Category: Court News

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…

KINGMAN – Possessing 2.5 ounces of methamphetamine will result in a trip to the Arizona Department of Corrections for a Golden Valley resident. Timothy Shaddy, 38, entered a plea agreement on June 4. Prosecutor Jonathon Robinson told the Court that Shaddy was westbound when the vehicle he was driving was stopped on Route 66 just outside Kingman on February 16. He said discovery of a meth pipe in plain view established probable cause to search the vehicle from which 69 grams of meth, baggies, a digital scale and a weapon were confiscated. Shaddy pleaded guilty to misconduct involving weapons and…