Around the courthouse

Johnston in court

PALMER — Sherry Johnston had her first day in Superior Court Monday where she was formally charged with selling prescription painkillers.

Johnston, 46, was arrested Dec. 18. Troopers say she sold OxyContin to police informants three times over the fall and winter.

Monday, she appeared before Superior Court Judge Beverly Cutler to formally hear the charges against her.

According to Johnston’s official indictment, she is charged with three counts each of second- and fourth-degree drug misconduct.

Man flees from police

SUTTON — A Palmer man fled from police for 11 miles Saturday before giving up.

Scott D. Scearce, 36, was spotted near Mile 61.5 Glenn Highway where troopers tried to pull him over for an equipment violation.

Scearce thought otherwise, leading troopers on an chase up to Mile 72.5, at speed ranging from 40 to 80 mph, driving into the oncoming lane.

He was arrested for DUI, driving on a suspended license, eluding arrest and a no-bail warrant with the original charge of drunken driving.

Troopers jailed him at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility.

Schedule conflict with murder trials

PALMER — The lawyer defending Frank Adams in his murder trial will, for at least the time being, have to remain in a standoff — with himself.

Scott Sterling is scheduled for two murder trials in the second and third week of February, Adams’ trial in Palmer and another trial in Anchorage. Sterling has been contracted by the state to defend cases with unclassified charges. Unclassified felonies are the most serious type of crime in Alaska law.

Since early last month he and prosecutor Rachel Gernat have been holding sporadic hearings before Superior Court Judge Beverly Cutler. Gernat wants the trial to go in February. Stirling is having trouble working through his double-booking.

Monday, Cutler left the trial as scheduled to start February 17. Lawyers are now waiting to see which trial, if any, sees a delay due to motions about to be filed in court.

Cutler set aside nine days for the trial, which Gernat said might not be sufficient.

Regardless, Sterling said, “I definitely will have to endeavor to finish this case by March 9. I have another trial starting that week,” Gernat said.

Adams was arrested July 28, 2007, after police chased him from the Glacier View Tesoro to the Birchwood Exit of the Glenn Highway where officers deflated his tires.

Adams drove into the median. That’s when officers found the body of Stacey Johnston, 42, in the trunk of the red Suzuki hatchback he was driving. Trooper reports from the time say Johnston likely died someplace north of Palmer.