Carleen Thomas Grooms, 39, of Van Buren Township was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) and domestic violence on Jan. 15, 2021 in Van Buren Township. His live preliminary exam was set for Feb. 11, 2021 and he was free on $5,000 personal bond.
Before his exam on Feb. 11, 2021 it was announced the parties had reached an agreement. Grooms pled guilty to domestic violence and the other charge was dismissed, along with dropping a “habitual notice.” He will be on one year of probation with no assaultive contact with the complaining victim (a female he was dating), plus substance abuse evaluation with treatment, if necessary, and batterer’s counseling.
His appointed defense attorney Andrew Sullivan asked 34th District Court Judge Lisa Martin to consider waiving fines and costs because his client is “indigent and not working.” Judge Martin did not waive the fees and costs completely and said there will be fees with the battering counseling.
On March 23, 2021 a virtual probable cause conference was held on six new charges against Grooms that allegedly occurred on Feb. 24, 2021 in Van Buren Township. He is charged with unlawful driving away of auto, assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault), operating with a blood alcohol content of .17 or more, operating while intoxicated, domestic violence – second offense notice, and open alcohol container in vehicle.
Personal bond of $25,000 had been set at his arraignment.
His probable cause conference was set for March 9, 2021 where he appeared by video from the Elmhurst Homes treatment center. The probable cause conference was adjourned until March 23. On March 23, Grooms was in a treatment facility in East Tawas and Judge Oakley set a probable cause conference on the new charges for May 4, 2021.
On May 4, 2021 a preliminary exam was set for June 14 with the possibility of a deal coming because of his treatment. He is possibly transitioning to a half-way house.
On June 14, 2021 he waived his exam and was bound over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information on June 28. Then a calendar conference was set for July 28 and a pretrial for Aug. 8.
On Aug. 8, 2021 he pled guilty to driving with a high blood alcohol content and also pled to a reduced misdemeanor charge of domestic violence and the other four charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to probation.
Grooms then was scheduled for a May 13, 2022 show-cause hearing on charges of felonious assault and domestic violence on Jan. 15, 2022 in Van Buren Township. He had failed to provide documentation of a substance abuse evaluation, failed to provide documentation of 26-week batterer’s counseling, and failed to maintain his payment plan (owes $1,125).
He had pled guilty to domestic violence on Feb. 11, 2022 and the assault charge was dismissed on a motion of the prosecuting attorney. His fine was $1,125 and a payment plan was set up.
He failed to appear on May 13, 2022 and so a warrant was put out for his arrest and entered into LEIN. On June 14, 2022 his attorney explained Grooms was in Elmhurst Home Rehab in May so the warrant was recalled and his show-cause hearing set for July 26, 2022.
His exam was waived on June 14, 2022 and he was scheduled for an arraignment on the information at circuit court on June 28, 2022. On Aug. 8 he pled guilty to operating with a high blood alcohol content and domestic violence, which were reduced to misdemeanors, and the other charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to probation.
On May 24, 2023 Grooms again was in custody before Judge Oakley for his probable cause conference on charges of domestic violence-third offense notice and larceny in a building on May 15, 2023 in Van Buren Township. Bond was $5,000/10% and he is not to reenter an address in Parkwood Apartments or contact the victim. His preliminary exam was set for June 28 and then he waived his exam.
His arraignment on the information at Wayne County Circuit Court at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice was set for July 10, 2023. A calendar conference is July 21. He is in custody and not to be released without a GPS tether for location only.
Derrick Wayne Houchlei
Derrick Wayne Houchlei, 43, of Napolean, MI, was arraigned May 12, 2022 on charges of home invasion first degree, unarmed robbery, and aggravated assault on June 24, 2021 in Van Buren Township. His bond was set at $10,000/10%.
A warrant was entered into LEIN on July 26, 2021 and a nationwide extradition was set. The warrant was canceled on May 11, 2022 and he was arraigned the next day. His probable cause conference was set for May 25, 2022 but he did not appear. He had paid $1,000 for his $10,000/10% bond and that was forfeited. A new warrant was signed and entered into LEIN. His bond stipulated he was not to enter an address on Holly Lane or contact the complaining victim.
Che Matteo Varisto
Che Matteo Varisto, 44, of Inkster, waived his preliminary examination set for May 11, 2022 and Judge Oakley bound him over to circuit court for a May 25, 2022 arraignment on the information. His calendar conference then was set for June 10, 2022. His final conference was scheduled for July 29 and then a jury trial for Oct. 11 before Judge Mark Slavens. On Oct. 7 he pled guilty to operating while intoxicated 2nd offense on Jan. 29, 2022 in Van Buren Township. A second charge of operating while intoxicated – 3rd offense was dismissed. He was referred to probation for a pre-sentence report. Sentencing was Nov. 4, continued to Dec. 2. Judge Slavens sentenced him to four months in the Wayne County Jail with credit for three days served and a total fine of $2,458.