Greene County pleaders
A number of criminal defendants pleaded guilty to driving under the influence earlier this week before Greene County Judge Louis Dayich.
Jody Cass Smochek, 43, of 78 W. Lincoln St., Waynesburg; offenses – DUI and four traffic summary violations; on Dec. 18, Smochek headed west on High Street in Waynesburg, disregarding firefighters who were redirecting traffic in the area due to flooding; Smochek’s blood-alcohol content was 0.240 percent; sentence – five years of County Intermediate Punishment, which includes 99 days in jail to be served on weekends with credit for 21 days, 60 days of house arrest with drug and alcohol monitoring, $2,075 in fines and 60 hours of community service.
Sallie Whitney, 48, of 203A W. George St., Carmichaels; offenses – DUI and five traffic summary violations; on March 28, Whitney drove over the concrete median on Route 21 in Franklin Township multiple times; Whitney’s BAC was 0.189 percent; sentence – five years of CIP, which includes 90 days of house arrest, $1,610 in fines and 60 hours of community service.
Joshua Joe Walter, 33, of 652 Lippencott Road, Waynesburg; offenses – DUI and six traffic summary violations; on Sept. 4, Walter was arrested for swerving over the line multiple times on Tollgate Run Road in Franklin Township; his BAC was 0.156 percent; sentence – 90 days to five years in jail to be served on the weekend and $1,684 in fines.
Mary Elizabeth Simonsen, 63, of 12577 Vernon St., Meadville; offenses – DUI and a traffic summary violation; on Nov. 8, Simonsen was driving south on Interstate 79 when she struck the vehicle in front of her, drove into the grass median and struck a guardrail; Simonsen is free on bail while she awaits a pre-sentencing investigation.
John Richard Phillips, 21, of 183 Neff Road, Jefferson; offense – furnishing alcohol to a minor; Cumberland Township police found alcohol and underage drinkers at a party Phillips had at his parents’ home Aug. 19; sentence – six months of probation, $300 fine and 100 hours of community service.
John R. Stage, 47, of 260 W. High St., Waynesburg; offenses – criminal trespass, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness; Stage was arrested by Waynesburg police Sept. 16 after he entered an apartment at 285 ½ E. High St. and struck the occupant in the head; he had been told he was not permitted in the residence; he also opened the hood of a vehicle on High Street and damaged the wires and kicked other vehicles on the street; sentence – one to five years in jail, eligible for work release, $400 in fines, $103.38 in restitution and 60 hours of community service.
Sherri A. Harden, 53, of 182 Greensboro Road, Greensboro; offense – violation of the Public Welfare Code; between May 1 and Sept. 30, 2016, Harden received $1,855 in SNAP benefits; during that time, she failed to disclose income from a job that would have affected her eligibility; sentence – four years of probation and restitution.
Nicole Kelli Michael, 31, of 160 Grandview Ave., Point Marion; offense – retail theft; on Aug. 8, Michael stole $44.16 of candy, chips and other items at the BFS Truck Stop in Mt. Morris; her actions were captured by surveillance video; sentence – 72 hours to one year in jail, credit for 72 hours served; $200 fine, restitution and 60 hours of community service.
Gerald Michael Phillips, 57, of 164 Second Ave., Waynesburg; offenses – DUI, third offense in 10 years; criminal trespass; on June 24, 2014, Phillips went to a Greene Arc home near Rogersville, where he had been told he was not permitted to be; he had a BAC of .212 percent; sentence – three years in CIP, which includes 90 days of house arrest and a year of electronic monitoring; $1,525 in fines.