MAN CHARGED IN FATAL DUI WANTS TO FIRE HIS DEFENDER

A Yucca Valley man accused of being under the influence when he struck a Morongo Valley family, killing a 6-year-old girl and severely injuring her father, tried to fire his public defender last Friday. Ronald Simon, now 55, requested a “Marsden Motion,” during a pre-trial hearing in court Friday. Defendants may request a Marsden Motion when they believe their lawyer is ineffective in representing them in their criminal case. Judge Dan Detienne refused Simon’s motion to fire his public defender Paul Agron and continued the pre-trial hearing to January 20. Ronald Simon is accused of causing the death of 6-year-old Alyssa Hendricks in an October 2009 crash that severely injured 26-year-old Cameron Hendricks. Simon, who was not injured in the crash, has been charged with murder, driving under the influence of drugs causing injury, and hit and run resulting in injury or death. A Sheriff’s report said Ronald Simon was drifting in and out of the westbound lanes of the highway near Big Morongo Canyon Road before driving into oncoming traffic and hitting the Hendricks’ vehicle.