Man found competent to stand trial

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

PAULDING — A Grover Hill man charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of another Grover Hill man has changed his mind about switching legal counsel and has been found competent to stand trial.

Corbin Delgado, 21, requested different legal counsel in a handwritten letter dated September 17 and addressed to Paulding County Common Pleas Court Judge Tiffany Beckman.

“I Corbin Delgado wish to request new legal council (sp) for ineffectiveness of council (sp),” he wrote. “John Hopkins refuses to effectively represent my case based on both the facts of the case and my wishes as his client. He continues to cause undue delay and is misrepresenting before the court.”

However, court records show Delgado withdrew the request during a hearing held earlier this week.

“Counsel for Defendant advised the Court that he had spoken with his client prior to convening,” court documents stated. “As a result of that conversation, Counsel believed the concerns raised by his client had been resolved…Upon the Court’s inquiry, Defendant indicated the same, and further, his desire to maintain his current representation.”

John Hopkins of Ottawa is Delgado’s court-appointed attorney.

During the same hearing, it was noted a recent mental health evaluation found Delgado competent to stand trial. Prior to the evaluation, he requested to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Delgado is facing charges of murder, an unclassified felony; felonious assault, a second degree felony, and assault, a first degree misdemeanor. The charges, which were passed down by a grand jury in June, are tied to a late May attack.

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 Derek  Pontius, 40, 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 later, 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. On September 11, a motion made by Delgado to modify his bond was denied by Judge Beckman.

He was originally scheduled to stand trial August 27-29. New trial dates have not been scheduled.