Schuylkill court news
Divorces granted
Michael Edward Bush, Minersville, was granted a divorce from Rachel Michelle Martin Bush, Pensacola, Fla. They were married Oct. 13, 1998.
Virginia Mary Schultz, Port Clinton, was granted a divorce from Jeffrey A. Schultz, Hamburg. They were married Sept. 22, 1998.
Andrea Stotelmyer Koch was granted a divorce from Donald Richard Koch Jr., both of Saint Clair. They were married June 24, 2008.
Default
Capital One Bank, of Mount Laurel, N.J., filed an action against Robert J. Karman, 153 Ben Titus Road, Tamaqua, alleging he had defaulted on credit car payments and seeks a judgement for $1,676.82.
Bail hearings
Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin held bail hearings and made rulings as follows:
A hearing was held for Jessica A. Linkhorst, 25, of 330 Market St., Tamaqua, to revoke her bail and after a hearing the court set aside the bail forfeiture, disolved the bench warrant, and reinstated bail. She faces charges of retail theft from Walmart, Rush Township.
Edward Francis Barnes, 33, Pottsville, had his bail reinstated after a hearing held on the Commonwealth's petition to revoke bail. Barnes was brought to court on a bench warrant. After the hearing the court dissolved the bench warrant and set aside bail forfeiture and gave Barnes a second chance. He faces charges of retail theft from Boscov's, Fairlane Village Mall, Pottsville.
ARD revoked
James Joseph Constanty, 52, Orwigsburg, was removed by Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin from the Accelerated Rehabilative Disposition (ARD) probation program, which is reserved for first offenders of non-violent crimes to give them a chance to clear their names. Constanty was found to have violated terms of his probation and his case returned to the criminal trial list and he lost his chance to clear his name unless found not guilty of the charge of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol brought by Cpl. Michael Sadusky, state trooper.
Revoke probation
Two Schuylkill County judges held hearings on petitions for probation revocation.
Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin revoked the special probation of two men.
Christopher R. Hans, 24, Ashland, was removed from the Intermediate Punishment Program (IPP) for violating the rules fixed by the court. He was re-sentenced to serve nine months to five years in a state correctional institution. He had pleaded guilty last Dec. 11 to driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and was placed in this program to serve probation for five years. He now must serve jail time.
Kraig Austin Strouse, 37, Pottsville,was removed from the IPP for rules violation and was re-sentenced to serve five months to five years in the county prison. He had pleaded guilty on Aug. 22, 2007, to DUI and was placed in the IPP for four years and 11 months after serving 30 days in prison. He now faces additional prison time.
Judge John E. Domalakes ruled on the following:
Timothy David McKerns, 29, Mahanoy City, was removed from the IPP and re-sentenced to serve 50 days to six months in the county prison with credit for having served 48 days and as an added gesture the judge granted him immediate parole under special conditions. He must attend and successfully complete the inpatient drug and alcohol program at a rehab center and pay the fine, costs, restitution and assessments previously imposed by the court. McKerns pleaded guilty last Nov. 25 to DUI and was placed in the IPP for six months.
Robert Michael Waice, 20, West Hazleton, had his probation revoked and he was remanded to the county prison to serve the balance of his original sentence, with a loss of 137 days at liberty creating a new maximum date for his release on Sept. 13, 2011, with credit for having served 40 days. Waice had pleaded guilty last June 2 to charges of theft of personal property belonging to Elizabeth Brown, 112 N. Fisher Ave., Coaldale, and after he served 30 days in prison was released on probation for 23 months.
Ronald Keith Shaup, 31, Schuylkill Haven, had his probation revoked by Domalakes and he was re-sentenced to serve four to 12 months in the county prison and his maximum date for release was extended to Oct. 23. He cannot re-apply for parole before Feb. 23. Shaup pleaded guilty last May 22 to the charge of defiant trespass on property on Fritz Reed Ave., Schuylkill Haven, and was placed on a lengthy probation period.
Absent for hearing
A parole revocation hearing was held by Domalakes for John Larwa, 51, of 76 Britt Drive, Lehighton. He was not present in court and the hearing proceeded in his absence and the judge granted the Commonwealth's motion to revoke his parole and a bench warrant was issued for his apprehension.
Larwa has a habit of not showing up for hearings. He failed to appear for a non-jury trial Iin November 2008 and a bench warrant was issued for his apprehension. Last Sept. 15 he pleaded guilty to a charge of DUI and was sentenced by Domalakes to serve three to six months with the sentence to run concurrent with a sentence he was currently serving in another county.
