Published: February 20, 2009 11:19 pm      

Man: ‘I got high on pills and stole a golf cart’

Madison Circuit Court

The Berea man accused of stealing a golf cart from St. Joseph-Berea hospital by having his son drive it back to their home pleaded guilty to theft by unlawful taking, obscuring the identity of a machine and unlawful transaction with a minor charges Thursday.

Danny J. Thacker, 35, will serve two years in prison for the Nov. 7 theft in which Thacker’s 15-year-old son drove the golf cart to their home on KY 1016 after Thacker took the cart from the hospital.

Thacker was found in his garage by Madison County sheriff’s deputies grinding the serial number and other identifying marks off the cart.

In entering his plea, Thacker told Madison Circuit Judge Jean C. Logue the circumstances behind the theft.

“I got high on pills and I stole a golf cart,” Thacker said.

A persistent felony offender charge against Thacker was dropped as part of the plea agreement.

Formal sentencing in the case was set for April 2.

Choking pretrial

Two people charged with first-degree criminal abuse in connection with the alleged choking of a 2-year-old child appeared for pretrial conferences.

Jeremiah Caleb Blair, 22, and his wife, Jessica Blair, are each charged with one count after Jeremiah Blair’s 2-year-old daughter was taken to St. Joseph-Berea hospital in January 2008 with bruising under her neck following an overnight visit at the couple’s home.

Richmond police arrested the couple in March 2008 following a two-month investigation.

A pretrial conference was scheduled for April 2. If convicted, each could face five to 10 years in prison.

Incest, abuse

The attorney for a man charged with multiple counts of incest and sexual abuse filed motions asking for separate trials and additional information on the charges against his client.

Ronnie King was indicted Dec. 30 on four counts of incest, one count of first-degree sodomy and six counts of first-degree sexual abuse.

Jerry Gilbert filed the motion asking for additional information because he feels the state has failed to demonstrate “forcible compulsion,” a required component of the first-degree sexual abuse charges.

He also filed a motion to dismiss the incest charges because the requirements under the incest statute have changed since the alleged incidents occurred.

The alleged incest, involving King’s half-sister, took place between 1983 and 1986, according to the indictment.

Logue scheduled an April 2 pretrial conference to consider the motions.

Brian Smith may be reached at bsmith@richmondregister.com or at 624-6694.