MARCH 1 - Wyoming News Briefs

Rock Springs motorhome rally sells out in minutes

ROCK SPRINGS (WNE) - The Tiffin Allegro Club Rally that will be hosted June 17-21 in Sweetwater County sold out three minutes and 51 seconds after registration opened.

"Staff have been working on recruiting the Tiffin Allegro Club to Sweetwater County for several years and are thrilled to bring the owners of these luxury motor coaches to our facility," according to a Sweetwater Events Complex press release. "Rally attendees and vendors will boost tourism in Sweetwater County by staying in hotels/motels, purchasing gas, eating at local restaurants all while enjoying everything Southwest Wyoming has to offer."

According to the Wyoming Tourism Travel Impact data, the Tiffin Allegro Club Rally will spend over $250,000 in Sweetwater County over the five-day rally.

Events of all sizes are critical to the economy of Sweetwater County and the state of Wyoming, said Sweetwater Events Complex Executive Director Larry Lloyd.

"The Sweetwater Events Complex is a key component to the travel and tourism revenue in Sweetwater County and the state," he said. "Our staff works year-round to solicit large events because we know it has a positive impact on our local businesses and residents as well as the state."

Lyman man arraigned for charges stemming from standoff

EVANSTON (WNE) - Lyman man Jonathon P. Burkett, 29, was arraigned in Third District Court on the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 26, when he entered not guilty pleas to five counts stemming from an armed standoff with law enforcement in Lyman on Jan. 21.

Burkett has been charged with aggravated burglary, wrongful taking or disposing of property, reckless endangering, interfering with a peace officer and use of methamphetamine following the incident in which he was allegedly witnessed going through the contents in the office of John's Bar when the business was closed and later confronting and threatening officers who went looking for him at his parents' home.

Court documents filed in the case indicate the bar owner confronted him on that morning when he was found going through the bar office, armed with a handgun. When law enforcement officers subsequently located Burkett at his parents' home, he allegedly had the gun in a makeshift holster and refused to disarm.

Burkett allegedly told officers multiple times that he was a "faster draw" while reaching for, but ultimately not drawing, the weapon.

Burkett was finally disarmed by officers as he reached for the gun a final time, getting his hand on the grip before officers grabbed his hand and took him to the ground.

Upon his evaluation at Evanston Regional Hospital following his arrest, urinalysis came back positive for the presence of methamphetamine and Burkett allegedly admitted to smoking meth earlier that morning. The handgun was later found to have been stolen.

Burkett is still incarcerated at the Uinta County Jail with a bond of $30,000 cash or surety.

Fort Laramie man charged with stabbing found fit for trial, case sent to district court

TORRINGTON (WNE) – After a lengthy mental evaluation process to determine if he is fit to stand trial, Jamie Stuart Snyder's case has moved forward.

Snyder, of Fort Laramie, was charged with murder in the first degree after allegedly stabbing Wade Erschabeck in the chest. The wound was fatal.

Snyder's case was bound over to the Eighth Judicial District Court on Feb. 19.

If Snyder is found guilty of the charge, he "shall be punished by death, life imprisonment without parole, or life imprisonment according to the law," according to charging documents.

Snyder was charged in May 2018, but his attorney filed for a competency evaluation and a stay of the proceedings. Snyder received treatment recommended by a forensic psychologist and was subsequently ruled by the court to be fit to stand trial.

According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause filed in the case by Sheriff Kory Fleenor, an eyewitness to the alleged stabbing said Snyder aggressively followed a pickup truck the eyewitness and Erschabeck were riding in to a friend's house.

The witness reported he saw Snyder exit his truck, and that Snyder then "aggressively and very quickly moved around the front of the pickup and stabbed Erschabeck in the chest." Snyder "never spoke or made any noise during the movement or the stabbing," according to the witness.

Snyder was later apprehended and interviewed at the Goshen County Detention Center by Fleenor and Investigator Rick Scott, where he said he had acted to defend himself.

Snyder told the investigators he confronted Erschabeck because he believed Erschabeck had stolen the title to his truck.

"Although Mr. Snyder admitted to stabbing Erschabeck in the chest, he stated Erschabeck was the aggressor and he had to act in self defense," the affidavit said.

Casper man honest, but still busted

DOUGLAS (WNE) -A Casper man was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver after being honest with a Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper who stopped him for speeding.

Jevon Bynum, 49, was traveling northbound on I-25 between Orin and Douglas when a WHP trooper recorded his speed at 84 mph. The trooper followed the vehicle and noticed that the driver was not staying in the lane. The trooper also noticed that the interior dome light was on and the front passenger was rummaging around near the floor, according to the affidavit.

After the vehicle was stopped, the trooper noticed that the driver and passengers appeared nervous but stated that they were coming back from Colorado.

Bynum stated that he had the dome light on in order to take his medication, according to the affidavit.

Bynum was led to the trooper's vehicle where he was checked for weapons. The trooper then asked about the bulges in his front pants pockets, according to the affidavit. Bynum pulled out a wallet which contained a large wad of cash and stated that he had just had his taxes done. When asked about the contents of the other pocket, Bynum replied that "it's meth." When asked how much, "I don't know, a lot" was his reply, according to the affidavit.

A search of the vehicle was conducted where two white dispensary bags with suspected marijuana were located in the center console, according to the affidavit.

Bynum has been bound over to stand trial in the Eighth Judicial District Court.