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Hearing continued because defendant fails to get attorney
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Just about everything that was needed for the preliminary hearing Thursday in municipal court for a man accused of trying to run down a city police officer last week was in place.
The defendant, Scott Bowden, 30, of Canfield, who has been in custody since his arrest, was present.
So was the officer, Lt. William Ross, and others who were involved in chasing Bowden down on a South Side street June 24 after reports said Bowden almost ran Ross down as he was conducting a traffic stop.
Judge Elizabeth Kobly was there, too.
The only thing missing was a lawyer for the defendant.
Bowden told the judge his family had assured him they would secure counsel for him, but because no one was there, Judge Kobly had to continue the hearing and appoint a lawyer for Bowden because he told the judge he has not worked for almost a year and has no money to hire a lawyer
Judge Kobly was not pleased.
“You just wasted everybody’s time,” Judge Kobly told him. “All these police officers are here for you, and we wasted all this time for you.” Bowden apologized and said he wasn’t sure why the mix-up occurred.
“They told me they would [get a lawyer],” Bowden told the judge. “They never lied about that before.”
The hearing was continued until Thursday. He faces charges of assault on a police officer and possession of drugs.
Reports said Ross pressed himself against the side of his cruiser and the car passed him. Ross and others then tried to pull Bowden over, but he did not stop until he got to Hughes Street.
Reports said Bowden told police he did not stop when he was being chased because he knew he almost hit an officer and was throwing drugs out of the car and also was swallowing some. Ross was not injured.