Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 3, 1993 TAG: 9304030129
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KEVIN KITTREDGE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PEARISBURG LENGTH: Medium
CHARGE DROPPED AGAINST GILES TREASURER
Authorities on Friday dropped a charge of destroying private property against Giles County Treasurer Rick Cook.Jackie Evans; his wife, Paula; and the arresting officer, Narrows policeman John Hopkins, requested that the charged be dropped, Commonwealth's Attorney James Hartley said.
Paula Evans is a treasurer's office employee.
Hartley, asked why the three wanted the charge dropped, said, "I wouldn't have a clue, other than they just didn't want to go through with the criminal process."
Hopkins said, "The charge was dropped because the people didn't want to prosecute."
Cook had been arrested Monday night and charged with "destroying private property not his own" belonging to the Evanses. Authorities said Cook kicked in a door.
Jackie Evans had said Wednesday that he wanted the charges dropped. He called the incident "just a friendly disagreement. . . . A misunderstanding. It's over and done with. Me and Rick's friends."
"I know there are a lot of hard feelings in Giles County toward him," Evans said. "I just hate it that we were involved in it."
Asked who would pay for his door, Evans said, "That's personal."
Official information about the incident remains sketchy - and neither Cook nor Evans would elaborate.
Cook likewise declined to comment when asked who would repair the door.
Court records show that Cook spent the night in jail following his 10:45 p.m. arrest, and was released on his own recognizance at 6:15 a.m. Tuesday.
Magistrate Stuart Edwards said he kept Cook in jail overnight because "there was some danger of somebody getting hurt. Mr. Cook himself said he felt that something was going to happen. I was afraid he would do something rash . . . . I kept him for his own safety more than anything else."
He also said Cook was polite, and thanked him.
The treasurer said Friday he regretted the incident.
" `Tank' [Jackie] and Paula Evans are my friends, and they're going to continue to be my friends," Cook said. "I love them both. I regret that it happened - particularly that their names and my personal life had to be strewn all over the paper and the news."
Cook's 15-month tenure has been marked by controversy.
A state police investigation into $200 that turned up missing during the transition between Cook and former Treasurer Irene O'Dell was concluded last year with no charges filed.
A dispute between Cook and the Board of Supervisors landed in court last summer - where Cook was directed to submit monthly financial reports to the board. The reports are arriving on time, County Administrator Ken Weaver said Friday.
In addition, a Richmond accountant was called in to "reconstruct" the treasurer's books for much of 1992 after auditors found insufficient information to conduct a yearly audit. The county has paid $30,000 for outside accounting help for the treasurer's office since July 1, records show.
Meanwhile, a libel suit filed by a woman that Cook hired, then fired before she had worked a day, has been set for for trial Sept. 15 and 16 in Pearisburg, court officials said Friday afternoon.