Pre-trial hearing set for March 17

Beleaguered Coal Grove Mayor Andy Holmes was in Ironton Municipal Court on Thursday morning, where he pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a hit and run collision that escalated to a fight with police officers before he was arrested on Saturday, March 1.

Holmes was arraigned in the Ironton Municipal Court and didn’t speak, except once, which is normal during arraignments when the defendant’s attorney does most of the talking.

Judge Kevin Waldo explained the charges against Holmes, which include a hit/skip violation, a third-degree misdemeanor which carries a maximum penalty of 60 days in county jail, operating a vehicle while impaired which carries a maximum penalty of six months in county jail and assured clear distance ahead.

Holmes pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Holmes was represented by attorney Richard Nash. Waldo asked Nash if he had discussed with court staff about setting up a date for a pretrial hearing.

“Not yet,” Nash said.

Waldo asked about setting that hearing for March 27.

“Mr. Holmes, do you think you can be here on that day,” Waldo asked.

“Yes, sir,” Holmes replied. The hearing was set for that day.

Waldo said it was his understanding that a special prosecutor “on some other matters that they are anticipating filing. I have no control over that. I do not know when that will be, I do not know what those charges will be brought before the court. We will deal that possibly by the 27th.”

Holmes’ bond was set at $1,500 on his own recognizance.

Holmes was instructed to fill out the bond paperwork at the clerk’s office and the hearing came to an end.

The case began just after Saturday just after midnight with a report of a hit-skip accident in the 3600 block of South Third St.

According to a report from the Ironton Police Department, officers found a sedan with “significant” rear end damage on Third Street in Ironton and a woman standing beside it. They also found several parts of a GMC along the roadway. One officer stayed at the site of the crash and the other went to search for the GMC.

Dispatch called to tell the officer that OnStar had reported a crash in the area and gave the information of the vehicle involved, including an address, which was Holmes’ address in Coal Grove. An officer found a black 2023 GMC Yukon with “severe” damage to the front end at house. Because of the damage, the officer was concerned about the welfare of the driver and called for an additional officer to help locate the driver.

Officers were let into the home and found Holmes in bed with blood coming from a head wound.

According to the police report, the officers explained that they were from Ironton, where the crash occurred. The Ironton officers asked who Holmes was and they were told that he was the mayor of Coal Grove. The Ironton officers said that the fact that he was the mayor of Coal Grove was irrelevant, since the accident happened in Ironton.

According to the police report, Holmes aggressively got out of bed and told them to leave because they didn’t have a warrant and that they were on private property.

At the door, the report said that he shoved one of the officers and grabbed his vest, at which point Holmes was told he was under arrest. The report said Holmes swung at an officer, pulled away and headed toward the kitchen.

The officers followed him to take him into custody, but Holmes continued to aggressively pull away, according to the report.

According to the police report, an officer pulled his Taser and stunned Holmes in the right side of his stomach and tried to handcuff him, the report said. He was stunned twice more, before he was handcuffed and put in the patrol car.

Holmes was examined by EMS for his head wound and then was taken to the Lawrence County Jail.