The trial of a Waterloo man who is accused of causing the car accident that killed his wife has been postponed.

Michael Gleichauf, attorney for Donald Lewis, 37, of 1850 County Road 48, asked for the continuance last week in Lawrence County Municipal Court.

He did not give a reason why he asked for the delay. Judge Charles Cooper scheduled a pretrial conference for Wednesday and indicated a new trial date may be set at that time. Lewis’ trial was to have begun Monday. He was indicted on one count of aggravated vehicular homicide in the death of his wife, Elizabeth, in May.

She died when the car he was driving wrecked on State Route 93.

In another case, David Abrams, 41, of

231 Orchard St., Coal Grove, pleaded guilty on a bill of information to one count of possession of crack cocaine.

Cooper sentenced Abrams to four years community controlled sanctions under intensive supervised probation, ordered him to complete a rehabilitation program at a community based correctional facility (CBCF) followed by six months of home confinement.

“My client is not an ordinary defendant charged in this crime,” Abrams’ attorney, Warren Morford explained. “He has never been here before. He is an educated man. This is a tragic case. His wife died four years ago. To self-medicate in order to escape his grief he began to use crack. He was doling out crack for a relative who is on crack when he was arrested. This was to keep this relative from overdosing. My client is remorseful for this situation. He realizes he should not have been doing what he did.”

Abrams told Cooper he was “grateful” for the chance he was given to turn his life around.

“I got caught and I couldn’t get out,” he said.

Cooper said it sounded like Abrams had turned the corner of recovery and wished him well. He allowed the man to have a brief furlough before reporting to the CBCF.

The Abrams and Lewis cases were among several that got attention in common pleas court last week. In yet another, Peter Hammond, 34, of 213 High St., Coal Grove, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal non-support. As part of the plea agreement, one misdemeanor count of non-support was dismissed.

Judge Richard Walton sentenced Hammond to four years community controlled sanctions under intensive supervised probation. He ordered Hammond to pay an additional $80 in child support weekly to wipe out the arrearage.

Assistant Lawrence County Prosecutor Brigham Anderson said Hammond the arrearage amounted to approximately $7,000.

“I think this is a fair and just resolution to this matter,” Hammond’s

attorney, Warren Morford said.

Jeffrey Shope, 47, of 2434 S. Eighth St., Ironton, pleaded guilty to two counts of domestic violence after a Shawnee Forensic report showed he was competent to stand trial.

Cooper sentenced him to four years in prison but left open the possible that he could be released from prison after one year if he behaves while he is incarcerated.