The four co-defendants accused of being involved in an armed fight in the parking lot of Harbour Club apartments in Van Buren Township on Aug. 10 were present for their preliminary exam before 34th District Court Judge Brian A. Oakley on Nov. 28.
They all waived their preliminary exams and were scheduled to be at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit on Dec. 5 for arraignments on the information. At that hearing, a calendar conference was set for them all for Dec. 11 and at that conference three of them took plea deals.
All four had been housed in the Wayne County Jail on bonds of $20,000/cash or surety.
After requests by their court-appointed attorneys, Judge Oakley released three of the accused on personal bonds and GPS tethers. One was kept in jail because of his record of assaultive conduct.
All were ordered to stay away from Harbour Club apartments and to stay away from the two victims who live there.
VBT Officer in Charge of the cases, Dale Harrison, said two brothers had an ongoing dispute with another four and it erupted in the parking lot.
Michael Thomas Brooks
Co-defendant Michael Thomas Brooks, 25, was charged with two counts of felonious assault (assault with a dangerous weapon) and two counts of assault and battery. His court-appointed attorney is Daniel Bitar.
Brooks pled no contest to a charge of felonious assault and the other charges were dismissed. He is scheduled to be back before Circuit Court Judge Kelly Ramsey for sentencing on Jan. 10.
Preston Lloyd Kochan
Co-defendant Preston Lloyd Kochan, 22, was charged with three counts of felonious assault (assault with a dangerous weapon) and one charge of assault and battery. His court-appointed attorney is Ashraf Al-Awanleh.
Kochan pled no contest to one count of felonious assault and the other charges were dismissed. He is due back before Judge Ramsey on Jan. 25 for sentencing.
Derek Scott Barlow
Co-defendant Derek Scott Barlow, 24, was charged with two counts of felonious assault (assault with a dangerous weapon) and two counts of assault and battery. His court-appointed attorney is Kathleen Tulacz.
Barlow pled no contest to one count of felonious assault and the other charges were dismissed. He is due back before Judge Ramsey on Jan. 4 for sentencing.
Tyler Wade Moran
Co-defendant Tyler Wade Moran, 24, was charged with two counts of felonious assault (assault with a dangerous weapon), two counts of assault and battery, and one count of felony firearm. His court-appointed attorney is Andrew Dimaggio.
A calendar conference is set before Judge Ramsey on Jan. 11.
Peter Elmer Nickel
On Nov. 28, Peter Elmer Nickel, 57, was scheduled for his preliminary exam on a charge of operating while intoxicated-3rd in Van Buren Township on Aug. 12 but his retained attorney Michael Vincent said he had just been handed another case on his client, so he would like to start over.
The probable cause conference on the cases was set for Dec. 12 before Judge Oakley. Nickel was free after posting bond of $10,000/10%.
Foley Griffin Thompson
Foley Griffin Thompson, 70, waived his preliminary exam before Judge Oakley and was bound over to circuit court for a Dec. 12 arraignment on the information.
He was charged with operating while intoxicated causing serious injuries, driving with a high blood alcohol content, and driving while license suspended in Sumpter Township on Sept. 16. He was free after posting bond of $5,000/10%. His retained attorney is Steven K. Mamat.
At circuit court on Dec. 12, Thompson pled guilty to all of the charges. He will be sentenced Feb. 5 by Circuit Court Judge Gregory Bill.
Timothy James Vanbuhler
Timothy James Vanbuhler, 34, waived his preliminary exam and was bound over to circuit court for a Dec. 12 arraignment on the information. Vanbuhler is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder in Van Buren Township on Aug. 16.
Vanbuhler received a plea offer on Dec. 12 and a disposition conference was set for Dec. 17 before Circuit Court Judge James Chylinski.
A final conference was set for Feb. 8 before Judge Catherine Heise and a jury trial before her on March 7.
Vanbuhler is free after posting bond of $15,000/10%. His court-appointed attorney is Ricky Nelson.
Denise Lynne Lewis
Denise Lynne Lewis, 35, is scheduled to hold her preliminary exam Jan. 9 on an embezzlement charge from Aug. 30 in Van Buren Township. Her retained attorney Michael Vincent told Judge Oakley to tell the prosecutors to have their witnesses there to hold the exam in case they can’t settle before then and the judge passed on the information.
Lewis is free after posting $5,000/10% bond.