A man accused of grabbing a young girl at a Salt Lake City park and molesting her last August has waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
Brandon Lee Elder, 26, appeared in 3rd District Court on Tuesday and waived the hearing that would have determined if there was probable cause to order him to stand trial on felony charges of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and obstructing justice.
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According to the charges, Elder was sitting behind a bush in Liberty Park on Aug. 22, when he grabbed a 5-year-old child and forced her head toward the crotch of his pants.
The incident is alleged to have occurred within yards of the child’s mother.
When a witness screamed, Elder rode off on a bicycle, court documents allege.
Elder later told detectives he had waited in the park for about two hours looking for a girl and that he had a sexual "urge," the charges state. Elder also allegedly threw away the T-shirt he was wearing so that people looking for a suspect in a blue shirt would not recognize him.
Elder is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 30.
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