Twenty-three defendants entered pleas Thursday morning before Judge Gregory Hammond.
Two bench warrants were issued, 12 defendants entered not guilty pleas and ten entered pleas of guilty, including one man who led police on a chase through surrounding woods in which two sheriff's deputies sustained injury.
According to police, Jacob M. Richards of Pineville Road, Grand Valley, discharged a firearm following a confrontation with a woman at his residence on June 19. The woman had confronted him about his bath salt use after he had spent more than a day pounding and sawing in his room. When police responded, Richards did not answer phone calls or a public address system and began setting items inside the residence on fire before fleeing through a hole he cut in the floor.
He then fled through the surrounding woods escaping police. Richards was located the next day in a tree stand near Pleasantville in Venango County. Richards refused to come down from the tree stand and lit it on fire before police finally apprehended him.
Richards entered pleas of guilty to charges of persons not to possess/use firearms, recklessly endangering another person and two charges of resisting arrest or other law enforcement. Two charges of arson and related offenses and one charge each of flight to avoid apprehension, trial or punishment and resisting arrest or other law enforcement were withdrawn.
Also pleading guilty were:
Stephen P. Bashaw, North Warren, to charges of disorderly conduct and retail theft. Charges of resisting arrest or other law enforcement and hazardous/physical offense were withdrawn.
Michael B. Baxter, 447 N. Main St., Russell, to a charge of disorderly conduct. Charges of loitering and prowling at night and public drunkenness were withdrawn.
Chad Alan Carlson, 4860 Miller Hill Rd., Sugar Grove, to charges of statutory sexual assault and interference with the custody of children. Four counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, four counts of sexual assault, three counts of statutory sexual assault, four counts of aggravated indecent assault, four counts of corruption of minors and four counts of indecent assault were withdrawn.
Timothy Allen Cressley, 1345 Sample Flatts Rd., Corry, to DUI: Highest rate of alcohol (BAC .16+), driving while under suspension and careless driving. Charges of DUI: General impairment - incapable of safe driving, registration of a snowmobile or ATV, liability insurance, driving vehicle at safe speed, operating on streets and highways and operation in safe manner were withdrawn.
Vicky M. Holly, 99 Kamp St., to DUI: High rate of alcohol (BAC .10 - .16), driver required to be licensed and careless driving. Charges of DUI: General impairment - incapable of safe driving, driving on roadways laned for traffic, trespass by motor vehicle, accident involving damage to unattended vehicle/property and restraint system were withdrawn.
Theresa M. Hummel, North Warren, to a charge of aggravated assault.
Aaron Arthur Johnson, 117 South St., Apt. 2, to a charge of simple assault. Charges of recklessly endangering another person, harassment and disorderly conduct were withdrawn.
Gary Lee O'Donnell, 6990 Matthews Run Rd., Sugar Grove, to charges of DUI: Highest rate of alcohol (BAC .16+) and careless driving. Charges of DUI: General impairment - incapable of safe driving with accident, driving on roadways laned for traffic, restraint systems, driving vehicle at safe speed, tire equipment and traction surfaces and restriction on alcoholic beverages were withdrawn.
Shamus Lee O'Donnell, 11190 Jackson Run Rd., Sugar Grove, to indecent assault and sell/furnish liquor/malt/brewed beverage to minors. A charge of corruption of minors was withdrawn.
Jeremiah Smith, of 1 W. Third Ave., to charges of simple assault and purchase/consumption/possession/transport of liquor. An additional charge of simple assault and a charge of disorderly conduct were withdrawn.
Entering not guilty pleas were:
Brandon Joseph Albaugh, 1080 Weiler Rd., to charges DUI: General impairment - incapable of safe driving, DUI: Highest rate of alcohol (BAC .16+), reckless driving and failure to observe stop and yield signs.
Sara L. Asel, 1001 Welsh St., Kane, to a charge of theft by unlawful taking.
Raymond Elwood Blair III, 10110 Route 242, Little Valley, N.Y., to three counts of theft by deception and three counts of bad checks stemming from three separate incidents.
Alan Breese, 31636 US Highway 322, Cochranton, to charges of DUI: General impairment - incapable of safe driving, DUI: Highest rate of alcohol (.16+), driving on right side of roadway, driving on roadways laned for traffic, driving vehicle at safe speed, careless driving, restraint systems and DUI: General impairment incapable of safe driving with accident.
Patricia D. Christie, 821 Benjamin Lane, to theft by deception, unsworn falsification to authorities and two counts of provider prohibited acts.
John Austin Donato, 407 Market St., to charges of receiving stolen property, criminal trespass, two counts of theft by unlawful taking, two counts of burglary, two counts of criminal mischief and a count of receiving stolen property from a separate incident.
Bruce Leroy Gray, 1822 Yankee Bush Rd, to charges of DUI: General impairment - incapable of safe driving, DUI: General impairment - incapable of safe driving with accident DUI: High rate of alcohol (BAC .10 - .16), reckless driving and careless driving.
Matthew James Gray,218 N. Carver St., to charges of criminal conspiracy (theft by unlawful taking), theft by unlawful taking, criminal conspiracy (receiving stolen property) and receiving stolen property and to charges of theft by unlawful taking and criminal conspiracy (receiving stolen property) from a separate incident.
Benjamin Joseph Hammond, 9 Evergeen Blvd., to charges of DUI: General impairment - incapable of safe driving, DUI: Minors, purchase/consumption/possesion/transport of liquor, careless driving and minor prohibited from operating with alcohol in system.
Joseph L. Myers, 1750 Penelope Park Dr., Suite 9, Erie, to charges of burglary, criminal trespass and theft by unlawful taking.
Patrick Lynn Nelson, 27952 Route 6, Youngsville, to charges of DUI: General impairment - incapable of safe driving, DUI: Highest rate of alcohol(BAC .16+), prohibitions in specific places, operation following suspension of registration and required financial responsibility.
Patricia M. Pierson, 1445 Bull Hill Rd., Pittsfield, to a charge of confinement of dogs.
Bench warrants were issued for Michael J. Bowen, 32 E. Main St., Corry; and Jessica Marie York, 941 Dutch Hill Rd., for failure to appear in court.