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Man accused of damaging Westover cruisers skips court

An arrest warrant was issued for Michael Cotterall Jr. Friday after he did not show up to his preliminary hearing.

Cotterall is accused of damaging multiple Westover police cruisers and its municipal building July 5. According to police, Cotterall jumped on five cruisers belonging to the Westover Police Department, damaging the windshields. He also allegedly kicked in the glass of two municipal building doors.

Defense attorney Lance Rollo said he called his client twice Friday morning but both calls went straight to voicemail. Rollo asked Magistrate Sandy Holepit to continue the case.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Ted Norstrom asked for a capias to be issued.

“I don’t like it when people don’t come to court when they’re supposed to,” Holepit said. “Especially felonies. That’s really serious business.”

Holepit said the time of the hearing was on the paperwork given to Cotterall when he was arraigned and released on personal recognizance bond. She also expressed discontent with that bond.

She issued the arrest warrant and set Cotterall’s new bond at $25,000 cash or surety.

Westover’s police chief was also not happy with the PR bond.

“It’s very disappointing to see him get released on personal recognizance,” Chief Joe Adams said previously.

Magistrate Todd Gaujot, who released Cotterall on the PR bond, said at the time that he had a long conversation with the suspect and was trying to teach him about respecting law enforcement.

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