Will Frommer stand trial?

ASPEN Locals who claim they were fleeced by Peter Frommer took the stand Monday in hopes of sending the California man to trial. Several small business owners and a bank manager told their stories during a five-hour preliminary hearing in Pitkin County District Court. Frommer faces 28 felony charges and one misdemeanor.The lengthy hearing apparently was not long enough, however, as two witnesses remain to be presented, including police investigator Eric Ross. The hearing will continue July 24. Deputy District Attorney Gail Nichols is trying to show probable cause in the case against Frommer by calling those affected to the stand.”We suffered a substantial loss … in excess of $65,000,” said John Forster, branch manager of U.S. Bank in Aspen, where Frommer allegedly cashed bad checks and withdrew funds on the deposits before the checks cleared. An accountant at the Hotel Jerome and two small business owners also testified against Frommer. The three painted similar pictures of bad checks and ongoing problems trying to get Frommer to pay up. The Hotel Jerome did receive a check from Frommer for $2,200 Monday morning, though it had not yet been cashed. If the check clears, Frommer will no longer owe the hotel any money.Frommer also paid a long-standing bill for $350 to a food delivery service. But Tom Engleman, owner of A La Car Restaurant Delivery Service, said hundreds of phone calls and text messages seeking payment for the January delivery had gone unreturned. Joel Stonington’s e-mail address is jstonington@aspentimes.com