Defendants appear in Common Pleas Court

VW independent staff

Three defendants charged with various crimes appeared before Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Judge Martin Burchfield this week. Here is what happened in each case.

Scott Bowman, 21, of Convoy, changed his plea to guilty of the following four charges: obstructing official business, a fifth degree felony; improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, a fifth degree felony; operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or a drug of abuse, a first degree misdemeanor, and possession of cocaine, a fifth degree felony.

He requested and was granted intervention in lieu of conviction on counts 1, 2 and 4, and his case was stayed pending completion of the treatment program. As to the third count, he was sentenced to two years of community control, must undergo mental health and substance abuse assessment and treatment, must complete a driver intervention program, and was ordered to pay court costs.

Bowman was arrested in early November of last year after pulling into the parking lot of the Van Wert Municipal Building which houses, among other things, the Van Wert Police Department.

In an unrelated case, Michael Whisman, 33, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to an amended charge of domestic violence, a first degree misdemeanor. Judge Burchfield scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. March 27.

During an arraignment hearing held Tuesday, Ronald Runyon, 46, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth degree felony. He was released on a surety bond and a pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. March 20.

In a recent hearing unrelated to the previous cases, Tyree DeWitt, 32, Delphos, changed his plea to guilty to domestic violence, a fourth degree felony. Judge Burchfield scheduled sentencing for 10 a.m. March 19.