Three people charged in connection to an incident at the Winona Community Center that led to another incident on Hazel Circle on June 28 between two families -- one Winona and one from Vaiden -- went before Judge Alan D. Lancaster Thursday in Winona Municipal Court.
Ty’Kerria Merritt, Marcus Miller, and Christopher Olton were all charged with disturbing the peace in connection with a melee at the Winona Community House in June.
Merritt was represented by Candace Williams; Miller was represented by Neal Marlow; and Olton represented by Read Stanford. All three pleaded guilty to the charges and received fines.
Miller also pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm in the city limits.
A second charge of disturbing the peace against Olton was dismissed after it was determined that he did not participate in a secondary incident that occurred on Hazel Circle on the same day. City Prosecutor Putt Crull, Jr. stated Olton only raised his voice, but he didn’t do any “fighting or shooting.”
In August, Deanshanette Woods, Tytiana Lane, Merritt, Narstuckkyya “Star” Thomas, and Bianca Lane all went before Lancaster about the incident on Hazel Circle. A fist fight that took place at the Winona Community Center was the catalysis for what occurred on Hazel Circle the evening of June 28, in which gunshots were exchanged between the two sides.
In the Hazel Circle case, Woods was bound over on a charge of aggravated assault, and Merritt, the Lanes and Thomas were all fined.
In Community Center case, Merritt received five days suspended, with six months of probation contingent upon no other incidents occurring.
“That doesn’t include traffic violations,” Williams asked.
“Speeding tickets, no. But, careless driving, no insurance, no driver’s license, it will trigger this,” Lancaster said. “Is that good with you?”
In an unrelated case, Artika Topps went before Lancaster on charges of misdemeanor fleeing, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.
Winona Police Officer James Burnett said he was traveling on North Union when he noticed a car with only one headlight. He said he turned around and turned on his blue light, but the driver didn’t stop until she got to 105 South Union.
Burnett testified that when he stopped, the driver, he identified as Topps, was getting out of her vehicle and he ordered her stay in the vehicle.
“She kept saying that I know her. I’ve been to her house before, which I have on a call. But, I didn’t know her name,” Burnett said.
Burnett said Topps told him that he was only attempting to “give her a hard time.”
He said he noticed when she was driving there was a newborn infant on her lap, and when he got to the car, there were other children not restrained in child safety seats.
Burnett said Topps had a newborn baby in her arms and he asked her to give the baby to her grandmother, because she was under arrest. He said Topps continued to refuse his orders.
“I didn’t want to tussle with her when she had the baby in her arms,” Burnett said.
He said Topps eventually gave the baby to her grandmother and was arrested. He said all of this could have been avoided if she would have just stopped.
Topps testified that she was stopped on South Union, not North Union, and she admitted she didn’t stop until she got home. She said she was trying to give her children to her grandmother.
Lancaster reduced her fleeing charge to a charge of failure to yield to blue lights and was found guilty on all of the charges.
In other cases, Deon Jones went before Lancaster on an initial appearance for commercial burglary. Lancaster said the affidavit stated that Jones broke into a window at the Hitching Post Motel and took several items including money.
Jones bond was reduced from $25,000 to $10,000 under the condition that he does not return back to Montgomery County other than for court appearances or medical services.
Jessie Meeks went before Lancaster on a charge of DUI Second offense. Lancaster sentenced Meeks to jail for five days with time for credit served to begin at 5 p.m. Thursday. Meeks would be released at 5 p.m. Sunday.
Jessie Kirk went before Lancaster on an initial appearance for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Kirk’s bond was set at $50,000 and Neal Marlow was appointed as defense counsel.
