BY MIRANDA STOKES, Staff Writer

Wetzel County Circuit Court’s room was packed for January term’s criminal trial docket Feb. 4. Among the 17 cases heard at Thursday’s meeting, two indictments were sealed and remain as such indefinitely.

Many new indictments were heard in Circuit Court Feb. 4:

Lujuana Louise Striegle, 22, of 187 North State Route 2, New Martinsville, stood silently as the court entered an innocent plea to her three drug-related indictments and one-count indictment of child neglect. Her attorney, Jeremiah Gardner, is her legal counsel for all of her indictments. A return date is set for April 2 at 9:15 a.m. to address both cases.

Striegle requested she be permitted to return home and have her bond reconsidered. The state swiftly rejected her requests, however Judge David W. Hummel Jr. ordered a coverall $20,000 cash surety of court appearance or professional bondsman. If she made bond, she would be allowed to be on house arrest with electronic monitoring and ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim in the case.

Striegle was handed a three-count indictment. These three counts are said to have occurred on or about Jan. 12, 2010.

Count one is felony offense of possession of a controlled substance (heroin) with intent to deliver wherein she allegedly unlawfully, intentionally, knowingly, and feloniously possessed heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance, which is a narcotic drug, with the intent to deliver the same. Count two is felony offense of possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) with intent to deliver wherein she allegedly unlawfully, intentionally, knowingly, and feloniously possessed marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance, with the intent to deliver the same. Count three is felony offense child neglect creating risk of serious bodily injury or death wherein Striegle unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly neglected a child, and by such gross neglect created a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or of death to the child by possessing used and loaded heroin syringes in the presence of and in an area easily accessible to the child.

In a separate indictment, on or about Dec. 21, 2009, Striegle allegedly committed the felony offense of delivery of a controlled substance (Vicodin) when she intentionally, knowingly, unlawfully, and feloniously delivered Vicodin, a Schedule III controlled substance, which is a narcotic drug.

Shirl Norman Baker III, 30, of 1802 Muddy Creek Road, Middlebourne, was in court to enter his plea of innocence and his bond was set at $30,000. Baker made several personal requests to the court, wherein Hummel said he would consider the requests.

In the meantime a trial date was set for March 31 at 8:30 a.m. Pretrial materials are to be in by March 4, and a mandatory status conference and motions hearing is set for March 12 at 9 a.m.

Baker was handed a two-count indictment. Both counts are said to have occurred on or about Dec. 24, 2009.

Count one is felony offense delivery of a controlled substance (heroin) in that he intentionally, knowingly, unlawfully, and feloniously delivered heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance, which is a narcotic drug, in New Martinsville. Count two is felony offense possession of a controlled substance (heroin) with intent to deliver wherein he unlawfully, intentionally, knowingly, and feloniously possessed heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance, which is a narcotic drug, with the intent to deliver the same.

Michael Tyrone Blare, 26, of 359 Locust Street, New Martinsville, had the court enter a plea of innocence to his two separate indictments. His bond totaling roughly $100,000 remains. His trial date was set for March 31 as cases number two and three. Pretrial materials are due by March 4 and a status hearing is set for March 12 at 9:15 a.m.

Blare faces two indictments. On or about Jan. 3, 2009, Blare allegedly committed the felony offense of possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) with intent to deliver in that he did unlawfully, intentionally, knowingly, and feloniously possess marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance, with the intent to deliver the same. On or about Sept. 11, 2009, he allegedly committed the felony offense of domestic battery, third or subsequent offense, in that he did willfully, unlawfully, knowingly, intentionally, and feloniously struck his wife, Beverly Blare, in the face, and drug her by her hair. Blare was previously convicted of the offense of domestic battery in the Magistrate Court of Wetzel County on or about Aug. 21, 2003, on or about Sept. 24, 2003, and in the Circuit Court of Wetzel County on or about Dec. 27, 2005.

Jason Jennings Taylor, 39, of 1030 Third Street, New Martinsville, appeared without counsel and was ordered to retain counsel for his return date March 4 at 9:30 a.m. Hummel ordered Taylor have no contact with the alleged victim and assigned a $25,000 property justification of surety bond.

Taylor was handed a three-count indictment. All three counts are alleged to have occurred on or about Oct. 9, 2009. Count one is felony offense of nighttime burglary in which Taylor allegedly, in the nighttime, intentionally, unlawfully, knowingly, and feloniously enter the residence of Matthew McDiffitt located at 901 James Street, New Martinsville. Count two is felony offense of malicious assault in which he allegedly maliciously, unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly, cause bodily injury to J. L. Iams, with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or kill the said J. L. Iams by biting his thumb. Count three is felony offense assault during commission of a felony in which Taylor allegedly, during the commission of the felony offense of nighttime burglary, did intentionally, maliciously, unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly wound J. L. Iams by biting his thumb.

Michelle Lasure, 27, of HC 60, Box 82, Pine Grove, had the court enter a plea of innocence to her 12-count indictment. Her previous bond continues and a return date is set for March 4 at 9:15 a.m.

Lasure received a 12-count indictment for forgery and uttering, divided equally. Counts one, three, five, seven, nine, and 11 of the true bill allege that between Feb. 20 and 28, 2009, she unlawfully, feloniously, and with the intent to defraud, forged the signature of another person, Garnett Harrison, on the WesBanco account of Garnett A. Harrison and Sherlyn D. Moore, and made payable to “Simon’s Market” in the amount of $50 four separate times, $75 once, and $30 once. Counts two, four, six, eight, 10, and 12 charge Lasure with intentionally, knowingly, unlawfully, and feloniously uttering and employing the WesBanco checks to be signed as true. All of these checks were made payable and cashed at Simon’s Market in Pine Grove.

Rodney Lee Nolan, 24, of HC 62, Box 50A, Burton, appeared without counsel and was promptly ordered to file an affidavit that day. A return date is set for March 4 at 9:30 a.m.

Nolan is indicted on three counts of burglary. The three counts are alleged to have occurred between Oct. 1 and Nov. 1, 2008. Count one charges Nolan with intentionally, unlawfully, knowingly, and feloniously breaking and entering the residence of Clint. W. Jones located on County Route 66, commonly known as Harker Run Road in Wetzel County. Count two charges him with intentionally, unlawfully, knowingly, and feloniously breaking and entering the residence of William Lane and Sandra Lane located on Long Drain Earnshaw Road. Count three charges Nolan with intentionally, unlawfully, knowingly, and feloniously breaking and entering the residence of Millar P. Cayavec located on Higginbotham Run Road in Wetzel County.

Douglas Shane Steele, 22, of HC 61, Box 62, New Martinsville, pleaded innocent to his one-count indictment. A trial date was set for April 19 at 8:30 a.m. and all pretrial documents are due by March 19. A mandatory status conference and motions hearing is set for April 2 at 9:30 a.m.

Steele is charged with three counts of delivery of a controlled substance (oxycontin) wherein on or about Oct. 29, 2009, he allegedly intentionally, knowingly, unlawfully, and feloniously delivered Oxycontin, a Schedule II controlled substance, which is a narcotic drug, in New Martinsville.

Vincent Wesley Wade, 25, of P.O. Box 323, Hundred, also appeared without counsel. He was ordered to file his affidavit of financial eligibility and a personal recognizance bond of $10,000 was set. He was also ordered to make no contact with the alleged victim in his case. A return date was set for March 4 at 9:30 a.m.

Wade was handed a one-count indictment of third-degree arson wherein on or about July 26, 2009, Wade allegedly willfully, maliciously, intentionally, unlawfully, knowingly, and feloniously set fire to a 1986 Honda 250cc Four Trax four-wheeler at the intersection of State Route 250 and Petit’s Flat Road in Wetzel County.

The said four-wheeler, belonging to Roger Watson, had a value of more than $500.

William Robert Headley, 48, P.O. Box 86, Reader, stood silent as the court entered his innocence plea Thursday. His personal recognizance bond from Magistrate Court remains in effect. His trial date is set for April 19 at 8:30 a.m. Pretrial documents are due by March 19 and a mandatory status conference is set for April 2 at 9 a.m.

Headley faces a one-count indictment of malicious assault. On or about Jan. 10, 2009, Headley allegedly maliciously, intentionally, feloniously, and knowingly, caused bodily injury to Timothy Lawrence Klein with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or kill the said Timothy Lawrence Klein by biting him on the face and ear.

William B. Neff, 36, of 191 North State Route 2, Apt. 477, New Martinsville, had his one-count indictment read out loud and then stood silently as the court entered a plea of innocence on his behalf. His trial date is set for April 19 at 8:30 a.m. as case number two. Pretrial materials are due March 19 and a status conference is set for April 2 at 9:15 a.m.

To complicate matters, he has charges pending in Tyler County and a court order to the Northern Regional Jail. In Wetzel County Neff was indicted for one count of unlawful assault to allegedly have occurred on or about Nov. 16, 2009. Neff allegedly unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly, caused bodily injury to David Eugene Davis with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or kill the said David Eugene Davis by striking him with his hand.