By now, people should be familiar with the case of Austin Sarna from reading articles in the media.

Sarna came to the assistance of a young man being attacked by a gang of admittedly drunken locals near Mission Plaza last January.

According to Sarna, he brandished a knife after being threatened himself, then used the knife after being attacked, kicked and beaten by several of them.

None of the attackers, one a local athlete from a prominent family, has been charged by the local district attorney with anything.

Only Sarna, a poor young man with now a fiancee who recently gave birth to their child, has been charged, and with attempted murder plus assault with a deadly weapon. Sarna admittedly was in SLO County in violation of probation from Vallejo and was in possession of a knife.

But the circumstances of this case in San Luis Obispo are clearly those of his being a good Samaritan and then defending himself against a violent attack. The charges against him are ridiculously harsh and unfounded.

The District Attorney’s Office should drop all felony charges against Sarna and arrive at a reasonable resolution to the case.