Deerkill hearings postponed

BY ROBERT L. BAKER

Preliminary hearings for the seven pipeline workers charged in late November with killing deer out of season inWyomingCountyand taking them toSusquehannaCountywere to have taken place Wednesday but they have all been continued.

Timothy A. Barnett Jr., 26, ofImboden,Ark., has a new assigned court date before Magisterial District Judge John Hovan on Jan. 12, and is represented by attorney Patrick Rogan ofScranton.

The other men, all fromLouisianado not have new court dates with Judge Hovan, but all but one have attorneys assigned.

Kenneth Aden, 28, ofOakdale,La., is represented by Richard Jennings of Towanda.

Jonathon Aden, 23, ofOakdale,La., is represented by Corey Kolchamo of Peckville; and Robert Sauls, 31, of Oakdale, is represented by Jair Novajosky, also of Peckville.

James Lowe, 32, ofPitkin,La., and Weldon Thibodeaux, 35, ofPineville,La., are represented by Howard Spizer ofScranton.

Steve Ware, 58, ofOakdale,La., did not have an attorney, according to court documents examined Wednesday.

All seven men are out on $10,000 bail.

At the time of their arrest on Nov. 27, the men worked for Elite Energy Services LLC, a company that was under contract to lay pipeline for Chief Oil & Gas.

Chief spokesman Kristi Gittins said that following the arrests, Chief’s contract with Elite had been terminated.