MANSFIELD, Ohio – “Not guilty” is the plea entered by Michael Skidmore regarding all charges related to an incident at the Richland County Commissioner’s office.
Skidmore was not present at his arraignment with Magistrate Garry Dalbey at the Richland County Courthouse on Tuesday after his attorney Anica Blazef-Horner filed a waiver of presence of defendant at arraignment. The waiver, signed by Skidmore, states he received a copy of his indictment and hereby enters a plea of not guilty to all charges, reserving the right to withdraw said plea.
Skidmore was indicted by the Richland County Grand Jury on July 29 on two counts of felonious assault, a second-degree felony; two counts of assault, a first-degree misdemeanor; one count of inducing panic, a fourth-degree felony; and one count of obstructing official business, a fifth-degree felony.
The charges stem from an incident with Skidmore at the Richland County Commissioner’s office on July 9 in which Skidmore allegedly assaulted two security officers.
Magistrate Garry Dalbey acknowledged and accepted Skidmore’s waiver of presence and his plea of not guilty on Tuesday. He ordered that Skidmore continue the $100,000 bond he posted on July 30 and remain under electronic monitoring from the Mansfield Police Department.
Part of Skidmore’s bond agreement is he is to have no contact with Tim Norris, Chuck Kochis, Stacey Crall, Kelly Cicolani, Marilyn John, Tim Wert, Gary Utt, and the Richland County Administration Building/Richland County Courthouse.
Jill Del Greco, public information officer for the Ohio Attorney General’s office, said on July 30 the next step for Skidmore’s case is a pretrial hearing in the Richland County Common Pleas court.
