Defendants plead guilty in county court
WAYNESBURG – Several criminal defendants pleaded guilty this week before Greene County Judge Farley Toothman. They included the following:
Alvin B. Hixenbaugh, 49, of 123 Cabin Road, Waynesburg; offenses – driving under the influence of alcohol incapable of safe driving second offense and five summary traffic violations. Hixenbaugh was involved in a one-vehicle accident March 30 in Franklin Township. Police said he failed to negotiate a turn on Route 21 west of Sugar Run Road striking the Freedom Bridge. Hixenbaugh fled the scene on foot; sentence – 30 days to 6 months in jail, 90 hours of community service and $860 in fines plus court costs and fees.
Carl Martin Dulaney, 57, of 26 Grandview Dr., Waynesburg; offenses – DUI of alcohol and one summary traffic violation. Waynesburg Borough police swerved to avoid being hit by Dulaney’s vehicle on North Porter Street Oct. 15 when he traveled into the opposing lane of traffic. Police said Dulaney’s vehicle sped up and they followed him to Mountainview Gardens apartment complex; sentence – 72 hours to 6 months in jail, 25 hours of community service and $1,025 in fines plus court costs and fees.
Earnest Frank Matiyasic, III, 30, formerly of Sandy, Utah; offenses – possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct. On Feb. 22, 2013, Cumberland Township Police Chief Craig Miller assisted EMS Southwest Inc. on a drug overdose call at 154 Cumberland Village. Matiyasic, who was unconscious on a couch, had 19 heroin stamp bags in his front shirt pocket. A syringe was located in the bathroom. sentence – two years of probation plus fines, court costs and fees.
Billie Jo Daniels, 33, of 255 Grant St., Nemacolin; offenses – two counts of writing bad checks. Daniels used two starter checks from a closed account at Woodforest National Bank Aug. 20 at the Medicine Mine Pharmacy in Carmichaels; sentence – Daniels was sentenced to two years’ probation, $225 in fines plus court costs and fees and ordered to pay restitution totaling $142.24 to the pharmacy.
Troy Lee Conner, 39, of 525 White Barn Road, Waynesburg; offenses – DUI second offense, DUI incapable of safe driving, and four summary traffic violations. Conner was traveling east on Lincoln St. when Waynesburg Borough police officers noted an inoperable tail light on his vehicle. Conner sped up and turned on to Findley Ave. and then stopped in a driveway of a residence. His blood alcohol content was 0.261 percent. Conner will be sentenced at a later date following a pre-sentence investigation.
Megan Diane Hixenbaugh, 26, of 274 Stringtown Road, Graysville; offenses – DUI of a controlled substance and four summary traffic violations. Hixenbaugh was operating a utility-terrain vehicle when she crashed into a fence at 190 Stringtown Road Aug. 16. Her 4-year old daughter was a passenger in the UTV. Tests showed Hixenbaugh was under the influence of marijuana and Clonazepam; sentence – 5 years in the Greene County Intermediate Punishment Program with credit for 30 days previously served in an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment facility. Hixenbaugh’s sentence is to be served concurrently to a 2011 sentence she received for simple assault and disorderly conduct. Hixenbaugh was also ordered to pay $1,550 in fines plus court costs and fees and to perform 225 hours of community service in addition to paying restitution to Kristy Vliet of $500 for damages to her fence.
Billy Joe Miller, 27, of 27 Chartiers Hill Road, Clarksburg; offenses – two counts of theft; on Oct. 29, he and another man stole two batteries from behind 1470 E. High St., Franklin Township; sentence – 18 months of probation, $300 fine, $120 in restitution and 90 hours of community service.
Benny Lee Wharton, 44, of 1709 Sugar Valley Road, Friendly, W.Va.; offenses – DUI, second offense; three summary traffic violations; he had pleaded guilty Jan. 22; on June 2, Wharton was stopped for a traffic violation; his BAC was 0.131 percent; sentence – 30 days to 6 months in jail, weekend sentence; $750 fine, 25 hours of community service.
Melinda Lee Puckett, 23, of 101 B Crucible Road, Crucible; offenses – possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. She pleaded no contest to a charge of conspiracy. On April 24, Cumberland Township police went to Puckett’s home with officials from Children and Youth Services; during a search of the home, police found 63 stamp bags of heroin, 197 empty stamp bags and $162; the stamps bags were found in areas accessible to children in the home; sentence – 6 to 23 ½ months in jail with credit for time served, $300 fine, 90 hours of community service; drug and alcohol assessment and, if recommended, drug and alcohol abuse treatment.
Jon Michael Berryman, 23, of 348 Stockdale Hill Road, New Freeport; offenses – two counts of theft, one count each of burglary, criminal mischief and defiant trespass; on Oct. 22, 2012, he and two others removed copper wire from a drilling rig parked in a storage yard near Mt. Morris; on Oct. 31, 2012, he enter a home at Reesman’s Mobile Home Park and stole 25 video games; sentence – 5 years in the county intermediate punishment program, which includes 180 days in jail. He was given credit for time served and allowed to serve the remaining jail sentence in a half way house; ordered to pay $1,200 in restitution to the owner of the home and $5,000 to the owner of the drilling rig.
Bradley Scott Neal, 38, of 23 Locust St., Clarksville; offenses – two counts of bad checks; one count of fleeing or attempting to elude police and seven summery traffic violations; Neal pleaded guilty Dec. 11; on May 4, 2013, Neal wrote two bad checks at Wayne Lumber totaling $873.11; on July 13, he failed to stop for state police for a traffic violation; sentence – 11 ½ to 23 ½ months in jail and three years of probation concurrent with a sentence he is serving in Washington County, $2,150 in fines, restitution and 175 hours of community service.