Bond was denied Friday, Feb. 18, for a suspect in a Columbia County home invasion in which one victim was shot and another beaten and pistol whipped.
William J. Widener, 37, along with Victor Goodwin, 45, are awaiting trial in jail.
The reason defense attorney Travers Chance asked for bond for Widener at Friday’s Columbia County Superior Court hearing is that both named victims in the case are in custody, and there’s no way of knowing how long or if the prosecutor can get the pair back to testify at a trial, Chance said.
One victim is in the state prison system and the other victim is in federal custody in Kentucky.
[adrotate banner=”26″]
Assistant District Attorney Ashley Muller acknowledged there will be difficulties in scheduling trial, but she asked Friday that Chief Judge James G. Blanchard Jr. deny Widener’s bond request.
On Oct. 20, 2020, several masked people broke into a Grovetown home on Willowick Drive. Creston Curry tried to stop the assailants and was shot. When Justin Fields resisted, he was beaten and pistol whipped, Muller said. According to the indictment, cash, a watch and chain, and a wallet were taken. The victims identified Widener and Goodwin, who took off their masks at one point, Muller said.
Widener’s criminal history goes back to a theft in 2002, involuntary manslaughter in 2003, false imprisonment and family violence battery in 2009, forgery in 2014 and escape in 2018, Muller said.
The judge denied the request for bond.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
