For the first time that I can recall since I started covering Criminal Day's at 15-1-01, there were a total of three preliminary hearings held today out of a total of 14 cases listed on the docket today. Of the remaining cases, four defendants entered into summary disposition agreements, three defendants waived their cases to apply for ARD, two cases were continued, one defendant waived his case to apply for Drug Court, and one defendant was found to have complied with his summary disposition agreement and saw his misdemeanor charges withdrawn. As for the hearings:
The first hearing was Commonwealth vs. Michael L. Butler, Sr. Butler was arrested last week following a domestic dispute with his girlfriend at their West Market Street apartment. On September 2 at 22:00, Sgt. Jeffrey Ditz responded to Butler's apartment after his girlfriend called 9-1-1. The alleged victim testified that Butler allegedly struck her with a closed fist to the face and to her right shoulder; the blow to the shoulder left a visible bruise that still remains. The arguement allegedly started over a phone call Butler made to try and get into the apartment while the victim was in the bathroom and unable to answer the phone. Butler was held for trial in Common Pleas Court on one count of Simple Assault; he remains committed to Chester County Prison in lieu of $7,500 bail (15-1-01, CR-0000239-07)...
The second hearing was the mater of Commonwealth vs. Harry R. Weatherby; the 43-year-old Oxford man was charged with two counts of Forgery, one count of Identity Theft, and one count of Theft by Unlawful Taking. Weatherby was accused of purchasing two trucks for his company under his partner's name and doing so without permission. He was also accused of forging his partner's signature on sales documents that authorized the purchase. Weatherby's attorney Thomas Moribondo noted in his arguement to dismiss the case that there were several civil cases between the defendant and the alleged victim and that there had been no evidence that Weatherby had signed his partner's name to the documents. After a hearing, Judge Bruno dismissed all charges against Weatherby, however he did give the Commonwealth leave to re-file the charges (15-1-01, CR-0000143-07)...
The final hearing of the day was Commonwealth vs. Taylor J. Orvis, 19, of West Chester. Orvis faced charges of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphanalia, and Driving With a Suspended Driver's License stemming from a recent traffic stop. There had been some confusion as to whether or not Orvis was represented by counsel, which was one reason the hearing started relatively later than usual (closer to 12:15 or so). Once that issue had been resolved, there was a possibility that Orvis would agree to a summary disposition agreement where the drug charges would be dismissed. That deal feel through, however, and the hearing went on.
At around 21:42 last Wednesday, Sgt. Ditz pulled Orvis over on the 500 block of Downingtown Pike/Hannum Avenue. A records check of the defendant revealed two active traffic warrants and that her license had been suspended for unrelated traffic offenses. She was taken into custody at that point. A search of the vehicle uncovered a small amount of suspected marijuana, several glassine pipes used to smoke marijuana, and several used marijuana roaches found in a used cigarett pack in the glove compartment of her car and a hollowed out cigar underneath the front passenger seat. Orvis was held for trial on all counts; bail was modified to $1.00 nominal, however, she remains at CCP on traffic realted detainers from Coatesville and Downingtown District Courts (15-1-01, CR-0000241-07)...
And that wrapped up an unusually long day at 15-1-01...
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