A preliminary hearing in Batesville City Court Wednesday resulted in Gary Milton, address unknown, being bound over to the Panola County Grand Jury on a charge of armed robbery at the Texaco/Shell station on Highway 6 East.

In an unrelated contempt of court charge, Judge Pro Tempore Jay Westfaul ordered Milton to pay old fines of $1,630. Milton is presently incarcerated at the Panola County Jail.

In a case that had been postponed for a year, Charles Justice of 412 West Rd., Oxford was found guilty of DUI (first offense) and careless driving. He was arrested on Highway 6 East on February 8, 2004.

Judge Westfaul imposed a fine of $786, due in 30 days.

Mary Gentry of 200 Broad St., Batesville, was found guilty of reckless driving in a charge that stemmed from a December 26 incident on College St. The judge dismissed a second charge of driving under the influence of prescription medication.

Ms. Gentry was fined $165.

Aaron Handy of 150 Martin Luther King Dr., Batesville, was found guilty of expired driver’s license and was fined $265.

Samantha Beavers of 112 #5 Eureka St., Batesville, pleaded guilty to shoplifting and was fined $595.

Contempt of court
Four people were found guilty of contempt of court for failure to pay previously imposed fines.

Judge Westfaul imposed the following fines:
Tracy Benson of Pope, $234, to be paid within 48 hours;
Barbara Cook of 605-E Chestnut, Charleston, $529, within 48 hours;
Ella Battle of 2690 Cotton Plant, Batesville, paid a fine of $393 prior to court.

Also paying a contempt of court fine before court was Jason Kitchkeg of 219 Vance St., Batesville, who paid a fine of $565.

A fifth defendant, Eric Towns of 705 Jones St., Crenshaw, failed to appear to answer the contempt of court charge. His bondsman was notified.