Region/state digest 01/04/06

Jackson man arrested in gun, window incident

A Jackson man was arrested early Monday after allegedly firing a gun while intoxicated. Richard W. Roark, 35, of 245 County Road 438, was also charged after kicking out a window in a squad car. Cape Girardeau County prosecutor Morley Swingle charged Roark with two felony counts of illegally discharging a weapon and resisting arrest and one misdemeanor count of property damage. According to a sworn affidavit with charges by Cape Girardeau County deputy Aaron Fornkohl, Roark repeatedly refused to move while being handcuffed, placed in the vehicle and escorted into the sheriff's station.

Jury trial scheduled in burglary case

A jury trial was scheduled for March 1 for Aaron L. Jenkins, 24, of 903 Ranney Ave., who appeared before Circuit Judge William Syler on Tuesday. Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle charged Jenkins on Nov. 11 with two felony counts each of burglary and theft for reportedly burglarizing two locations in Cape Girardeau County. In connection to the case, Garrett K. Williams, 19, of Chaffee, Mo., pleaded guilty on Dec. 5 to four out of six burglary and theft charges and received five years' probation.

Benton man enters plea in statutory rape case

David M. Bollinger, 18, of Benton, Mo., pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to one count of statutory rape with a girl under 14 years old. Circuit Judge William Syler continued the case to Jan. 17. Cape Girardeau County prosecutor Morley Swingle charged Bollinger in November after Scott County prosecutor Paul Boyd dropped initial charges when it was determined that the crime allegedly occured in Cape Girardeau County. Bollinger faces up to life in prison and was released on a $25,000 bond Nov. 22.

Change of venue granted in KFC robbery case

Circuit Judge William Syler granted a change of venue to New Madrid County on Tuesday to Charles W. Williams, 18, of Thebes, Ill. Williams appeared before Syler following a change of judge from Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis. Cape Girardeau County prosecutor Morley Swingle charged Williams on Nov. 29 with four felony counts of attempted robbery, armed criminal action, assault and resisting arrest and one misdemeanor count of assault. Bond was set at $100,000. Authorities say Williams attempted to rob the KFC at knifepoint Nov. 2. Employees thwarted the robbery.

Cape Girardeau man gets six months for assault

Floyd G. Wiseman, 41, of 627 S. Benton St., pleaded guilty on Tuesday to felony assault for to attempting stab a Cape Girardeau man with a knife. Circuit Judge William Syler sentenced him to six months in the Cape Girardeau County Jail, while county prosecutors dismissed a felony charge of unlawful use of a weapon. Wiseman admitted at the hearing that he tried to stab the man, which resulted in minor cuts to the man's chin and shoulder.

Barge worker dies in Mississippi County

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Authorities are investigating the death of a barge worker from the St. Louis area. According to Mississippi County Coroner Terry A. Parker, Corey Stockl, 27, fell from the boat he was working on early Saturday morning into the Mississippi River between Charleston and Cairo, Ill. He was flown to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The preliminary autopsy from Sunday indicates Stockl drowned, but complete results will be available in a few weeks, Parker said.

Woman's abduction story to avoid date results in jail

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Kentucky woman who told authorities she was kidnapped, raped, shot and left for dead near Kansas City International Airport to avoid an Internet date has been ordered to spend 10 days in jail and pay back the nearly $3,000 it cost authorities to search for her. Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said 18-year-old Laura E. Crews, of Nicholasville, Ky., pleaded guilty to filing a false police report Tuesday. She was ordered to reimburse authorities $2,994 and to perform 100 hours of community service.

Men picked wrong victim for prank call -- a judge

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Two telephone pranksters picked the wrong guy for an early-morning call -- a judge. Gabriel Wichman, 24, of Farmington, and Ryan Fleming, 23, of Bonne Terre, pleaded guilty Friday to misdemeanor charges of harassment. Both were sentenced to two years' probation and ordered to write lengthy reports on the consequences of making prank calls. The victim of the January 2003 prank was St. Francois County Associate Circuit Judge Thomas Ray. Wichman told police that Fleming was just goofing around and making prank calls. He said he gave Fleming the judge's phone number. Wichman said while he was friends with Ray's daughter, he forgot her father was a judge.

Jailer fired for allowing inmate's girlfriend in

WAYNESVILLE, Mo. -- A mid-Missouri jailer has been fired for granting an inmate's request for a conjugal visit. Pulaski County Sheriff J.B. King said Monday the inmate was allowed to have sex with his girlfriend in a records room. Both the sex act and the fact that the inmate was unsupervised violated procedures, the sheriff said. "She could have given him an AK-47, sticks of explosive, or 300 pounds of OxyContin," King said. The jailer was fired Dec. 22. There was no evidence he took a bribe, and no criminal charges were planned. The jailer's name was not released.

-- From staff, wire reports