Former Kaiser football parent Gregory Tartamella to stand trial

Former Kaiser High School parent Gregory Tartamella is scheduled to stand trial in March on charges that he assaulted former head football coach Arnold Martinez, threatened former Vice Principal Kevin Dias and harassed Martinez and school security guard Nick Hironaka.

Tartamella, 41, pleaded no contest to the charges in July and was scheduled to get sentenced this month.

Circuit Judge Faauuga Tootoo let Tartamella withdraw his no contest pleas Wednesday after Tartamella learned that he is not eligible for a deferral of his plea to the assault. A deferral would have given Tartamella the opportunity to avoid conviction.

Tartamella’s on-campus confrontation with Martinez, Dias and Hironaka in September 2017 prompted Principal Justin Mew to cancel the rest of the football season.