Drug, alcohol cases heard in Delaware

By Patricia Breakey
Delhi News Bureau

June 20, 2008 04:00 am

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DELHI _ Four cases involving drinking or drugs were heard in Delaware County Court on Monday.

Frederick J. Coffey, 51, of Andes, was arraigned and pleaded innocent to two counts of driving while intoxicated, first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, unlicensed operation and parking on the pavement.

Coffey's charges stemmed from an incident in Delhi on April 27. He is free on $2,500 to await trial during the October term.

Ronald W. Lord, 45, of Deposit, was sentenced on a DWI charge in a plea agreement in which he received five years' probation with the first six months in jail.

Lord's charges stem from an incident in Deposit on July 6.

James Meehan, 41, of Hamden, pleaded guilty to DWI and leaving the scene of a property damage accident that occurred in Hamden on Dec. 12.

Meehan, who admitted his blood-alcohol content was .30 percent, or almost four times the legal limit, was sentenced to five years' probation, drug treatment court including 100 hours of community service and a fine of $2,100.

Also on Monday, Wesley J. Eignor, 44, of Fleischmanns, who pleaded innocent in January to fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for allegedly possessing cocaine, appeared for a hearing to determine if he was properly read his Miranda rights before he gave a statement to trooper David J. Morgan.

Morgan testified that he found a small plastic bag of a white powder while searching the car Eignor was riding in and three more bags in Eignor's socks.

Delaware County Judge Carl Becker ruled that Eignor's statements were made after he was properly read his Miranda rights while he was in custody.

Eignor also pleaded innocent previously to second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, first-degree unlawfully dealing with a child, for allegedly giving alcohol to a person younger than 21, and third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, for allegedly driving a car belonging to Jennifer Myers-Finch.

Eignor's charges are related to incidents in Middletown on Nov. 14.

Eignor is free on $1,000 bail with the conditions that he remain in treatment and does not possess or consume alcohol or any controlled substance. His trial is scheduled for the July 14 term.