News
Pretrial hearing held for man accused of assault in Hereford case
By Jonathon Shacat/Herald/Review
SIERRA VISTA - A man who was a victim of a shooting in Elfrida last year is now facing charges of assault and disorderly conduct in a different case in Hereford.
Joshawa Liest, 31, allegedly struck and injured Ryan Collett in the 5600 block of Desert Tortoise Lane in Hereford on the night of July 3, according to a Cochise County Sheriff's Office incident report.
During a court hearing Wednesday in Sierra Vista, Judge Tim Dickerson, a justice of the peace, told Liest that if convicted, he may get sentenced to time in jail.
Liest was granted a court-appointed attorney and Dickerson set another hearing for Oct. 15.
According to the incident report, Liest and Collett had a disagreement. Liest claims Collett swung a piece of wood at him.
Liest states he put up his arms and Collett hit him on his right hand pinky finger. In return, Liest hit Collett twice.
Collett denies he hit Liest with an object first.
During an interview with the Herald/Review after the hearing Wednesday, Liest said Collett was "drunk" and was acting "belligerent."
Collett declined to comment when reached on Wednesday.
But according to the incident report, he stated he had been drinking but was not "drunk."
In a different case, Liest was shot by his neighbor, Ronald Koch, during a disagreement in Elfrida on Aug. 13, 2007.
Koch was sentenced to two years in prison last month in Superior Court in Bisbee, after pleading guilty in an agreement to attempting to commit aggravated assault using a deadly weapon.
The defense in the Koch case argued that Liest was a threatening and intimidating individual. Koch claimed he shot Liest because he thought he was reaching behind his back for a gun.
Herald/Review reporter Derek Jordan can be reached at 515-4680 or by e-mail at derek.jordan@svherald.com. Published on Thursday, September 18, 2008
Joshawa Liest, 31, allegedly struck and injured Ryan Collett in the 5600 block of Desert Tortoise Lane in Hereford on the night of July 3, according to a Cochise County Sheriff's Office incident report.
During a court hearing Wednesday in Sierra Vista, Judge Tim Dickerson, a justice of the peace, told Liest that if convicted, he may get sentenced to time in jail.
Liest was granted a court-appointed attorney and Dickerson set another hearing for Oct. 15.
According to the incident report, Liest and Collett had a disagreement. Liest claims Collett swung a piece of wood at him.
Liest states he put up his arms and Collett hit him on his right hand pinky finger. In return, Liest hit Collett twice.
Collett denies he hit Liest with an object first.
During an interview with the Herald/Review after the hearing Wednesday, Liest said Collett was "drunk" and was acting "belligerent."
Collett declined to comment when reached on Wednesday.
But according to the incident report, he stated he had been drinking but was not "drunk."
In a different case, Liest was shot by his neighbor, Ronald Koch, during a disagreement in Elfrida on Aug. 13, 2007.
Koch was sentenced to two years in prison last month in Superior Court in Bisbee, after pleading guilty in an agreement to attempting to commit aggravated assault using a deadly weapon.
The defense in the Koch case argued that Liest was a threatening and intimidating individual. Koch claimed he shot Liest because he thought he was reaching behind his back for a gun.
Herald/Review reporter Derek Jordan can be reached at 515-4680 or by e-mail at derek.jordan@svherald.com. Published on Thursday, September 18, 2008
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