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The Color of Local Justice

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Hotchkiss Municipal Court April 10, 2013

Judge Lynn French Presiding

Phillip Hemmings, 66, of Paonia appeared in court to face a charge that he had driven through the stop sign at the intersection of north 6th Street and Highway 133 without halting. Deputy Gates Shaklee testified that he had observed Hemming’s car proceed through the intersection without even attempting to come to a stop.

Shaklee said that when contacted Hemmings was very upset and said that he had looked both ways before proceeding and that was adequate. Shaklee issued him a summons.

In one odd moment Shaklee reported that Hemming’s car was gold but the defendant declared that it was gray and invited the judge to inspect the car parked outside. The judge declined. (After court this reporter observed the car and it appeared to be a cream white color.)

Hemmings testified that he remembered having come to a complete stop and cited the allegedly misremembered car color as reason that perhaps other items were incorrect.  Judge French found Hemmings guilty and assessed him a fine of $81.00 and four points off of his license. He didn’t charge him the $25 in court costs.

Leah Mashelle Palecki, 19, of Paonia appeared on a charge of being a minor in possession of alcohol. She was a passenger in a car driven by a Hotchkiss High School girl who was convicted of underage consumption in municipal court last month. It had been Palecki’s second minor in possession charge within a four day period, the other occurring in Paonia. She was given 10 days in jail, with all 10 suspended, 12 months unsupervised probation and assessed a fine and court costs totaling $175.00.

Tasha Mary Whitescarver, 22, of Hotchkiss pled guilty to a charge of assault. She testified that another woman had refused to leave her home in the Timbers Apartments and a scuffle had ensued. Deputy Shaklee said that this had involved shoving, hair-pulling, and both women taking one another to the floor.

Despite Judge French expressing sympathy that the incident had occurred in the defendant’s own home, Whitescarver was assessed a fine of $150 plus $25 in court costs.  “(If someone refuses to leave when requested) you need to call the police,” French explained.

Samantha Marie Anderson, 22, of Hotchkiss appeared in court as a result of failing to pay a previous fine for a conviction on a charge underage possession of alcohol. As a result an arrest warrant had been issued. Anderson was picked up, and had been required to post a $300 cash bond. The unpaid fine was deducted from the bond amount.

Harmony Raye Cone, 22, of Hotchkiss appeared in court on charges of failing to have auto insurance and driving without a valid license. She pled guilty and was assessed a fine of $150 plus $25 in court costs.

Eastyn Newtyn Coats, 22 of Crawford failed to appear on charges of speeding and failure to present evidence of insurance. Proof of the insurance had been provided and that charge dismissed but the speeding ticket had not been paid. Information will be sent to the State.

 


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