Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:13:00
LaPrade Trial Postponed Until January 16
CANTON—Nearly eight months after his initial arrest on charges of driving while intoxicated, unlawful carrying of a weapon, misapplication of fiduciary property, and resisting arrest, Precinct 1 Commissioner Ricky LaPrade is finally scheduled to have his day in court.
Jury selection for the trial, which will center on the charge of misapplication of fiduciary property, took most of the day on Wednesday. Due to the length of the jury selection process, 294th District Court Judge Teresa Drum initially scheduled the trial to begin on Thursday, January 5.
At Thursday’s proceedings, and with the okay from LaPrade and his legal team (Nolan and Dean White), District Attorney Chris Martin asked for, and was granted a continuance to the start of the trial until January 16.
Martin explained that the reason for his request stemmed from a key witness being unavailable over the coming days due to an illness in the family.
LaPrade, who is currently up for re-election, has been no stranger to legal trouble recently, being arrested on three separate occasions over the past eight months.
April
On April 14, Canton Police Department K-9 Officer Heath Burton and Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Chuck Allen stopped at the Whataburger restaurant in Canton for a meal break.
Burton’s report, (excerpted from the April 17 issue of the Van Zandt News) noted “Upon pulling into the parking lot, I observed a white four-door Chevrolet bearing a Texas temp tag…with its reverse lights on and the driver, who was later identified as Ricky Lynn LaPrade, sitting in the driver seat asleep.”
Burton attempted to get LaPrade’s attention through the open passenger side window, announcing “sir” three times before finally tapping the window.
According to the report, LaPrade, who had a cup containing an alcoholic beverage between his legs, took his foot off the brake, causing the vehicle to roll backwards and Burton and Allen being forced out of its path.
LaPrade stopped the vehicle, and after a close inspection by Burton, was found to have slurred speech and red eyes.
Burton’s report of the incident states that LaPrade agreed to a field sobriety test and “missed heel-to-toe on every step, stopped off-line on every step, turned improperly and took the wrong number of steps.”
After being placed in handcuffs, a female subject pulled up “wanting to take LaPrade home” and adding that “he was not driving.”
Once under arrest, the report stated that, LaPrade attempted to grab hold of the officer and swung his arm toward Burton attempting to resist arrest.
LaPrade was taken to the county jail for book-in and, upon inventory of the vehicle (which was issued by the county for the commissioners use), officers found a loaded black 9-millimeter high point semi-automatic gun in the console.
July
On July 7, LaPrade was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated at Farm-to-Market 1255 and Interstate 20 in Canton.
Reports from the arrest indicate that officers Eric Whitaker and J.P. Marsh were on patrol in the area when they observed a white truck “disregard a stop sign” and “activate his turn signal in the middle of the intersection of FM 1255 and the service road.”
After Whitaker initiated his emergency light to make the stop, LaPrade pulled over and immediately exited the vehicle. Officers advised LaPrade to get back in his truck.
During his conversation with LaPrade, Whitaker “detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage” and noted that LaPrade’s eyes were “glossed over and slightly red.”
While LaPrade was searching for his insurance card, Whitaker noted a 30-pack of Coors Light beer on the passenger floor board “with cans missing from the box.”
Reports state that LaPrade looked unbalanced exiting the vehicle for his field sobriety test. Whitaker’s report goes on to note that, when asked if he’d been drinking, LaPrade answered “Yes.”
December
Following a pre-trial hearing for the January 16 case of misapplication of fiduciary property (stemming from his April 14 arrest), LaPrade checked himself into jail on a felony theft by check warrant on Thursday, December 22.
Reports indicate that LaPrade purchased hay on August 27 through a broker. The cost of the hay, which came from a farmer based in Hamburg, Arkansas, was $6,080.
On August 29, LaPrade made a “stop payment request” with Mineola Community Bank, citing “bought hay – unsatisfied” as the reason for stopping payment.
In an interview with the Canton Herald, LaPrade stated “The hay I bought was not the hay I got. I went through a perfectly legal process to stop payment on the check.”
LaPrade went on to note that he made efforts to return the hay to the seller in Arkansas, but the farmer was angry and refused to discuss the issue.
District Attorney Chris Martin, who was also interviewed by the Herald, stated “We are all entitled to stop payment. The problem is he didn’t send the hay back and he didn’t have enough money in the bank. He stopped paying on the hay in August and then turned around and sold it.”
A subpoena of LaPrade’s bank records, made by the district attorney’s office, shows that LaPrade had only $710 in his bank account when the check was written in late August.
Martin said “He committed a crime right then, when he let the truck driver unload the hay and handed him a check that couldn’t cover what he bought.”
Jury selection for the trial, which will center on the charge of misapplication of fiduciary property, took most of the day on Wednesday. Due to the length of the jury selection process, 294th District Court Judge Teresa Drum initially scheduled the trial to begin on Thursday, January 5.
At Thursday’s proceedings, and with the okay from LaPrade and his legal team (Nolan and Dean White), District Attorney Chris Martin asked for, and was granted a continuance to the start of the trial until January 16.
Martin explained that the reason for his request stemmed from a key witness being unavailable over the coming days due to an illness in the family.
LaPrade, who is currently up for re-election, has been no stranger to legal trouble recently, being arrested on three separate occasions over the past eight months.
April
On April 14, Canton Police Department K-9 Officer Heath Burton and Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Chuck Allen stopped at the Whataburger restaurant in Canton for a meal break.
Burton’s report, (excerpted from the April 17 issue of the Van Zandt News) noted “Upon pulling into the parking lot, I observed a white four-door Chevrolet bearing a Texas temp tag…with its reverse lights on and the driver, who was later identified as Ricky Lynn LaPrade, sitting in the driver seat asleep.”
Burton attempted to get LaPrade’s attention through the open passenger side window, announcing “sir” three times before finally tapping the window.
According to the report, LaPrade, who had a cup containing an alcoholic beverage between his legs, took his foot off the brake, causing the vehicle to roll backwards and Burton and Allen being forced out of its path.
LaPrade stopped the vehicle, and after a close inspection by Burton, was found to have slurred speech and red eyes.
Burton’s report of the incident states that LaPrade agreed to a field sobriety test and “missed heel-to-toe on every step, stopped off-line on every step, turned improperly and took the wrong number of steps.”
After being placed in handcuffs, a female subject pulled up “wanting to take LaPrade home” and adding that “he was not driving.”
Once under arrest, the report stated that, LaPrade attempted to grab hold of the officer and swung his arm toward Burton attempting to resist arrest.
LaPrade was taken to the county jail for book-in and, upon inventory of the vehicle (which was issued by the county for the commissioners use), officers found a loaded black 9-millimeter high point semi-automatic gun in the console.
July
On July 7, LaPrade was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated at Farm-to-Market 1255 and Interstate 20 in Canton.
Reports from the arrest indicate that officers Eric Whitaker and J.P. Marsh were on patrol in the area when they observed a white truck “disregard a stop sign” and “activate his turn signal in the middle of the intersection of FM 1255 and the service road.”
After Whitaker initiated his emergency light to make the stop, LaPrade pulled over and immediately exited the vehicle. Officers advised LaPrade to get back in his truck.
During his conversation with LaPrade, Whitaker “detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage” and noted that LaPrade’s eyes were “glossed over and slightly red.”
While LaPrade was searching for his insurance card, Whitaker noted a 30-pack of Coors Light beer on the passenger floor board “with cans missing from the box.”
Reports state that LaPrade looked unbalanced exiting the vehicle for his field sobriety test. Whitaker’s report goes on to note that, when asked if he’d been drinking, LaPrade answered “Yes.”
December
Following a pre-trial hearing for the January 16 case of misapplication of fiduciary property (stemming from his April 14 arrest), LaPrade checked himself into jail on a felony theft by check warrant on Thursday, December 22.
Reports indicate that LaPrade purchased hay on August 27 through a broker. The cost of the hay, which came from a farmer based in Hamburg, Arkansas, was $6,080.
On August 29, LaPrade made a “stop payment request” with Mineola Community Bank, citing “bought hay – unsatisfied” as the reason for stopping payment.
In an interview with the Canton Herald, LaPrade stated “The hay I bought was not the hay I got. I went through a perfectly legal process to stop payment on the check.”
LaPrade went on to note that he made efforts to return the hay to the seller in Arkansas, but the farmer was angry and refused to discuss the issue.
District Attorney Chris Martin, who was also interviewed by the Herald, stated “We are all entitled to stop payment. The problem is he didn’t send the hay back and he didn’t have enough money in the bank. He stopped paying on the hay in August and then turned around and sold it.”
A subpoena of LaPrade’s bank records, made by the district attorney’s office, shows that LaPrade had only $710 in his bank account when the check was written in late August.
Martin said “He committed a crime right then, when he let the truck driver unload the hay and handed him a check that couldn’t cover what he bought.”