A Fontana man accused of killing a veteran police officer while driving drunk pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that included vehicular manslaughter.
Archie Green III has been charged with one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, one count of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and one count of driving with a .08 percent blood alcohol content causing injury.
The Fontana resident is accused of running a red light last Thursday and broadsiding a patrol car being driven by Officer Bryce Hanes.
On Tuesday, several family members were at the Rancho Cucamonga courthouse to show their support for Green, who according to his attorney, has no criminal record.
"My client, he's a former honor student, he's a family man, he's got strong ties to the community, he's worked full time for the past several years," said Green's attorney, Ludlow B. Creary II. "He's a responsible young man. He has no criminal record and he is devastated by what has happened."
Creary pointed out that the officer was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. During the court appearance, Creary asked the judge to release Green or at least reduce his $250,000 bail.
But the prosecutor argued that Green's blood alcohol content was about twice the legal limit, and he ran through a red light before killing Hanes. He called Green a danger to the community and said he should remain in custody.
"I think losing a police officer in the line of duty is the kind of thing that rocks our community to the core," prosecutor Jason Liso said. "The fact of the matter is all life is precious and we are going to treat this life just as precious as we would anything else."
The judge denied any reduction in bail.
Green will be back in court Dec. 2.
If convicted on all charges, he could receive up to 10 years in prison.
Hanes, a 12-year veteran of the San Bernardino Police Department, leaves behind a wife and three children.
