About 50 protesters chanted outside the Cass County Courthouse Thursday, Aug. 6, in support of Francisco Lopez III, who in court described how he was hit by a vehicle during a May 30 protest in West Fargo, begged the driver to stop and held onto the hood for three blocks as the vehicle hit speeds of 45 mph.

But Michael Charles Griffin, the 47-year-old West Fargo man charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and reckless endangerment in connection to the incident, was not present.

A defense attorney entered not guilty pleas on behalf of Griffin after Judge Tom Olson listened to almost an hour of testimony from West Fargo Police Detective Craig Danielson and Lopez. The hearing, meant to establish probable cause but not guilt, also was attended by a handful of OneFargo and Black Lives Matter supporters, with others demonstrating outside.

“On that day, (Lopez) came to stand with us, so we wanted to come to stand with you,” OneFargo leader Wess Philome said as he stood next to Lopez outside the courthouse after the hearing.

Griffin waived his right to appear in court.