The following hearings were recently held in Pocahontas County Circuit Court before the Honorable Judge Robert E. Richardson:
Tony Garretson, 53, of Marlinton, appeared by video from the Tygart Valley Regional Jail for a hearing on motion for revocation of bond and forfeiture of bond wherein the defendant waived his right to preliminary and evidentiary hearings and stipulated that he was in violation of the terms and conditions of his bond. Defense counsel objected to the forfeiture of the bond in the amount of $40,000 posted by Lisa Garretson. The Court will take the forfeiture issue under advisement but did revoke Garretson’s bond and denied the defense attorney’s request that his client be returned to home confinement. The State opposed home confinement. The Court directed that the defendant remain in the regional jail until his trial. Garretson was indicted on two counts, driving in a controlled substance (Methamphetamine) impaired state proximately causing death of any person; two counts, negligent homicide; one count, petit larceny.
A final hearing was held in the case the State vs Steve Good, 32 of Durbin, wherein defense counsel presented letters from the Durbin community about the defendant’s community service. Good has not been accepted into a drug re-hab program as he is no longer using drugs. However, the State advised the court that Good has been using alcohol and has not complied with the terms of his probation. The court sanctioned him to 60 days in the regional jail and he is to enroll in a substance abuse treatment program within that time period.
Rhonda Thayer, 48, of Hillsboro, tendered a written plea agreement to the court wherein she pleaded guilty to the felony offense of uttering. Adjudication of the plea will be deferred, and the defendant will enter the Southeastern Drug Court Program.
Philip Curtis Leone, 40, of Monterville, appearing by video from the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, waived his right to a speedy trial in this term of court. A further status hearing is set for January 2, 2025. Leone was indicted on one count, burglary; and one count, grand larceny.
Daniel James Buchanan, 44, of Hillsboro appeared by video from the Tygart Valley Jail for a status hearing wherein the State, having spoken with law enforcement, asked that the matter be dismissed with prejudice.
The court denied a motion for appointment of a special prosecutor in the case the State vs Franklin Cook, 66, of Caldwell. Cook was indicted by the December 2022 Grand Jury on three counts, sexual abuse in the first degree; two counts, sexual abuse by a custodian of a child; and three counts, sexual assault in the first degree.
