Man accused in two cases makes court appearance
[ By FRED GOUGH ]
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 49-year-old man with a substantial criminal history is jailed in Reno County in two new cases.
One case against Joseph Leo Wick involves alternate counts of driving while intoxicated and driving while suspended. That arrest coming back on May 9.
The other case is a little more serious. In this case, Wick is charged with stealing a Dodge cargo van owned by USD 308 and also causing damage to a fence belonging to the district. Charges include felony theft and criminal damage to property. These crimes are alleged to have occurred on May 14.
In court, he stated that he has been in the Barton County Jail on charges there and his criminal history would suggest that most of the crimes he has committed in the past have occurred in that county. That includes convictions for driving while under the influence, driving while suspended, two counts of criminal threat, felony flee and elude and driving as an habitual violator. Those crimes occurring between 1996 and 2010, all in Barton County.
His bonds for the Reno County cases total $4,000, and his cases will now go before Judge Joe McCarville next month as part of a waiver-status docket.
Hutchinson man charged in a drug case scheduled for court Thursday
[ By FRED GOUGH ]
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 28-year-old Hutchinson man who was on corrections for drug cases going back to 2008 and 2011, is facing a preliminary hearing in his latest case from earlier this year.
Benito Montalbo faces charges of possession of morphine, possession of marijuana with a prior conviction, possession of a controlled substance with a prior conviction, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving while suspended.
Montalbo was stopped by a Reno County Sheriff Deputy back on Jan. 21 at 6th & Porter when the deputy apparently knew his driver’s license was suspended. Allegedly on his person was a small plastic bag of synthetic marijuana or K-2. On the console of his vehicle was a small amount of marijuana, morphine pills, and zig-zag rolling papers.
The hearing Wednesday is scheduled in front of Magistrate Judge Randy McEwen.