A number of cases have come through Judge Michael Hayworth’s District Court in Broadus over the past several months.
On November 4th, an adjudication was conducted for William Elijah. Savvy readers may remember Elijah’s previous run in with local law enforcement, where Elijah drove off from a traffic stop with Sheriff Drane standing on the running board of the pickup Elijah was using without authorization. Court documents show that Elijah then pushed the sheriff off the running board while driving between 10-20 mph. Elijah was found guilty of assault on a police officer, fleeing the police, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and spent the last several years in the Montana State Prison. On January of this year, Elijah went out on parole, and while while living in Billings was described as having been kicked out of a sober living house for selling drugs, picked up on a disorderly conduct charge, caught shoplifting in August, and on August 14 he was picked up for assault with a weapon. Elijah is now in jail in Broadus due to the parole violation.
Also on November 4th, Timothy Falls Down made an initial appearance in the matter of a probation violation from a partner family member assault which occurred in March of this year in Billings. Fall Down was on probation for a 2017 sentence from a 4th DUI and failure to drive on the right side of the road. Falls Down is now out on bail.
Ryan James Voigt was arraigned on charges stemming from an October 7th, 2020 incident in Broadus. Charges include disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, resisting arrest, assault, assault on a police officer, and intimidation, the last two of which are felony charges. According to reports, Voigt was engaged in a fight at the Big Sky Bar. Voigt was subsequently asked to leave the bar, to which he refused, and he subsequently attacked and bit the bartender. Powder River County Sheriff’s Deputy John Gatlin was on scene, and during a scuffle, Voigt is charged as having resisted arrest by grasping Gatlin’s arm and pushing him, causing lacerations to Gatlin. The intimidation charge resulted from Voigt saying he would shoot Deputy Brenden Stevenson, court documents show. Voigt is currently out on bail.
An omnibus hearing was conducted for Jerry Lei resulting from an incident on July 8th of this year, where Lei was charged with felony intimidation. Documents indicate that Lei was attempting to stop a local resident from pressing charges on Catherine Breuer for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Lei then indicated to sheriff’s deputies at the scene that: “I’ll just kill her next time”, in reference to the resident. Lei is currently in jail in Broadus, with a trial set for February of next year.
Following a jury trial on September 1st and 2nd, Cory Hopkins was found guilty of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, and speeding. Court documents show that the charges stemmed from an incident on September 4, 2019, where Hopkins was pulled over near mile marker 71, on hwy 59 north, for driving 82 in a 65 mph zone. During the stop, a bag with a white powdery residue was found, as well as a glass pipe. Subsequent testing indicated that the residue was methamphetamine. Hopkins was subsequently sentenced to time served (18 days) on the paraphernalia charge, as well as court fees, a fine for speeding, and a deferred sentence plus fines for the possession charge.
Robert Kercheval was arraigned on charges of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and criminal distribution of dangerous drugs, both felonies, stemming from an event on the 25th of September when Kercheval allegedly tried to distribute two bags of psilocybin mushrooms in front of the Montana Bar in Broadus. An omnibus hearing is set for January 6th of 2020.
An omnibus hearing was conducted for Clayvern Earl Rogers of Lansing, MI, regarding charges stemming from an incident on August 17th of this year, when Rogers was pulled over for driving 80 in a 65 mph zone, approximately two miles west of Broadus on Hwy 212. Rogers was found to be driving with a suspended license, and was found to be in possession of drugs, in this case marijuana over 60 grams. A trial is set for March for the three misdemeanor charges.
A jury trial is set for January in the matter of Roland Starkey, who was charged with speeding 76 in a 65 mph zone in August of 2019, as well as a 5th offense DUI charge.
A change of plea agreement was postponed until November in the matter of Shaunte Cook, was was pulled over on June 4th of this year for speeding 85 in a 65 nine miles west of Broadus. Documents show Cook was using a fake name, driving with no license, and in possession of seven stolen purses from Nordstroms of Seattle, Washington.
A trial is set for December in the case of Chad Tyler, who is charged with burglary and theft, a misdemeanor and felony respectively, stemming from an incident on February 4th of this year, where Tyler is alleged to have entered a building owned by Jerry Lei in Belle Creek, and stealing a number of tools and other goods. Telisa Williams has received a deferred sentence for charges stemming from the same event.
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