County jail sentence handed down for DWI

In recent 27th District Court action, Judge Joe Carroll sentenced James Craig Groves, 37, of Lampasas to six months in the Lampasas County Jail and 18 months' probation for driving while intoxicated and felony repetition, which was prosecuted as a misdemeanor.

Groves also must pay a $750 fine and had his driver's license suspended for six months.

In other court proceedings, Rodney Joel Key, 50, of Lampasas was sentenced to six years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division, probated to six years. He must pay a $1,000 fine and court costs, and was ordered to attend an alcohol treatment facility.

Key was charged with driving while intoxicated and felony repetition.

An arrest warrant was issued, and bond was increased to $50,000 for Joe Harvey Hardin, 37, when he failed to show up for court on a charge of driving while intoxicated and felony repetition.

Curtis Byron Crumley III, 21, of Lampasas also did not report for court on his case of criminal mischief with a deadly weapon. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and bond was set at $10,000.

A case of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, against 18-year-old Lowell Preston Garza of Lampasas was punished as a misdemeanor. Garza was sentenced to six months in county jail, and must pay court costs and restitution.

Carroll also amended Garza's probation on an injury to a child/ serious bodily injury charge and ordered him to attend an inpatient treatment facility within 12 months of serving his jail sentence.

Amy Jo Pitcher, 39, of Lampasas was assessed three years' deferred adjudication probation and a $1,000 fine plus court costs for possession of a controlled substance. She also must serve 30 days in the Lampasas County Jail, followed by outpatient drug rehabilitation.

Albert Alvarado, 26, of Lampasas was given three years' deferred adjudication probation and a $1,000 fine for possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine. He also must pay court costs.

Jury trials are set Monday for Brenda Sue Gaines, 32, of Killeen on a forgery charge and for Duane Cole Myers, 45, of Lampasas for possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine.

Harker Heights resident Holli Elise Ricketts, 42, had her arraignment on a forgery charge reset to March 14.

A revocation hearing is expected March 14 for Roger D. Dean, 23, of Copperas Cove for burglary of a habitation.

An adjudication announcement was reset to March 14 for Diane Renteria Hernandez, 50, of Lubbock. She is charged with possession of a controlled substance, cocaine.

Also next week, the judge is to hear a plea from Jose Andrade Moreno, 31, of Lometa for driving while intoxicated and felony repetition, as well as bond jumping.

Pretrial hearings are scheduled March 28 for Thomas Edward Austerberry, 23, of Harker Heights for evading arrest with a vehicle and Joshua Steven Joswick, 19, for evading arrest with a vehicle.

A pretrial hearing is on the April 11 docket for Wesley Gene Talbert, 29, of Lampasas for possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine.

Earnest Harold Smiley, 58, is set to enter a plea May 9 for driving while intoxicated and felony repetition. A presentence investigation was ordered.

May 12 jury trials are slated for Douglas Lynn McGuffey, 21, for possession of a controlled substance; James Worth Nesom, 51, for driving while intoxicated with a child passenger; Clay Cory Havins, 41, for driving while intoxicated and felony repetition; and Dale Roy Noordam, 33, for possession of a controlled substance.

On a charge of theft over $20,000 and under $100,000, Dublin resident Richard Thurston House, 22, is set for a July 28 jury trial.

The state dismissed a charge of theft over $1,500 and under $20,000 against April Dawn Smith, 28, of Lampasas. The case will be refiled in county court.