, of 53066 Appleton Road, Milton-Freewater, was booked into the Walla Walla County Jail, but was released Sept. 7 on bail.

The warrant for his arrest was related to charges in a case accusing him of possessing methamphetamine, possessing the controlled substance with the intent to deliver, possessing drug paraphernalia and having brass knuckles in a car that officers stopped on June 5.

He also pleaded innocent Monday to those charges. Trial was set for Nov. 30.

Terry McConn can be reached at terrymcconn@wwub.com or 526-8319.