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Newspaper Archive of
San Miguel Basin Forum
Nucla , Colorado
August 26, 1999     San Miguel Basin Forum
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August 26, 1999
 
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8- San Miguel Basin Forum, Thursday, August 26, 1999 II m • Lieutenant Greg Hiler of the Montrose County Sheriff's office said tliat the missing per- son's case on Dale Williams of Nucla intensified here begin- ning last week due to "follow- ing up some new leads and information in the area". Hiler said that the Sher- iff's office is utilizing Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) out of Montros¢ as well as local sheriff's posse members. CBI agent Dennis Mooney said that he and one other agent were assisting the Montrose County Sheriff's office in any way needed at any time. The Cashin' Copper Mine area was a site where the sher- iff's office attempted to corrob- orate information with evi- dence. "We had the site closed off for a couple of days," said Hiler. He said he could not elab- orate on details, but said that they had done all they could at that center of investigation and moved on. "We will be visibly in and out of the area for the next two or three weeks follow- ing up on all leads," he said. When asked about Dale Williams, he said he is still missing. Several people in the area, including Jack Smith of Naturita, are attempting to set up a reward fund for anyone with information about Dale Williams or why he is missing. ..'.pledge forms be printed and avail- able at area mer- chants for those who would pledge money for a reward for information... I According to Smith, an account has been set up at the Citizens State Bank in Naturita. He said that pledge forms will be printed and available at area merchants for those who would pledge money for a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the dis- appearance of Dale Williams. The pledge sheets will be given to the bank and held. Upon success of any informa- tion given, the pledges will be collected and given to the pert son who gave the information. Citizens State Bank Branch Manager, Terri Tooker, said that the account is the Williams Rescue Fund and any checks written to reward a per- son with information should be made payable to that account. She said that she assumed the names on the account, Dianna Williams and Tammy Lowrance would collect the pledges when and if the reward was paid. Jack Smith said that the reward amount would be made known as the money is donated and the pledges made. "We can't help but hope locals have-information that would help solve the case," said Lieutenant Hiler.."We are cer- tainly in support of a reward being offered for information." Information about Dale Williams should be called into the Montrose County Sheriff's • office at 249-6606. Jack Smith said he plans to distribute "the pledge sheets this week at area businesses. He wasn't sure about keeping the person with information anony- mous or how to do so. That is a topic thatseveral are discussing and will decide on whether or not to do it, and, if so, how to do it, at a later date. "It may become very important to keep the person with information anonymous," said Smith. "If someone feels they may be in grave danger, they probably won't come forth, even if there is a reward." Diana Curtis of Montrose who is a police officer involved with crime Stoppers said they can keep a person anonymous by assigning a number and either dropping the money offto be picked up or having a board member meet with and give the money to the person who 1] . given the information that I to solving a crime. Law enforce- ment is not involved which guarantees anonymity. "Crime Stoppers has a policy now of only going up to $1,000 in reward and Montrose Crime Stoppers has already offered the reward in the Dale Williams case," she said. Williams has been miss- ing since May 24, 1999. His White Ford F-250 truck was found July 4, over a month after his disappearance, in the San Miguel, Dolores river's conflu- ence just below Uravan. His tool box was missing from the vehicle. What's Dear Editor; Sometimes it is hard to figure out what is going on with law enforcement and the courts. On June 6, I saw a friend of mine on main street, and we then parked our trucks in front of the Yellow Rock Cafe to visit. Shortly thereafter Vlontrose County Deputy Bremer pulled up behind my truck, and walked over to us. He then said, "Mr. Richardson can I talk to you in private." Complying with his request, my friend drove off. The officer tl na proceeded to tell me that twoindividuals (Ann Pinder and Vern Kessler) had signed a complaint against me regarding my driving on Vera Ray Drive. I asked him if I could see the complaint, so I would know what allegations were being made against me. He said, "No it is against the law to show you the com- plaint." He then wrote out a traffic ticket charging me with careless driving, which would be a $50 fine and four points off my driver's license. The hearing for the ticket was set for July 29, at 7 P.M. in the Naturita Municipal Court. So, I was ready to go to court, and meet Naturita's Judge. However, on July 21, I received notice from Montrose Eounty Court that my appear- Going On With Law Enforcement, Courts? ance-date of July 29 had been vacated, and I was to appear on August 3 in the Nuela County Court. So, ! showed up, and f was asked by Judge Davidson's replacement how I pied to the charge of careless driving. I told him, "Not guilty your honor." He then asked me if I wanted a jury trial? I asked him if there wasn't some other way to resolve this matter? He said the best he could do was to fine me $35 and take 3 points offmy license if I pied guilty to driving carelessly on a county road. I explained to him that this alleged incident did not happen on a egunty road. It supposedly took place in the town of Naturita. Further, the ticket I was issued stated that I was to appear in the Naturita Municipal Court. He then left the room, and stated he would check and see what was gomg on. He came back shortly, and said the problem is that officer Bremer filed the ticket with the wrong court. This seemed odd, because he wrote on my ticket that I was to appear in the Naturita court. At any rate, the judge said that he would have to dismiss this case, however, there was a very slim chance that the Naturita judge could re-instate the case in municipal court. He said the odds were about 98 per- cent that he would not do so. Nothing else transpired until last evening. I was return- ing from Nucla when a county deputy vehicle followed me until I reached the top of Naturita Hill. His lights then came on. I pulled over to the shoulder of the road, and officer Kettle walked toward me, and stated, "Mr. Richardson, I am going to have to re-issuethis ticket to yOU." I explained to him that I had already been to county court over this ticket, pied not guilty, and the judge dismissed the case. He then said "There is nothing I can do about it. I've been told to do this." I then asked if I could see the complaint made against me by Ann Pinder and Vern Kessler. He said "that is discovery, and you can see it when you go to court. This didn't make a whole lot of sense, because I've already been to court, and pied not guilty to the charges. Officer Kettle proceeded tO ask me to sign the ticket, but I refused to do so on the basis that I still have the original tick- et. I don't mind paying a ticket for a legitimate com- plaint. This is not a legitimate traffic complaint. The main rea- son I'm writing this letter is because it seems that more and more of our constitutional rights and protections are being taken from us. No one should be issued two separate tickets by different law enforcement officers for the same alleged complaint. No one should be hauled into a lower court when their case has been dismissed in a higher court. No one in this country should be denied the right to discovery or to see a complaint that has been filed against them. Without this information, they cannot fairly defend themselves in a court of law. I am writing a letter to the Naturita municipal judge informing him that I do not acknowledge this second tick- et. It was written by an officer who has no first hand knowl- edge of this alleged incident in any way, shape, or form. If officer Bremer does not understand that city tickets should be filed in city court, why should any defendant have to go back into court because he lacks this knowl- edge. If this sort of thing can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. Sincerely, Dick Richardson Naturita, CO Nucla Freshman Parents Information Meeting Held It's not too early for your freshman student to get a start on college planning. On Wednesday, Septem- ber 1, at 7 PM, in the Nucla High School Library, there will be a meeting for the parents of Freshman stu- dents on college admission course requirements, prepar- ing for admissions tests, as well as sources of financial aid for post secondary schooling. Call 864-7396, NHS Counselor's Office, for more information. There will also be an information night for the parents of Senior students, that will be held September 8 at the Nucla High School L!brary. Driver's License Examiner Schedule The driver's license examiner will be in Nucla the first thursday Of the Month, September 2nd from 9:30 a.m to 12:00 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.. He will not be in on the 3rd Thursday as usual in September. He will again be in Nucla the 1 st and 3rd Thursdays after September.