Published: November 21, 2008 12:19 pm            

Words to wait in assault case

Testimony will have to wait, at least for now, in the case of two Elmore City defendants accused of assaulting two different law enforcement officers in Pauls Valley this past spring.

A preliminary hearing for both Joshua Wilson, 24, and Craig Heckert, 29, scheduled for Thursday in a Garvin County District courtroom, was postponed.

Wilson is the suspect who was chased down on May 21 by a PV police officer, Sgt. Mitch McGill, while Heckert is facing multiple charges for an altercation at the same time with county Deputy Zac Henderson.

Authorities have said it was Wilson and Heckert who were in a vehicle that crashed near the local West Avenue and Fields Row intersection.

The two officers reported the altercations with the two suspects came afterwards as the suspects attempted to flee the scene.

During the chase McGill suffered a dislocated and broken arm as he captured and took Wilson into custody with the assistance of a bystander.

A Pauls Valley courtroom had been the site for a scheduled hearing Thursday before it was announced a postponement until Feb. 3.

Expected to follow that hearing is a proceeding to address a state’s motion to accelerate the deferred sentences given to both suspects earlier this year.

Those convictions are for an August 2007 case when Wilson and Heckert were formally accused of being combative with county deputies during an alcohol related traffic stop.

During Thursday’s hearing both sides entered into a stipulation for the record that indicated they understand what the testimony will be for a scheduled witness in the more recent case.

That unnamed witness is the owner of the 2005 Chevy Tahoe that was involved in the May incident leading to the multiple charges against both defendants.

The stipulation indicates that if the witness is called to the stand he will testify the defendants did not have permission to drive the vehicle on that day.

A felony count of possessing a stolen vehicle is one of the three criminal counts facing Heckert.

Two others were filed against Wilson after his altercation with the PV officer.

The incident started with a one-vehicle accident on Airline Road. A witness claimed to see two male subjects get out of the vehicle and run south of the local golf course.

McGill was one of the many local police officers and county deputies who quickly got involved in the hunt.

He reported spotting a subject crawling around in a brushy area on the west side of the course. The officer then went after the man, later identified as Wilson, on the belief he had left the scene of a property damage accident.

The chase was on as the suspect began running across a nearby airport runway as McGill got access to a golf cart.

McGill’s injury came when he jumped from the cart in an effort to tackle the fleeing suspect. It was then he landed on his left shoulder, which was later determined to be broken and dislocated.

Despite the injury the officer wound up tackling Wilson and getting him handcuffed with some assistance from another individual at the scene.

McGill is now back on the job with the local department after weeks of rehabilitation and limited duty.

        

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