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Ronald Belisario’s lawyer says DUI case resolved, but Dodgers pitcher still not in camp

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Add Ronald Belisario’s lawyer to those who don’t know why the right-handed pitcher hasn’t yet reported to the Dodgers’ spring-training camp.

The Venezuelan has yet to arrive at Camelback Ranch because of visa problems, which were aggravated by a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence, stemming from an incident last June in Pasadena.

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But his lawyer, J. Michael Flanagan, said Wednesday that the DUI case was resolved last week and that he couldn’t explain why the 27-year-old middle reliever still wasn’t in Arizona.

‘I don’t know what’s going on,’ Flanagan said. Dodgers officials said this week that they couldn’t explain the delay.

Flanagan said the initial charges against Belisario were reduced to a non-alcohol-related reckless-driving charge and that Belisario was fined $1,000. Flanagan said he appeared on behalf of Belisario at all of the case’s hearings.

He also said that ‘I knew this pending DUI delayed’ Belisario’s visa application and ‘that’s why I hurried up the resolution of the case,’ adding that he then sent the paperwork to Belisario’s agent, Paul Kinzer.

Kinzer said Wednesday that ‘we submitted that’ paperwork to U.S. immigration authorities and ‘we’re hoping to hear something in the next few days.’

In the meantime, Belisario remains in Venezuela and is ‘working out and ready to go as soon as he lands’ in the United States, Kinzer said.

Belisario was a workhorse for the Dodgers last season, with 69 appearances, but the Dodgers have said it’s likely that the pitcher wouldn’t arrive at camp in time to be available opening day April 5.

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-- Jim Peltz in Phoenix

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