by KENNETH FRY, Press Argus-Courier Editor Monday, April 7, 2008 11:06 AM CDT
A Van Buren teenager accused of ramming three other vehicles in a local parking lot pleaded not guilty on Wednesday in Crawford County Circuit Court.
Chris Hardie, 18, is charged with three counts of aggravated assault, criminal mischief in the first degree and leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.
Circuit Judge Gary R. Cottrell appointed the public defender's office to represent Hardie. Public Defender Thurman Ragar entered the not guilty plea for Hardie, waived formal arraignment and asked that Hardie's $10,000 bond be lowered.
Cottrell lowered the bond to $2,500 on the condition that Hardie have no contact with the alleged victims and not go near Bigger Bargain on Fayetteville Road.
Hardie allegedly rammed a vehicle on the Bigger Bargain parking lot after Hardie and the woman driver were involved in an accident at the intersection of Poplar Street and Fayetteville Road on March 6.
Two other vehicles on the parking lot also were damaged. The driver of one of the vehicles was pregnant, according to Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune.
After his vehicle was disabled, Hardie allegedly went into the store were he was taken into custody by Officer Scotty Wooten of the Van Buren Police Department, McCune said.
Other pleas heard Wednesday were:
Rickey Hickey, 43, of Van Buren pleaded not guilty to third offense driving while intoxicated, driving while license suspended for DWI, second offense possession of marijuana and fleeing. Hickey was arrested March 22 by Van Buren police following a report of a drunk driver and vehicle pursuit.
Charles Frick, 47, of Fort Smith pleaded not guilty to possession of methamphetamine. Frick was arrested March 23 following a traffic stop by Van Buren police for driving left of the center line.
Clifton Hickey, 40, of Van Buren and John Byrd, 40, of Van Buren pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and second offense possession of marijuana. Byrd also is charged with felon in possession of a firearm and habitual offender. Hickey and Byrd were arrested March 18 after Van Buren police executed a search warrant at a residence on Dechard Street following an alleged purchase of meth by a confidential informant.
James Bentley Jr., 30, of Van Buren pleaded not guilty to failure to register as a sex offender. Bentley allegedly moved from a Cedarville residence to one in Van Buren without notifying authorities.
James Crossno, 48, of Fort Smith pleaded not guilty to failure to register as a sex offender. Crossno is accused of not staying at the Lafayette Street residence he had registered with police.
James Sheesley, 47, of Fort Smith resisted a petition to revoke a sentence he received on Oct. 17, 2006, for possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia, alleging he has failed to make payments toward fines and court costs and submit to DNA sampling.
Ralph Layne, 26, of Van Buren pleaded to second offense domestic battery in the third degree. Layne allegedly kicked his girlfriend in the stomach on March 9.
Nicole Dowlen, 31, of Van Buren pleaded not guilty to second offense domestic battery in the third degree and driving while intoxicated. Dowlen is accused of hitting her husband on March 24.
Robert Martin, 25, of Uniontown pleaded not guilty to domestic battery in the third degree, three counts of delivery of soma, delivery of hydrocodone, possession of hydrocodone with intent to deliver, possession of carisoprodol-soma with intent to deliver and possession of clonazepam with intent to deliver. Martin was arrested Feb. 23 after sheriff's deputies were called to a residence on Uniontown Road to investigate a disturbance in which Martin allegedly struck his wife.
Charles Wagner, 23, of Alma pleaded not guilty to attempting to obtain a controlled substance by fraud. Wagner allegedly changed the number of refills on a prescription for Lortabs from zero to five on March 25.
Austin Robertson, 25, of Fort Smith resisted a petition to revoke a sentence he received on Nov. 2, 2005, for battery in the second degree, alleging he failed to complete an anger management class.
Ashlee Richardson, 21, of Van Buren pleaded not guilty to theft of property, forgery in the second degree and fraudulent use of a credit card. Richardson is accused of taking guns, credit cards and debit cards from her mother on March 4.
Andrew Terkildsen, 19, of Van Buren pleaded not guilty to theft of property and failure to appear. Terkildsen allegedly stole his stepfather's four-wheeler on Jan. 13 and failed to appear in court on March 26 for arraignment.
Ryan Whitaker, 21, of Alma resisted a petition to revoke a sentence he received on Oct. 16, 2007, for conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine, alleging he has not made payments toward fines and court costs.
Brandon Sturdivant, 21, of Van Buren resisted a petition to revoke a sentence he received on Aug. 25, 2006, for theft of property, alleging he has failed to make payments toward restitution and court costs.
Ronald Parmenter, 28, of Van Buren resisted a petition to revoke a sentence he received on Feb. 15, 2006, for criminal mischief in the first degree and arson, alleging he was arrested March 21 for second offense possession of marijuana and public intoxication.
