Wayne County Outlook

Posted October 1, 2014 at 2:48 pm

Two people died in two separate motorcycle crashes in Wayne County, which occurred within hours of each other on Saturday, September 20.

The first accident occurred at approximately 6:16 p.m. on West KY 92. Two people were injured and transported from the scene.

Eva Leady, 29, of Monticello, died later from her injuries. The condition of the other person injured, Brook Dennis, was not known at press time.

No details from that accident were available. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene, but the investigation is being headed up by Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement.

The second accident occurred at approximately 11:23 p.m. on KY 696.

According to Kentucky State Police, a 2010 Thoroughbred Stallion Trike motorcycle, operated by George D. Matz II, 65, of Auburndale, Florida, was traveling south when it dropped off the shoulder of the roadway and overturned.

Matz and his passenger, Cherry Matz, were both ejected from the motorcycle.

Matz was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:11 a.m. by Wayne County Deputy Coroner Anthony Vaughn.

Cherry Matz was airlifted from the scene and transported to the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

According to Kentucky State Police, the couple were wearing helmets at the time of the crash.

According to the Wayne County Coroner’s Office, the Matz couple had been to Ohio to purchase the motorcycle and they were on their way to Tennessee to visit a relative when the accident occurred.

Trooper Adam Childress is in charge of the investigation. He was assisted at the scene by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, Wayne County EMS and the Susie Fire Department.

———————————

Former Monticello Police Officer Allen Braden has entered a guilty plea to charges of bribery of a public official and theft by failure to make required disposition.

Braden appeared in Wayne Circuit Court on Monday, September 22 before Special Judge David Tapp for re-arraignment and withdrew his former plea of not guilt to the charges.

Braden was indicted in February on the charges, which officials said at the time stemmed from a lengthy investigation in 2013.

Officials alleged that Braden provided information to an accused drug dealer about details of investigations into drug activities.

The theft charge against Braden stemmed from a 27 Glock pistol issued by the Monticello Police Department that officials said the officer did not return after his termination as a police office in 2013.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew Leveridge recommended a sentence of five years on each of the charges to run concurrent for a total of five years.

According to paperwork filed in the Wayne Circuit Clerk’s Office, the sentence will be probated for a five year period.

As a condition of the probation, Braden will serve 90 days in the Wayne County Detention Center. The time will be served on weekend.

Formal sentencing for Braden has been set for October 29.

———————————-

One of two men accused of stealing several thousand pounds of copper from Belden has entered a plea agreement.

Christopher Pruitt appeared in Wayne Circuit Court on Monday, September 22 and entered a plea of guilty to a total of 25 counts of theft by unlawful taking over $10,000 which are amended charges, and one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument second degree. One count of engaging in organized crime was dismissed under the plea agreement.

The charges represent two different indictments against Christopher Pruitt. The first indictment, returned in March 2014, included one count of theft by unlawful taking over $10,000 and one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument second degree.

The second indictment was returned in May and included 24 counts of theft by unlawful taking over $10,000.

Those charges stemmed from an investigation by the Monticello Police Department which revealed a series of 41 copper wire thefts from the Monticello Belden plant and four from the now-closed plant in Tompkinsville, beginning in 2004 and ending in February 2014.

In February 2014, Christopher Pruitt and Jimmy Pruitt were arrested in possession of approximately 15,000 pounds of copper wire stolen from the Monticello Belden plant, according to police. That prompted the investigation which resulted in the second set of indictments.

According to the plea agreement reached in Christopher Pruitt’s case, a sentence of five years on each count was recommended on the charge of theft by unlawful taking over $10,0000 and one county of criminal possession of a forged instrument second degree, which were part of the first indictment. The sentences will run concurrent for a total of five years.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew Leveridge recommended a five year sentence for each of the remaining 24 counts of theft by unlawful taking under $10,000. These sentences would be concurrent for a total of five years.

The sentences from both sets of charges will run consecutively for a total of 10 years, according to the plea agreement.

Also, Christopher Pruitt will be required to pay restitution, which will be set by a separate restitution order. Under the agreement, he will forfeit all cash and property seized.

Formal sentencing has been set for October 29.

Jimmy Pruitt also appeared in Wayne Circuit Court on Monday, but the only action taken in that matter was to schedule the hearing for October 1. Special Judge David Tapp had been assigned to both cases.

———————————

County tax rates will remain the same in 2014. Wayne County Fiscal Court met in special session on Friday, September 19 and agreed to keep tax rates at the same level.

The rate for real property will remain at 12.6 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value. The rate for personal property, aircraft and documented watercraft will remain a 33.25 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value.

The tax rate for motor vehicles will remain at 10.2 cents per hundred dollars assessed value.

Also during the meeting, the court approved tax rates for taxing districts for 2014, as they were presented.

——————————-

A Somerset woman was arrested September 16 on drug-related charges, according to the Lake Cumberland Area Drug Task Force.

Tammy B. Laws, 47, of Bridge Hollow Road in Somerset, was arrested by the Monticello Police Department. She was taken into custody at the Wayne County Detention Center, according to the drug task force.

Laws was arrested on two outstanding warrants for two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance second degree, promoting contraband first degree and failure to appear in Pulaski District Court.