At Home
Advertisement
Steamboat Springs — Senior Judge Cecil Wayne Williams upheld the revocation of Sheriff Gary Wall’s driver’s license in Routt County Court today, and a jury trial has been set for the drunken driving case against the county’s top law enforcement officer.
Williams made short order of Wall’s appeal of a yearlong suspension of his driver’s license, which was handed down by the Colorado State Patrol on Oct. 27 when Wall refused any tests of his blood alcohol level during a traffic stop. Colorado Department of Revenue hearing officer Art Julian upheld that decision on appeal in December. Wall and his lawyer, Steamboat Springs attorney Ron Smith, then appealed Julian’s decision.
“I don’t need to hear any argument in this case,” said Williams, who in a previous hearing suggested he would hear arguments from the prosecution and defense. “I am affirming the decision of the hearing officer in this case and denying the petitioner. … This case is done as far as this court is concerned.”
Attention then turned to Wall’s criminal charges: failure to dim his headlights, driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of a weapon under the influence of alcohol. Smith entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of Wall and requested the scheduling of a jury trial.
The case must be tried by Oct. 29; Williams set the trial for 8:30 a.m. July 14. A motions hearing will be held at 11 a.m. June 9.
“I’m going to set it earlier in case we have trouble finding a jury in this fine county,” Williams said.
For the same reason, Williams will allow each side two hours to select a jury.
“Of course it’s going to be longer than normal,” said prosecutor Anne Francis, noting the uniqueness of a DUI case involving a prominent figure in the community. Francis, a deputy district attorney in Eagle County, appeared on behalf of special prosecutor Karen Romeo.
Also notable for a DUI case, the trial is scheduled for three days and Smith said he would be calling approximately 25 witnesses. There will be an alternate juror and Smith asked that the jury be sequestered.
RSS
Community comments
Note: The Steamboat Pilot & Today doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy.
Benny (anonymous)
April 29, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
More money spent by Routt County's taxpayers for a sequestered jury for 3 days?
grannyrett (anonymous)
April 29, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Way to go Judge Williams! Won't take the test-lose license. No arguments. That's the way it is.
justice4all (anonymous)
April 29, 2008 at 2:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why should it take longer for a "prominate figure"?
A drunk is a drunk, is a drunk!!! However; Wall is not guilty of anything yet. He is only accused.
Let us wait 'till the jury speaks and then form our opinion.
Remember the Randal NELSON CASE? The DA was guilty in that situation---- guilty of not doing their job!! And it only cost an innocent person $40,000.00 to prove it. Now let's see if another DA can do the job properly.
Driver_1 (anonymous)
April 29, 2008 at 7:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
While the innocent deserve their day in court - why do some people insist on making a mockery of the Criminal Justice System they swore to uphold. He were caught red-handed (or red-eyed). It takes a real man to stand up and admit when their wrong. A real man would take the punishment they earned and learn from their mistake. What about the preferential treatment you got with a free ride home by a deputy on the county payroll. Anyone else would have gone straight to jail. How dare you, in a police car, careen down the highway and place us all at risk. Whenever I plan on drinking (even just one) I leave the gun at home and have someone else drive. I hope that they calculate restitution for wasting the time of all the people involved in making our justice system stuggle along.
Far too often drunken drivers are let go with a slap on the hand. Now I hope you pay the full penalty of your foolishness.
I think in Colorado we have matured enough that we don't need elected yahoos as Sheriffs. Lets eliminate the whole Sheriff system - which was useful back at statehood and replace them with well trained professional police officers who are held to the highest standards - not to the whim of the current sheriff who changes every four years.
bandmama (anonymous)
April 29, 2008 at 7:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
please refer to all of my arguments from the earlier article.........
ditto
ditto
ditto........
steamboatsconscience (anonymous)
April 29, 2008 at 7:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
nice cell phone picture though.
Pilot,
You gotta buy a camera for these guys.
ColoradoNative (anonymous)
April 30, 2008 at 3:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree. Wall should take his lumps and move on. They'll slap him on the wrist anyway and the tax payers will save money. What a disgrace for our community.
shadow (anonymous)
April 30, 2008 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
While Wall could have vindicated himself by submitting to the blood alcohol test (if he wasn't intoxicated), what evidence is available to the prosecution that his blood alcohol was above the legal limit?
What case can be made that he is guilty of anything more than failure to dim his headlights? Is the only evidence the testimony of the arresting officers that , "he appeared intoxicated"? Likely non-conclusive.
It's likely he'll skate. The only inconvenience imposed will be the loss of his license for a year.
(Requires free registration) Post a comment