TAHOE CITY (Staff report) - A Placer County Superior Court judge reduced the murder charge Tuesday for Timothy Brooks, who allegedly stabbed and killed Robert Ash outside Syd's Bagelry in Tahoe City on Aug. 17.
Brooks, 26, now faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, for the alleged attack sparked by a road-rage incident. Judge James Dawson determined there had not been malicious forethought on Brooks' part to constitute a murder charge.
Judge Dawson also allowed Brooks to post bail at $250,000 and ordered him to surrender any passports. Brooks had previously been held in Placer County Jail in Auburn without bail.
An arraignment on the new charge has been set for 8:30 a.m. Nov. 15.
