A plea hearing set for Garrett Joe Swanson, 29, of Warsaw, was scheduled for Kosciusko Superior Court I this morning but, once again, the hearing was postponed.

Swanson is charged with three criminal charges of forgery, three criminal charges of theft, and a criminal charge of battery. His hearing this morning was supposed to be for six felonies that were filed against him on July 27 for allegedly forging his name on refund and referral checks and cashing them while he worked at The Auto Park in Warsaw.

It is at least the third time Swanson’s hearings have been continued.

Kosciusko County Prosecutor Dan Hampton said today’s continuance until the end of October is just a step in the process, but he added he does not think Swanson will accept a plea on the forgery and theft charges.

Swanson first made headlines when he was involved in a May 18 bar fight at Rex’s Rendezvous that severely injured a fellow bar patron. Swanson allegedly struck 28-year-old Nicholas Phillips in the head causing causing serious head and facial injuries. Because of his mixed martial arts background, Hampton filed a class B felony charge of aggravated battery against Swanson.

In the other case, Swanson is accused of forging his name on a total of six refund or referral checks between April 24 and 27 while at The Auto Park and cashing them himself. One of the checks was for a $1,500 refund. The remaining checks totaled $100 each and were supposed to be mailed to customers who provided referrals to the company. The indiscretions were reportedly discovered by the car dealership’s manager.

According to confidential sources, Swanson claims he personally paid the customers their refund money from auto purchases or their referral reward money so they did not have to wait several weeks for it. He says when the checks then arrived, he kept them to reimburse himself.

Swanson is being represented by J. Brad Voelz.