Kohler makes Alford plea in vehicular assault case

BY CORNELIA GRACE Harrison News-Herald Reporter

CADIZ—James Kohler decided to make an Alford plea during his trial for vehicular assault, a felony in the third degree. An Alford plea means a defendant does not admit guilt to the crime but admits that the evidence present in the case would likely be enough to convict. This plea is named after the 1963 first-degree murder case of North Carolina vs. Alford. Henry Alford pled guilty for fear of receiving the death penalty even though he maintained he was innocent of the crime. A Supreme Court Ruling in 1970 said that Alford could plead guilty and yet maintain his innocence of the crime itself. These pleas are quite rare, and not every state accepts them. The military does not allow them at all, in any case.

An Alford plea is still, functionally, a guilty plea, and Kohler was sentenced accordingly. He will serve two years on community-based controls, receive six points on his license, and will not be able to apply for a license for a year. The court is allowing 30 days for the victim to seek an amount of restitution. Kohler was not given a fine, but he will have to pay court costs and any restitution that is decided.

Tippecanoe resident Drew Evans appeared via video call from the Jefferson County Justice Center on a motion by the state to revoke his bond. Evans is being held on two charges of aggravated possession of drugs, both felonies in the fifth degree. He will need to complete an Ohio Risk Assessment as well as an evaluation for the Eastern Ohio Correctional Center. His bond remained at $20,000, which didn’t make much difference for Evans as he has holders out of two other counties. Even if he made bond in this case, he would have to address those cases in order to be released.

Andrew Hill appeared via video call from Noble County Jail on a motion for judicial release. The state made no objection to his release. Hill pleaded guilty in March to a long list of felonies, including two counts of aggravated burglary, felonies in the first degree, and one count of abduction, a felony in the third degree. He was also charged with a number of misdemeanors, including

Public Record

COUNTY COURT CRIMINAL/TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS

19 speeding violations, 1 driving under suspension, 1 tampering with evidence, 1 failure to control, 1 driving left of center, 1 overload, 1 disorderly conduct, and 1 seatbelt violation.

CIVIL CREDIT NEWS

1/24/23 (judgment date)

Plaintiff LVNV Funding LLC

Defendant Christophe Lindquist

Cause of action: Money

For: In favor of plaintiff

1/24/23 (judgment date)

Plaintiff LVNV Funding LLC

Defendant Nancy Bove

Cause of action: Money

For: In favor of plaintiff

1/24/23 (judgment date)

Plaintiff LVNV Funding LLC

Defendant Kris A. Merkims

Cause of action: Money

For: In favor of plaintiff

1/24/23 (judgment date)

Plaintiff Forsythe Finance, LLC

Defendant Joshua Albright

Cause of action: Money

For: In favor of plaintiff

1/24/23 (judgment date)

Plaintiff GFS II, LLC

Defendant Caleb L. Mutton

Cause of action: Money

For: In favor of plaintiff

1/24/23 (judgment date)

Plaintiff Citibank, NA

Defendant Kenneth F. White

Cause of action: Money

For: In favor of plaintiff

1/26/23 (satisfied date)

Plaintiff Unifund CCR, LLC

Defendant Jessica N. Moore

Cause of action: Money

CLERK OF COURTS

CIVIL CASES

1/25/23 (file date)

Redrock Financial VS. Thomas C. Coverdale

III

Michele Ann Watson Dec’d to Dawn Watson etal, Athens Twp. Oasis Ranch LLC to Neff’s Rod and Gun Club, Athens Twp. Harrison Community Hospital Inc. to John C. Jones etux, Cadiz Village Lisa Brown Dec’d to Jonathan Brown, Monroe Twp. David L. Mount etux to Derek F. Jenkins, German Twp.

SHERIFF’S OFFICE her parents. The father became angry at this, and a verbal argument ensued. At one point, he reached for his phone, and his daughter allegedly threatened to kill him and burn down the house. She swung the bathroom door into her father’s arm, causing a minor cut. two counts of domestic violence, first-degree misdemeanors, two counts of resisting arrest, a second-degree misdemeanor, and one count of violating a protection order, a misdemeanor in the first degree. Hill has completed all requirements while incarcerated, served an appropriate amount of time according to his plea agreement, and has had no major disciplinary action taken against him while serving time. The court chose to grant a judicial release. However, Hill will need to complete the program at EOCC, which can take four to six months. He will then be on communitybased controls for two years and have a reserved sentence of four to six years hanging over his head. Additionally, he will need to complete 40 hours of community service.

1/5 – A deputy pulled over a vehicle with a non-working plate light. There had also been radio chatter of a semi-truck driver saying the vehicle was traveling slowly and weaving back and forth. Upon approach, the deputy could smell marijuana inside the car. All occupants were removed from the vehicle. The driver was acting suspiciously and was handcuffed before being placed in the back of a cruiser. All subjects were transported to the sheriff’s office since none of them had a valid driver’s license. The driver was given several citations and was then told to wait with his passengers in the lobby for a ride. The deputy checked his back seat and found a small baggy, believed to be crystal meth, shoved in between the seat and the buckle. He returned to the driver and arrested him for possession.

1/6 – A woman made a report of identity theft. She had recently been laid off from her job, but when she filed for unemployment, she was told there was already an account attached to her social security number. She called unemployment and cleared up the issue but wanted to make sure the incident was documented.

1/7 – A deputy pulled over a vehicle for insufficient following distance. The driver said he had picked up his drunk friend and wasn’t familiar with the area. The passenger was visibly intoxicated and could not provide ID, only a first name. The driver admitted he had been drinking. The deputy got both subjects out of the car and had the driver perform field sobriety tests. The deputy did not find enough clues of impairment to justify an OVI offense. Nothing of interest was found during a vehicle search. The car was secured, and the driver’s girlfriend came to pick up the two subjects.

The mother told deputies of a possible location the woman and her boyfriend might be, and deputies went to said location. They were able to speak with the daughter, who gave a similar account as the father but denied she threatened to burn the house down. Her boyfriend confirmed she did make the threat. Since the couple was already at another residence, where they were told they could remain for a few days, no arrests were made. The couple was told they could not return to the parent’s house.

1/20 – During a traffic stop, a deputy recognized a driver turning at a nearby intersection as someone who did not have a valid license. After releasing the current stop, the deputy followed the second vehicle, finding it parked at the residence of the driver. The driver was exiting the vehicle as the deputy approached. She was immediately uncooperative and accused the deputy of police harassment. This is not the first time she has been caught without a license. She went into her house against deputy instruction and came back out to yell at the deputy again. She was told she would be cited and the car would be impounded, and she stormed back inside, staying there until the tow truck arrived. She refused to sign the citation. The deputy considered charging her with obstruction but ultimately only cited her for the traffic offense.

DOMESTIC CASES

1/27/23 (file date)

Plaintiff Courtney Boyd

Defendant Donald Boyd

Action: Dissolution with children

RECORDER

January 23-27, 2023

1/17 – Deputies were called to a domestic dispute at a Jewett residence. A woman reportedly had been arguing with her parents and threatened to burn down their house. Deputies made contact with the parents, who stated the woman and her boyfriend had left the premises. The father said the couple had been cleaning the stairs when the woman said she was not planning to pay for her current vehicle, which she had agreed to purchase from

While on duty as a school resource officer, a deputy was made aware of three students suspected of vaping in the bathroom. The deputy was familiar with the students from previous interactions. He asked the students to empty their pockets and said he’d be using a metal detecting wand on them, so if they had any vapes, they might as well give them up. One student handed over a vape, and no others were found on the students. Two of the students were allowed to return to class, while the one who had possession of the vape was spoken to by the deputy and a school principal. The student admitted that all three students had used the vape, which tested positive for THC. Vape use has been a growing concern on campus, and this report will be sent to the prosecutor’s office to see if charges can be filed.

1/22 – On routine patrol, a deputy noticed a male leaving his parked vehicle. The vehicle was partially in the roadway, so the deputy asked the male to move it over so that it was not a hazard. The deputy then exited his vehicle to speak with the male. During the interaction, the male was nervous and had to be told multiple times to sit down. The deputy told the male he could smell marijuana on him, and the male admitted to having some, handing over a baggie. The male was then searched, and the deputy found another bag of marijuana and an unopened can of alcohol. At this point, the male was detained in handcuffs, and several people came out of surrounding houses and started asking what was going on. Everyone complied with the deputy’s request for them to stay back from the scene. The male was read his rights, and he gave consent to search the vehicle. Nothing criminal was located, but the deputy noted a cordless Sawzall that looked well-used. The tool is generally used for cutting metal, and with the spike in catalytic convertor theft in the area, the deputy asked the male about it. He denied any involvement and stated he used the saw to cut wood. Once the male calmed down, the handcuffs were removed, the marijuana was destroyed, and the deputy cleared from the scene.

CADIZ POLICE DEPARTMENT him. The emotions were palpable; most people broke down and cried. As he walked up to the mountain marker, he wasn’t filled with sadness.

1/12 – A woman called the department because she needed help with her teenage son. The officer on the call could hear the son in the background making threats against the police. Once on scene, an officer spoke with the son and took him into custody. He was transported to the station, where his mother met with them. The mother said she was afraid for her and her other young children’s safety with the teen in the house. The teen was transported to Sargus Detention Center, where he will await his court date.

1/17 – An officer responded to a call about theft from the Shurfast on Market Street. The manager reported that he had caught an employee stealing from the store. He showed the officer security footage that showed the employee taking various small amounts of money from the cash register and products from the store. Over the course of his shift, the employee took around $120 worth of cash and product. The employee was located later that day and brought in for questioning. He eventually admitted to stealing and was advised he would be charged with petty theft.

A woman came to the station to report someone trespassing on her property. The suspect had messaged the woman to tell her they’d been on the property when she wasn’t there. The woman said she was concerned that this person might get hurt on the property, and things could turn into a legal battle in civil court. Once the woman had finished writing out a statement, an officer contacted the suspect and told them not to be on the property without permission again. They said they understood and would not trespass further.

He said the Lord whispered to him at that moment, “For them, it’s done, but for you, it’s just beginning.”

That’s how it all began. He biked the 4,200-mile TransAmerican Bicycle Trail from Yorktown, Virginia, to Astoria, Oregon, but decided that wasn’t where he wanted to end his trip. He biked an additional 800 miles to Glacier Park in Montana, a total of 5,000 miles, at 63 years old. He wasn’t done there; at 64, he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, which starts in Southern California at the Mexican border and travels a total distance of 2,650 miles through California, Oregon, and Washington until reaching the Canadian border, which took him 4½ months.

In 2019, he went to Europe to hike the Camino De Santiago, a Christian pilgrimage trail. The name means Way of St. James, and it runs through France, Spain, and Galicia. In 2020, due to the pandemic, he was homebound but still training for his next trip. In 2021, he hiked the Continental Divide Trail, which stretches 3,100 miles from the Mexican border, winding through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana to reach the Canadian border in Glacier National Park.

Last summer, he bought a kayak and decided to kayak the 2,400-mile Missouri River from Three Forks, Montana, to St. Louis, Missouri. He completed the journey in 60 days. Currently, he’s in training for another adventure.

Keith mentioned that he was one of the first 500 people in the world to complete the Triple Crown of Hiking, which informally refers to the three major U.S. long-distance hiking trails. He did so at 67 years old. Keith posts updates all throughout his journeys on his Facebook page. All are welcome to follow him by searching Keith Forsythe Adventures or https://www. facebook.com/keithontheapptrail.

Keith said the reason he does it is because the Lord called him to hike the trail to encourage people and pray for them. He said that most hikers he meets are young people and children, most of whom are trying to find their purpose, people who are lost in one way or another. He said that he resonates with them because he used to make bad decisions himself, such as drugs and alcohol. He said he has spoken to so many individuals and has seen their hearts change. He has seen 58 people give their lives to God. He said he encourages them to take things one day at a time, to take each day as it comes. He said he is still in communication with many friends he has made during his adventures.

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