A Green County man was indicted last week by an Adair County Grand Jury in connection with an automobile accident that occurred on April 5 in Adair County that claimed the life of a Russell County man.

Charles M. Caldwell, 41, of Greensburg, was indicted on one count of manslaughter-second degree and one count of possession of a controlled substance-first degree, oxycodone, first offense.

In returning the charge of manslaughter second degree, the indictment states that Caldwell “operated a motor vehicle in a wanton manner and thereby wantonly caused the death of Larry D. West.”

West, 61, of Russell Springs, was pronounced dead at Westlake Regional Hospital by Adair County Deputy Coroner Tony Bragg. His wife, Rebecca West, 51, was transported to Westlake and then flown to University of Louisville Hospital.

According to the report from the Kentucky State Police Post in Columbia, the accident occurred at 1:45 p.m. on April 5 approximately three miles north of Columbia.

Charles Caldwell of Greensburg was traveling south on KY 55 in a 2007 Dodge van and Rebecca West was also traveling south in a 1997 Ford when Caldwell attempted to pass the West vehicle. Caldwell’s vehicle struck the West vehicle in the rear, causing the West vehicle to overturn numerous times. Larry West, a passenger in the vehicle, was ejected.

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The murder trial of Wellie Paul Grant, which was scheduled to have gotten underway in Adair Circuit Court last Wednesday morning, May 18, has been postponed.

The jury pool for the trial had reported and everything was set for jury selection to begin when Special Judge James D. Bowling, Jr. announced from the bench that the trial had been continued, and will get underway August 1 of this year. The judge did not state a reason for the continuance.

Grant is to be tried for the June 10, 2006 murder of Rex Coffey, who he is accused of shooting and killing at the Beech Grove Baptist Church on Highway 900 near the Glensfork Community.

Grant was taken into custody the next day following an all night manhunt and charged with Coffey’s murder. He was subsequently indicted on the charge by an Adair County Grand Jury and a trial date set for January 2007. However, Grant’s attorney, Robert Bertram, filed a motion with Judge James Weddle that Grant undergo a psychiatric examination at the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center and Judge Weddle approved the motion.

Following the examination, at a hearing held in Adair Circuit Court in November 2007, Grant was found incompetent to stand trial and was ordered confined to Eastern State Hospital in Lexington. At a subsequent competency hearing in March 2009, Grant was again found incompetent to stand trial and sent back to Eastern State.

Then, following a third competency hearing held on January 21 of this year, Judge Bowling issued a ruling saying that Grant was competent to stand trial.

At that hearing, Dr. Donald Crowe, a psychologist who had examined Grant prior to the 2009 hearing and declared him incompetent to stand trial, examined Grant again and testified that he was now competent to stand trial.

After issuing his ruling, Judge Bowling set the trial date for May 18. Judge Bowling will be presiding over the trial.

Grant’s shooting of Coffey occurred on the night of June 10, 2006 at Beech Grove Baptist Church. Grant reportedly had been in a property line dispute with Coffey and some of the other church members prior to the shooting.

According to testimony at previous hearings, the shooting occurred when Rex Coffey, his wife Tammy, Beech Grove pastor Matt Cowan and Pam Coffey were sitting at a gazebo on the church grounds talking after the conclusion of the church’s vacation Bible school program.

Grant, who lives next to the church, drove his pickup down to where the foursome were and fatally shot Rex Coffey.

Grant then fled the scene, and following an all night manhunt, was captured the next day.