Category: Court News

KINGMAN – A man who drew police gunfire that injured no one after stealing a vehicle from a Mohave County property in Kingman is going to the Arizona Department of Corrections for 12.5 years. The punishment for Michael Lapeer, 26, Kingman is mandated in a plea agreement that also resolves probation violations. A June 11 hearing at the Mohave County courthouse revealed that Lapeer was on probation for disorderly conduct and forgery convictions when he stole a Humvee on May 10. “He rammed the stolen Humvee into the locked chain link gate to exit the yard,” said Bullhead City police…

LAKE HAVASU CITY – Citizens intervened when a Lake Havasu City man tried to re-enter a bar early Thursday to continue an argument with his girlfriend. One of the citizens suffered a gunshot wound during a struggle about 1:30 a.m. behind the establishment in the 2100 block of McCulloch Boulevard. Arriving officers discovered that 48-year-old Robert Koerber was being restrained. He was taken into custody and jailed on an aggravated assault charge. Police said detectives determined that Koerber brandished and raised a weapon when citizens tried to keep him outside the bar. The gun discharged during an ensuing struggle and…

BULLHEAD CITY – The youngest of three defendants has been given the lightest sentence for her involvement in the robbery of a man at Rotary Park in Bullhead City last summer. Mohave County Judge Billy Sipe placed Meghan Holley, 16, on supervised probation for three years during a Monday sentencing hearing in Kingman. Judge Sipe previously ordered five year’s prison and one year in jail, respectively, for co-defendants, Cody Turner, 20, and Anthony Stevens, 23. Former deputy Mohave County Attorney Jaimye Ashley provided the factual basis of the case during Turner’s sentencing hearing in March. Ashley told the court that…

BULLHEAD CITY – Mental health issues and substance abuse played a role in the case of a Bullhead City man who injured an employee who tried to stop him from stealing from the local Walmart store. That’s what defense attorney George Hibbeler and family members said during Monday’s sentencing hearing for Jessie Aranda, 20. Aranda pleaded guilty to a robbery charge for the Jan. 31 incident while an assault count is dismissed. Bullhead City police spokeswoman Emily Fromelt said Aranda was exiting Walmart at 3:40 a.m. with a cart full of stolen merchandise when confronted by the 64-year-old store employee….

LAKE HAVASU CITY – A Lake Havasu City woman charged in the death of her daughter is rolling the dice on a possible life-long prison term rather than accept a plea agreement offer that mandates a 5- to 10-year sentence. 27-year-old Brittany Rodriquez has opted to go to trial on a first-degree murder charge rather than enter a deal that would convict her of attempted child abuse. Prosecutor Jacob Cote told the court during a Wednesday hearing that he would negotiate no further and that his offer would expire by the end of the day. Rodriquez held her ground and…

KINGMAN – A Kingman woman has pleaded guilty to first degree murder in the death of her own mother. A plea agreement for Carrie Vanover, 24, was entered during a Wednesday hearing before Mohave County Superior Court Judge Derek Carlisle. Terms of the deal are identical to a plea agreement recently entered for Vanover’s boyfriend Mark Baldonado, 32, Kingman. Baldonado was recently sentenced to life in prison, which in this case means that he will have to serve at least 25 years before eligible for release from prison. The same punishment is specified for Vanover who is scheduled to be…