The Daily Reporter
COLDWATER “I’m competent,” Jonathan Fleming, 42, objected to Branch County District Court Judge Brent Weigle Tuesday afternoon.
The judge ordered the Michigan Center for Forensic Psychiatry to determine his current state of mind, as well if he was criminally responsible when he allegedly threw a rock through a window at neighbor Thomas Hensell on Jan 15.
Hensell, a 70-year old veteran, had befriended his Lyter Road neighbor. Fleming appeared outside his home and threw a large rock through the window at him.
Public defender John Vincent said responses from Fleming raised his concern whether Fleming was competent.
“He said he had no memory of these events, Vincent said.
COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) â The case of a Coldwater man who is charged with allegedly downloading child pornography onto his computer has been bound over to Branch County Circuit Court.
44-year-old Christopher Jackson Fowler waved his preliminary exam in Branch County District Court which was scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
A Circuit Court arraignment has been scheduled for March 1.
Following a Michigan State Police investigation, Fowler was charged by Branch County prosecutors with aggravated possession of child sexual abusive material and using a computer to commit a crime.
Prosecutors also filed a fourth time habitual offender sentencing enhancer against Fowler if he is convicted of the felony crimes.
COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A Coldwater man who was convicted last September of assaulting a female acquaintance is now facing a charge of first degree criminal sexual conduct.
21-year-old Tyler Wesley Chehowski was arraigned on Monday in Branch County District Court. He is also accused of being a third time habitual offender.
According to court documents, the alleged incident involving a then 12-year-old girl took place in May of 2019.
A warrant for his arrest was issued by the prosecutors office last Thursday following a Coldwater Police Department investigation.
Bond during Chehowski’s arraignment was set at $100,000 and a no contact order was issued on behalf of the alleged victim.
42-year-old Jonathan Vern Fleming is also accused of being a second time habitual offender.
He was booked at the Branch County Jail last Friday in connection with an alleged incident on January 15.
According to court documents, he was accused of throwing a rock through a neighborâs front door window. The rock barely missed hitting a man inside who had ducked but it did cause about $1,200 worth of damage.
A warrant for Flemingâs arrest was issued last Wednesday.
The fire at Flemingâs home on Lyter Road broke out just before 4:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Bronson Fire Chief Scott Wilber reported a neighbor noticed the fire which had been burning for some time. Fire crews arrived to find the mobile home fully engulfed in flames and partially collapsed from fire damage. No one was home at the time of the blaze.
Branch County Court House and Clock Tower (photo courtesy Justin Lopshire, Midwest Communications, Inc.)
COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County District Court Judge Brent Weigle has ruled that a compost site on M-86 near Hodunk Road is in violation of Batavia Township’s zoning ordinance and he has ordered the site to be cleaned up by March 1.
The township took Cornelius Farms and Fred Cornelius to court last summer claiming the alleged commercial composting was not permitted in an agricultural district. The township also complained about the “obnoxious odors” which according to the plaintiff constituted a nuisance.
The defendants maintained that the Michigan Right to Farm Act preempts the local zoning requirements and therefore precludes a nuisance finding.