Forest Hills Man Held for Court on Attempted Homicide Charge

Devon D. Owens Hickman, 21, of Forest Hills was held for court by District Judge Thomas Caulfield on Jan. 23 on charges of criminal attempt-criminal homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, three counts of recklessly endangering another person and two counts of endangering the welfare of children-parent/guardian/other commits offense.

According to a criminal complaint, Forest Hills police responded to an incident of a man shooting a female and leaving the scene. The victim told police that Hickman was her ex-boyfriend and the two had been arguing over a cell phone. She told police that Hickman had hit her in the face twice in two days.

When he went to a bedroom where a rifle was kept and she heard the gun being loaded, she began to run downstairs. She told police he shot at her while two children were sleeping in another bedroom. The bullet went through a hallway wall and exited into another room, the complaint filed by Forest Hills police stated. Police recovered a 12-gauge, New England Pardner Pump firearm.

Judge Caulfield also heard these cases last week:

• Eugene Issacc Jackson Jr., 20, of Swisshelm Park waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges of loitering and prowling at nighttime, two counts of criminal mischief-damage property and two counts of disorderly conduct-engage in fighting. According to a criminal complaint, two Swissvale officers responded to a disturbance in the 7300 block of Church Street on May 12, 2012 where a man was kicking a vehicle belonging to his former girlfriend. The man, identified as Jackson, was gone when police arrived but they found that both driver's side tires on the Ford Taurus were flat and both driver's side doors were dented. The complaint stated he had tried to gain access to the woman's home through windows and front door. Damage was estimated at $1,500.

• Edward R. Orme, 50, of Beltzhoover was held for court on charges of driving under the influence (general impairment/incapable of driving safely, second offense), driving under the influence (high rate of alcohol, blood alcohol content .10 to .16 percent, second offense), driving with a suspended license and failure to stop at a red signal. According to a criminal complaint, a Swissvale officer monitoring traffic at South Braddock Avenue and Waverly Street on Dec. 18, 2012, observed a car driven by Orme turn left on a solid red light. After a traffic stop, the officer detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on Orme. He failed field sobriety tests and told the officers his driver's license had been suspended. His blood alcohol content was .139 percent by breath analyzer test. The legal limit is .08.

• Jodi Ann Shaffer, 42, of Swissvale waived her right to a preliminary hearing on a charge of access device used to obtain or attempt to obtain property or services. A victim told Swissvale police that she had given Shaffer her Access card to shop for her in March 2012, as she had other times. But, according to a criminal complaint filed by Swissvale police, Shaffer spent $564.75 on purchases but never returned the card. The victim contacted Shaffer, who brought $100 cash to the victim, but when Shaffer left the house, the $100 was missing. Since then, the amount has not been repaid.

• Craig Campbell, 45, of Squirrel Hill waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges of driving under the influence (highest rate of alcohol, blood alcohol content . 16+, first offense) and driving under the influence (general impairment/incapable of driving safely, first offense) filed by Swissvale police. A charge of overtaking a vehicle on the right was withdrawn. According to a criminal complaint, two officers on patrol on Dec. 5, 2012, noticed a silver Ford Taurus passing their vehicle and several others on the right near South Braddock Avenue and Church Street. After a traffic stop, the officers detected a strong odor of alcohol on Campbell as well as signs of intoxication. Campbell failed field sobriety tests. A breath analyzer test showed results of .190 and .194 percent blood alcohol content.

• Steven Lee Courtnage, 23, of Penn Township, Westmoreland County, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges of intentional possession of a controlled substance by a person not registered, possession of marijuana, use/possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence (general impairment/incapable of driving safely, first offense), driving under the influence (highest rate of alcohol, blood alcohol contest of .16+, first offense), reckless driving, accidental damage to unattended vehicle or property and restrictions on alcoholic beverage. Forest Hills police were dispatched to Fairview Avenue in Chalfant on Dec. 19, 2012, after a man called to say a car had struck his girlfriend's vehicle. The driver of the car, Courtnage, put his vehicle into park, reclined the seat and attempted to sleep, according to a criminal complaint. When police arrived, the vehicle's front bumper was pressed against the woman's car. Police detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on Courtnage and noted he had difficulty walking. He failed field sobriety tests. Police found a glass marijuana bowl on the driver's seat, a plastic bag with a small amount of marijuana in the center of the vehicle and plastic bags with crushed red pills. When he refused a blood test, police transported him to Allegheny County Jail.

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