A 20-year-old Gardnerville man pleaded not guilty Monday to a felony charge of driving under the influence.
District Judge Michael Gibbons set a three-day trial May 25 for Mario Antonio Montez-Gonzales who was arrested Jan. 24 on a charge of driving under the influence.
His lawyer, Tod Young, said he was filing motions to hire an expert on eye-witness identification and cross-cultural communications.
His client is serving a 100-day sentence in Douglas County Jail from East Fork Justice Court and is subject to a hold from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
According to court documents, Montez-Gonzalez prior drunk driving convictions from May 20 and Dec. 16 of last year.
His brother, Felipe Montez-Gonzalez, 27, pleaded guilty Tuesday to attempted burglary in connection with the incident.
Felipe was accused of beating up a neighbor of the brothers he said was the driver of the vehicle. Speaking through an interpreter, Felipe admitted Tuesday the battery, but denied he tried to pressure or intimidate the victim into falsifying testimony about the DUI arrest.
"I am guilty of going there and hitting him. Trying to scare him or intimidate him is not true. I went there to confront him to ask him why he said I forced him," Felipe said.
Felipe said he asked the victim why he denied to law enforcement that he was the driver.
"He (the victim) said he was drunk and driving and would get arrested," Felipe said.
As part of a plea agreement the state agreed to recommend a suspended, three-year sentence and place Felipe on probation. Like his brother, Felipe is subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold.
