A number of defendants scheduled for preliminary hearings before District Magisterial Judge Stephen Bayerrecently elected to waive their cases directly to Schuylkill County Criminal Court.

Hunter Paul Skidmore, 19, of Lansford, was charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance on Feb. 2. The charges were filed by McAdoo patrolman William Curilla and also included driving without rear lights.Skidmore was released on his own recognizance.Pedro Rodriguez Acevedo, 68, of Reading, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and failure to use low beams. The charges were filed by McAdoo patrolman Curilla after a March 18 traffic stop.Acevedo was released on his own recognizance.Megan Jean Luchetta, 22, of McAdoo, faces charges of defiant trespass by communication and disorderly conduct in connection with an April 25 incident. The charges were filed by McAdoo patrolman Frederick Lahovski.She was released on her own recognizance.John Harley Armstrong, 35, of Minersville, was charged with retail theft and receiving stolen property by Rush Township patrolman Corey Herring. The charges stem from a Nov. 9, 2015, incident.Armstrong remains in the Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville, in lieu of $500 percentage bail. He was lodged in the jail on April 12, 2017.Eric D. Bachert, 24, of Tamaqua, faces charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and driving without rear lights. The charges were filed Feb. 17 by Rush Township patrolman Bradley Hess.Bachert was released on his own recognizance.Lisa A. Alabovitz, 32, of Tamaqua, was charged by Tamaqua patrolman Rick Bekesy with hit and run, failure to stop and give aid, driving with a suspended license, passing on the right and careless driving. The charges stem from an April 27 incident.She was released on her own recognizance.Rachelle Cassidy, 31, of Tamaqua, was charged with making terroristic threats and harassment by Tamaqua patrolman Jeremy Sborz. The charges were filed after a Jan. 14 incident.Cassidy was picked up on the charges on May 8 and remains in the Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $5,000 straight bail.