Judges deny bond requests in two Putnam County cases

Friday, April 22, 2016

Defendants' bond requests have been denied in two separate high-profile Putnam County court cases.

Putnam Circuit Court Judge Matt Headley this week denied a defense request to lower the $50,000 cash-only bond imposed on Robert E. Young, 59, Cloverdale, to $30,000 with 10 percent allowable (meaning Young could have been released by posting $3,000 bond).

Young has been charged with five felonies, including attempted voluntary manslaughter, in the March 25 shooting of contractor Jeffrey D. Perkins, 59, Greencastle, in a dispute over work done on Young's property along State Road 243 near Cloverdale.

Judge Headley ordered Young's bond to remain as originally set at $50,000 cash only.

Robert E. Young

Meanwhile, following a bond modification hearing Wednesday afternoon in Putnam Superior Court, Judge Denny Bridges denied a request for arson case suspect Timothy J. Hubble, 27, Greencastle, to receive pretrial release on home detention until his case goes to trial (no trial date has yet been set).

Judge Bridges initially took the request under advisement and Thursday ruled Hubble should remain held at the Putnam County Jail on $30,000 bond (with 10 percent allowable).

Since his initial hearing Feb. 3, Hubble has been charged with two additional counts of Level 4 felony arson -- for a total of three counts -- in the reported arson fire Jan. 28 at 213 S. Arlington St. and the adjoining home at 601 Anderson St., Greencastle.

In the Circuit Court case, Young faces five charges for allegedly shooting Perkins, who had reportedly done roofing work at the Young residence that reportedly became the focal point of an earlier "run-in" between the two men.

Young is charged with:

-- Attempted voluntary manslaughter, a Level 2 felony punishable by 10-30 years in prison.

-- Aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony punishable by 3-16 years in prison.

-- Two separate counts of criminal confinement, also Level 3 felonies.

-- Pointing a firearm, a Level 6 felony, punishable by 6-18 months in prison.

Perkins reportedly remains in serious condition at St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, where he was airlifted after being wounded.

Defense attorney Jeffrey Boggess asked Judge Headley to consider a $30,000 bond with 10 percent allowable, noting Young's "poor health."

The defendant has had a portion of his colon removed, requiring him to be on medication, while a spot of cancer was found on his prostate recently, Boggess explained. In addition to Young's ill health, Boggess suggested the suspect's condition poses serious liability problems for the Putnam County Jail.

Judge Headley wasn't swayed by that, commenting, "We've got some pretty dang serious charges here."

During a two-week investigation authorities determined a disturbance arose over scaffolding Perkins was trying to retrieve from Young's property after working on the suspect's home.

After a reported confrontation, Young allegedly discharged a 9mm handgun in the direction of a truck driven by Perkins as he tried to leave the property. The bullet went through the rear window, striking Perkins in the head, police said.

The probable cause affidavit indicates Young claimed the scaffolding as his property after being dissatisfied with work Perkins had done on his roof three years ago. He reportedly ordered the contractor to leave the premises and never return after leaks in the roof went unrepaired.

In a statement to police later that evening, Young said he never displayed the gun but did attempt to fire a warning shot as Perkins accelerated and Young feared the truck would strike him.

The gun fired accidentally, the defendant claimed.

Moments after the shooting, however, the suspect reportedly told responding Trooper Yan Dravigne, "I tried to kill the son of a bitch. I was just saving my property and my life."

Timothy Hubble

Meanwhile, in the Superior Court arson case, defense counsel Eddie Felling had 14 or 15 witnesses in the courtroom showing support for Hubble and pledging their assistance if he were to be released on home detention.

One of those was Shienisty Hubble, his estranged wife, who according to the probable cause affidavit Hubble wanted to scare (along with his former mother-in-law) by setting fire to a couple of boxes under the outside stairway.

But the fire destroyed the 213 S. Arlington St. apartment occupied at the time by Beth Ann Clodfelter and Marisa Hurst, the girlfriend of Clodfelter's son, Joseph Aton.

Awakened by a barking dog, the two women escaped out a back door after the staircase to the main entrance was engulfed in flames due to a fire intentionally set by Hubble, authorities said.

Investigator Josh Kreigh of the Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office has ruled it an arson fire.

A Level 4 felony charge of arson carries a sentencing range of 2-12 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Hubble has been incarcerated more than 78 days thus far at the jail.

Felling said Hubble would be employed by the local contractor he was working for when the incident occurred, would be no threat to run and would receive the benefit of undergoing drug and alcohol evaluations and a mental health evaluation.

Felling called it "reasonable for Mr. Hubble to be placed on home detention."

However, Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter thought otherwise, citing the defendant's five previous alcohol-related indiscretions as well as the seriousness of the arson case.

"I think we're lucky Mr. Hubble isn't here facing felony murder charges," Bookwalter said, alluding to the two women being forced to flee the burning apartment.

The prosecutor said Community Corrections has rejected Hubble as a candidate for its programs. "They don't want him," Bookwalter said, adding that he believes the court already had been "rather lenient with Mr. Hubble at his initial hearing."

Victim Clodfelter, after a long pause to consider the question, said she would not be concerned for her safety should Hubble be released. However, she was miffed by the notion he would be free while she is struggling to recover from the results of the fire he has reportedly admitted setting.

"I don't have a home," she said. "Why should he get to go home. I lost everything I had and still don't have a place to live. All I walked away with was three bags of clothing."

Bookwalter asked her if she thought $30,000 bond with 10 percent allowed was enough for Hubble.

"No," Clodfelter responded. "That's $3,000. I lost more than that."

A no-contact order remains in place, preventing Hubble from being in contact with either Clodfelter or her daughter, Shienisty Hubble, the suspect's estranged wife who was not in the apartment at the time.

Another order prohibits Hubble from trespassing on the Joyce and John Black-owned property where the incident occurred.

"Tim advised he didn't think it would burn down the house," Greencastle Det. Michael Collins said in court documents.

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  • Guns do not fire accidentally. Someone has to pull a trigger for it to fire.

    -- Posted by donantonioelsabio on Fri, Apr 22, 2016, at 10:30 PM
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