Road Rage Killing Case Delayed After Witness Fails to Show

The preliminary hearing for a was postponed Thursday after the victim's girlfriend failed to appear in court.

of Newark is the primary witness in the case against , who is charged in the slaying of Fremont resident .

The preliminary hearing is scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. Friday in Department 703 of the Gale-Schenone Hall of Justice in Pleasanton.

Morgan was a passenger while Ziesmer, 48, was driving her car during the .

Alameda County Deputy District Attorney Connie Campbell said Morgan called her about a half hour before Thursday's preliminary hearing and said she was stuck in Sacramento with car problems.

If Morgan fails to appear in court Friday she will face a $10,000 bench warrant to be issued by Judge Jacob Blea III.

Meanwhile, six Livermore police officers were subpoenaed by Attorney Eric Schweitzer, who is representing Holbrook.

Schweitzer said he would need the officers as possible witnesses in court for rebuttal.

"If (Morgan) testifies one way and it is completely different from what she told the officer, then the only way to set the record is to get the officer to say 'That's not what she told me'," he said.

Schweitzer has said the slaying was done in self-defense.

Schweitzer previously told Livermore Patch that he suspected Ziesmer may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the fight.

had a criminal history of in several East Bay cities, including Pleasanton, Newark and Hayward, according to court records obtained by Livermore Patch.

In a with Livermore Patch during visiting hours at Santa Jail in Dublin, Holbrook said he is a software programmer, married and a father of two children. He also said he recently graduated from the police citizen's academy.

The incident began on First Street in Springtown.

Holbrook, who was driving his 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup, told police that Ziesmer started the incident by drifting into his lane several times and nearly colliding with him, according to a filed in court by the .

Ziesmer was driving a 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier owned by Morgan, whose account differs.

Morgan said in an with Livermore Patch that Ziesmer merged into a lane on First Street when Holbrook, who was driving behind them, blared his vehicle's horn.

Holbrook and Ziesmer eventually pulled into a downtown parking lot on Old First Street near the and .

During the fight in the parking lot, Ziesmer punched Holbrook in the face, knocking him to the ground, according to the probable cause statement.

After this Ziesmer walked away, officials said.

Holbrook then pulled himself off the ground. He reached for his cell phone and attempted to take a picture of Ziesmer to show police , Schweitzer said.

After Holbrook pulled out his cell phone, Ziesmer charged back toward Holbrook, Schweitzer said.

As the confrontation continued, Holbrook reached into his driver's door compartment, retrieved a dagger and stabbed Ziesmer in the upper chest, according to court records.

Ziesmer left and drove himself to a local hospital. He was then taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, where he later died.