A teen accused of two felony intimidation charges involving threatening to kill another individual will remain in jail after a judge recused himself for a conflict of interest.
Tyler L. Howard, 16, 2615 Lafayette Ave., had sought a bond reduction before Bartholomew Superior Court 1 Judge Jim Worton, but the hearing was postponed Tuesday after public defender David Nowak said he had learned about a possible distant family connection between Howard’s family and the judge.
Howard’s stepfather is a distant relative to Worton. After being informed of the connection, Worton recused himself and sent Howard’s case to Bartholomew Circuit Court before Judge Kelly Benjamin. Howard was sent back to the Bartholomew County Jail where he is being held in lieu of $35,000 bond, and is also held by request of a Jackson County court.
Howard is being tried in adult court in Bartholomew County because he was previously waived to adult court in Jackson County, according to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s office.
Columbus police were sent to a Columbus address May 29 about a gun being used in a disturbance, court records state. The victim told police that Howard arrived at his residence as a passenger in a late 1990s Ford truck and asked him to provide drugs, court documents state.
The victim told Howard he was not longer involved in that lifestyle. The victim told police that Howard loaded a clip into what appeared to be a handgun and racked the slide, court documents state. Howard is then accused of pointing the gun at the victim and threatening to kill him if he didn’t provide Howard with drugs, court documents state.
The victim backed away from the truck and the driver and Howard drove off, court documents state. The truck then passed the home again and Howard is accused of threatening to shoot everyone who was on the porch, court documents state.
A Columbus police officer located the truck as it entered Clifty Park. The driver told the officer the weapon was in a nearby trash receptacle and the officer found a silver and black handgun in the trash, later determined to be a BB gun, court documents state.
In addition to being arrested on the Bartholomew County charges, Howard is also accused of felony auto theft and attempted robbery in Jackson County, Jackson Circuit Court documents state.
A no-contact order was issued by Worton ordering Howard to refrain from any contact with the Columbus resident who was allegedly threatened.
