Court briefs
Arson trial begins The arson case lodged against Edward Charles Koontz began Monday in Fayette County Court.
Koontz, 37, of Mount Pleasant, allegedly started a fire at the 844 Kreinbrook Road, Bullskin Township home of Lisa Mae Scherer on Nov. 8, 2001. State police allege that he kicked down the door to Scherer’s home while she was inside and then broke things in the house. When Scherer, who hid in the basement, tried to escape, Koontz reportedly caught her.
Scherer, according to police, drove her car to a neighbor’s and called police, but Koontz followed, yelling that he loved her.
He then allegedly took her car and drove to her home, where police allege he lit it on fire.
In addition to arson, Koontz is charged with burglary, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
He opted to go to trial after rejecting a five to 10 year plea deal offered to him by prosecutors.
The trial is expected to pick up this morning before Judge Ralph C. Warman.
Drug case heard
Fayette County Judge Gerald R. Solomon began hearing evidence in the drug case lodged against Charles Edward Beal on Monday.
Beal, 36, is charged with possession of a 20 mg Oxycodone tablet, possession of drug paraphernalia and receiving stolen property.
Redstone Township police reportedly stopped Beal along Legion Street in Republic on Feb. 15, 2002, when they received a call that there was a suspicious vehicle in the area. When Captain H. Dennis Field approached Beal he reportedly saw a can of beer in the vehicle and asked for permission to search.
That search reportedly found an Oxycodone tablet, a straw with white powder police allege is used to snort drugs and two Pennsylvania registration validation stickers in the glove box. Additionally, police charged that Beal was driving under a DUI-related license suspension.