Citing speedy trial concerns, a judge has dismissed charges against a former Edwardsville police chief.

Wyandotte County District Judge William Lyle dropped the charges against Steve Vaughan, saying the former chief had not gone to trial within 180 days of being charged. Vaughan was charged in August 2006 by former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline in connection with a DUI ticket-fixing scandal.

Vaughan had been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit official misconduct and two counts of official misconduct. All the charges were misdemeanors, with combined penalties of up to 25 months in prison and fines of $5,500.

“The charges were dismissed, and we denied them from the outset,” Vaughan’s attorney, Ed Gillette, said.

The decision was made last week, Gillette said, but it wasn’t filed until this week.

The attorney general’s office filed notice of appeal Tuesday, spokeswoman Ashley Anstaett said.

“The only reason this case has not been set for trial has been the necessity of dealing with the defendant’s motions, and the state has not been responsible for the delays in having the hearings on those motions,” Kevin Graham, assistant attorney general, said in a court filing.

In a related case, a preliminary hearing is set for July 18 for Robert Lane, an Edwardsville City Council member who was charged at the same time as Vaughan.

Lane, a Kansas City, Kan., police officer, faces two counts of felony acceptance of a bribe, aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim, misdemeanor conspiracy to commit official misconduct, felony official misconduct, and two counts of misdemeanor compounding of a crime. Lane has been suspended pending the outcome of the case.