SAN DIEGO - A man accused of jumping on stage at a Taylor Swift concert at Petco Park last year and seriously injuring a member of her security team must stand trial on five charges, including assault, battery and resisting officers, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Christian Ewing, 27, faces four years and eight months in prison if convicted.
Deputy District Attorney Jessica Coto said the defendant hopped a fence during Swift's concert on Aug. 29, 2015, but was told by the singer's personal security guard, David Durkin, that he couldn't be in that area.
Ewing was handed over to Petco Park security and was being escorted out of the San Diego venue when he escaped and ran onto the stage where Swift was performing her song "Style," Coto said.
During a violent struggle to get Ewing off the stage, the defendant dropped his knee into Durkin's sternum, causing the security guard's ribs to pop up over his sternum, causing cracked cartilage and great pain, the prosecutor alleged.
Once Ewing was dragged off the stage, he allegedly gave police a false name.
When asked why he went up on stage, the defendant replied, "I love that girl," referring to Swift, according to testimony from San Diego police Officer John Clayton.
Another member of Swift's security team said Ewing was "strong and motivated" during the wild struggle on stage with three security personnel.
Two days after his arrest, Ewing fought with sheriff's deputies at the jail who responded to a medical call, according to Deputy Francis Gardiner.
The deputy testified that Ewing pushed another deputy out of the way and fought with several others before being subdued. He said five deputies were injured.
"He (Ewing) was violently struggling," Gardiner testified.
After an hourlong preliminary hearing, Judge David Rubin ruled that enough evidence was presented for Ewing to proceed to trial. A readiness conference was set for Feb. 8 and trial for Feb. 16.
Coto said Ewing had several arrests in multiple states, an active warrant for a theft-related offense out of Florida, and a felony conviction for transporting drugs from out-of-state.
