Different plea entered in murder case

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

PAULDING — At least for now, a Grover Hill man charged with stabbing and killing another man in late May is permitted to enter a different plea.

According to documents filed in Paulding County Common Pleas Court, Corbin Delgado, 20, is now able to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity along with his original not guilty plea. Judge Tiffany Reighter Beckman signed the order earlier this month. It’s expected Delgado will undergo at least one mental health evaluation to determine his competency to stand trial.

Delgado is facing charges of murder, an unclassified felony; felonious assault, a second degree felony, and felonious assault, a first degree misdemeanor. The charges are tied to the late May death of Derek E. Pontius, 40, of Grover Hill.

Paulding County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a disturbance in the 16000 block of Road 24, southwest of Grover Hill, shortly before 1 a.m. May 27. The initial caller reported a male was being argumentative and had a knife. Deputies arrived at the scene within minutes and found Pontius suffering from stab wounds. Life saving measures were administered by deputies and members of the Grover Hill EMS and Pontius was transported to OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital, but was pronounced dead.

Delgado had fled the scene on foot but about an hour after the attack, a deputy located him in the Village of Grover Hill. A trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol assisted the deputy in apprehending Delgado. He was booked in the Paulding County Jail, where he remains in lieu of $1 million bond, with a 10 percent provision.

Delgado, who was indicted by a grand jury June 12, was arraigned via video in late June and entered a not guilty plea to all three charges. He’s being represented by John J. Hopkins, a court appointed attorney from Ottawa.

Delgado is scheduled to stand trial August 27-29 in Paulding County Common Pleas Court, but the trial is expected to be delayed by the mental health evaluation.