Trial begins today in 2001 Baldwin shooting

A man charged in a Baldwin shooting incident is scheduled to go on trial today in Douglas County District Court.

Stephen Meeker, 34, Baldwin, is charged with aggravated battery, aggravated assault and attempted aggravated battery. He is accused of shooting Steven Swafford, 31, Lawrence, in a neighborhood dispute with Swafford’s girlfriend, Kerry Chalmers.

The shooting occurred Oct. 14, 2001, in the 1200 block of Bison Court.

Jury selection is to begin this morning in the trial.

Suspect ordered to trial in DeSoto homicide

Olathe  A Johnson County judge Tuesday found evidence sufficient to try a man charged in the September 2001 slaying of a DeSoto woman.

The jury trial for Juan Crutchfield, 22, DeSoto, has been set for June 3. He is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Melanie Oliver, who was shot to death Sept. 4, 2001, as she slept in her DeSoto home.

A jury in early February found Crutchfield guilty of aggravated battery, domestic battery and criminal restraint  all charges related to the slaying.

Two other men are charged in the murder. Jesse Guardado, 19, Edwardsville, will go to trial on May 9 for the third time on a charge of first-degree murder. Juries  one in January, another last week  were unable to reach a verdict in Guardado’s two previous trials. Guardado is Crutchfield’s brother.

Alfredo Arambula, 18, Kansas City, Kan., also faces first-degree murder charges in the case.

Telephone solicitation using false information

Area residents should be wary of anyone calling to solicit money for the Fraternal Order of Police, authorities say.

Lawrence Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 2 currently is not soliciting for any fund drives, police spokesman Sgt. Mike Pattrick said.

The Lawrence Police Department recently received calls from two area residents who say someone claiming to be an FOP representative had called them asking for donations, Pattrick said. Anyone receiving such calls should ignore them, and police would like to be informed of such calls.

The Kansas FOP lodge isn’t soliciting either, Pattrick said.

The Kansas Sheriff’s Assn. has an ongoing fund drive but it was not known if any calls had been made recently to the Lawrence area, said Darrell Wilson, executive director of the Salina-based association.

Anyone interested in donating receives a package of material through the mail and donations are sent by mail, Wilson said.

Crash victim’s condition upgraded at KU Med

A Kansas University student injured in a March 15 traffic accident remains in intensive care at KU Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan.

Paul Hindley, 20, Overland Park, is now in serious condition, a hospital official said. He had been in critical condition for several days.

Hindley’s condition, however, has not improved enough for him to be interviewed about the accident by KU Public Safety Department officers, Lt. Schuyler Bailey said.

Hindley was a passenger in a car driven by Ryan Vandover, 21, St. Louis, also a KU student. The car struck a utility pole and a tree along Mississippi Street just north of Jayhawk Boulevard. Vandover was not injured.

A second student passenger, Ian Schuster, 21, was treated and released at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Project Graduation seeks donations for annual party

Parents of Lawrence Free State, Lawrence and Lawrence Alternative high school students are working on plans for Project Graduation 2002 and are seeking donations from parents and businesses.

Project Graduation is an alcohol- and drug-free overnight party following graduation May 26 at The Granada, 1020 Mass.

Interested donors should contact Ann Johnson at 865-0776.