Criminal Call proceedings will be held today in Indiana County Court, and there were a number of high-profile cases on the schedule, but almost all of those cases have been continued. Criminal Call is an opportunity for the prosecution and defense to appear before the judge and update the court on the status of their cases.
The four defendants in the 2014 execution-style murder Tyron Howard of Blairsville are – or were – on the list. Kevin King of Altoona has already had his Criminal Call continued to next month. The attorney for Stanley Boynton Jr. of Altoona on Wednesday asked for a continuance. Michael Eades Jr. of Tyrone and DeAndre Jones Jr. of Baltimore, Maryland are still scheduled for today.
Larry Plovestky’s Criminal Call has been continued. He’s the Black Lick man accused of homicide by vehicle in the November 2015 collision death of 80-year-old Clara Santus of Black Lick. At a motions hearing this week, Judge William Martin granted a prosecution motion to add homicide by vehicle – without the DUI stipulation – to the list of charges. There were questions about the admissibility of evidence that Plovetsky may have been under the influence of marijuana.
Joseph Popovich of Homer City, who is charged with homicide by vehicle while DUI in the pedestrian death last May of Homer Center High School student Kai Hrabovsky, has been granted a continuance to next month.
The three young men charged with murdering a Clymer couple last fall all have had their Criminal Call appearances continued to next month. Last week, Judge Thomas Bianco denied a motion for Justin Stevenson to have his preliminary hearing rights reinstated. He also granted a motion for Nathaniel Price to extend his time for filing pretrial motions to March 22nd. The third defendant is Isaiah Scott. All are now listed for Criminal Call on April 7th.
