CASE AGAINST ALTIZER MAN DROPPED - Minigh Drug Trial Rescheduled

(07/05/2006)
A drug case against Andrew "Hippy Andy" Snider has been dropped.

Snider, a resident of Altizer, was arrested in 2004 by State Police on marijuana charges and incarcerated in Central Regional Jail.

Today's jury trial before Judge Thomas Evans III was canceled following a suppression hearing, which reportedly indicated a lack of evidence in the case.

Sr. Trooper J. B. Hunt of the Grantsville Detachment obtained a search warrant for the Snider property in 2004. Hunt said Snider was "growing plants at his residence, and we cut marijuana."

The State Police, the Calhoun Sheriff's Department and the Grantsville Police Department "developed information which led to obtaining a search warrant," for the 2:30 a.m. search, said Hunt.

Participating in the raid, with the assistance of police dogs, Sr. Trooper J. B. Hunt, Sgt. D. H. Campbell, Sgt. Tom Yanero, Sgt. R. L. Mefford, Chief Deputy Carl Ballengee and Grantsville Police Chief Ron Gordon Sr.

A jury trail in the Danny Minigh drug case was postponed and rescheduled for August 15. The postponement was based on a defense request to take a further look at evidence.

Minigh was arrested in Braxton County, related to the manufacturing of meth, after which the lab contents were discovered on Hog Knob Hill near Grantsville.