Man Accused Of Trying To Drug Woman At Santa Monica Bar Expected To Appear In Court

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A preliminary hearing will be held Tuesday to determine whether there is enough evidence to require a 24-year-old man, who allegedly tried to slip a drug into a woman's drink at a Santa Monica hotel bar, to stand trial.

According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Michael Roe Chien Hsu has pleaded not guilty to one felony count each of administering a drug and assault with intent to commit a sex crime.

Santa Monica police arrested Hsu in May. His bail was originally set at $1 million and was later reduced to $350,000.

Three women who witnessed Hsu attempt to spike the drink of a woman while she was in a restroom located within Fig restaurant at the Fairmont Miramar hotel posted the incident on Facebook.

"He pulled her glass toward him, kind of awkwardly, then he took out a little black vial," the women wrote on Facebook. "He opened it up and dropped something in. Then he tried to play it cool, like checking his phone and hiding the vial in his hand, and then trying to bring it back down slyly."

The would-be victim was alerted about the alleged spiking, and the restaurant staff notified authorities of the incident.

If convicted as charged, Hsu faces a maximum sentence of spending up to six years in state prison.