NEWTON MAN PLEADS NO CONTEST TO DAMAGING WAR MEMORIAL

(12/01/2009)
A Newton, Roane County man who was accused of damaging the West Virginia Veterans Memorial with his car in 2007, has pleaded no contest to destruction of property.

Howard Roland Gentry entered his plea yesterday before his trial was scheduled to begin in Kanawha County Circuit Court.

Circuit Court Judge Charlie King sentenced Gentry to no more than a year's probation.

Gentry's two-door sports coupe scraped between the memorial's curved granite monoliths on the Capitol Complex grounds, causing serious damage.

The State of WV sued Gentry this year, seeking to recover $56,162 in repairs.