You missed a hearing, you go to jail, Krichbaum tells defendant

YOUNGSTOWN

Some people like to court danger by running with the bulls or swimming with sharks.

Then there are those who are free on bond yet miss a sentencing hearing before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Such was the case Tuesday with Teqwan Scott, 24, of Tod Lane, who was set to be sentenced June 19 to probation with six months in the county jail after pleading guilty to a charge of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle.

But he never showed up to the hearing. He was taken into custody that day by Warren police on a traffic warrant that he said he had no idea was issued.

Judge Krichbaum, who is known to go above sentencing recommendations in cases and to sentence anyone who violates probation to prison, said it was the responsibility of Scott to know he had a warrant before the sentencing and to take care of it before then.

Scott told his lawyer “He was supposed to be here, and he wasn’t here,” Judge Krichbaum said.

“I can’t run a court based on excuses,” he told Scott before sentencing him to prison.

Read more about what happened in Wednesay's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.