Clearwater man accused of vandalizing LGBTQ+ pride mural nearly misses arraignment
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Clearwater man accused of vandalizing a LGBTQ+ pride mural in south Florida faced a bench warrant after nearly missing his own arraignment.
A Palm Beach County judge issued the warrant for Dylan Brewer, 19, after neither he nor his attorney showed up to the hearing.
The warrant was recalled “literally seconds before” the hearing adjourned because Brewer’s attorney appeared on his behalf via Zoom, according to a release from the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council. The organization said he showed up about two hours into the proceedings.
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The attorney told the court he was late because he filed to wave the arraignment earlier this week, but it did not make it onto the court docket.
An arraignment is when a defendant appears before the court to acknowledge the charges against them and enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. If it is waived, the defendant does not have to appear before the court. Instead, their attorney will submit a written plea on his behalf.
Court records documented Brewer’s lengthy no-show and indicated the bench warrant was recalled. The clerk noted the warrant “never left the clerk’s office.”
Brewer is scheduled to appear in court for a status hearing on April 30.
Previous report: Clearwater man vandalized LGBTQ+ pride mural in south Florida, police say
Last month, Brewer was accused of “intentionally performing multiple burnouts” in an intersection painted to look like the LGBTQ+ pride flag, according to Delray Beach police. Witness video posted to social media sparked outrage.
Several clips sent to police showed dark-colored pickup truck leaving black marks across the intersection as its tires squealed, police said.
Brewer was charged with criminal mischief (over $1,000) and reckless driving. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted of felony criminal mischief and up to a year for the misdemeanor charge.
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