It was a busy day in the court of District Magisterial Judge Stephen Bayer on Dec. 18, with two defendants electing to have their preliminary hearings and almost one dozen people choosing to waive their hearings directly to the Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas.

David E. Ritsick

, 57, of McAdoo presented his case to the judge and had the most serious charge against him, making terroristic threats, dismissed. The other charges were all held over for court trial, including simple assault, harassment, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct. The charges were filed by McAdoo patrolman Frederick Lahovski in connection with a Sept. 6 case.

Ritsick was released on $10,000 unsecured bail.

Joshua A. Jannett

, 36, of Norristown had charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia bound over for court. The charges stem from a Dec. 10 traffic stop made by Tamaqua patrolman Douglas Springer.

Jannett was released on $25,000 bail.

Defendants who opted to waive their hearings included:

Amanda Jane Fisher

, 27, of Tamaqua was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of children by Tamaqua patrolman Michael Hobbs. The charges are from July 17.

Fisher was released on her own recognizance.

Bruce Eck

, 24, of Coaldale was charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. The charges stem from an Aug. 24 case and were filed by Coaldale patrolman Thomas Sabulsky.

Eck was released on his own recognizance.

Brett Michael Boehmer

, 24, of Harwood, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia by McAdoo patrolman William Curilla. The charges were from a July 29 case.

Boehmer was released on his own recognizance.

Trinity Stempko

, 44, of Hazle Township was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and failure to obey a traffic control device. The charges were filed by McAdoo patrolman Steven Torres after a June 29 traffic stop.

Stempko was released on her own recognizance.

Sierra Jane Petrucci

, 18, of Tamaqua was charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia by Coaldale patrolman James Bonner. The charges were filed in connection with an Aug. 24 case.

Petrucci was released on her own recognizance.

Julianna Brook Ulshafer

, 19, of West Hazleton was charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance and failure to obey a traffic control device. The charges were filed by McAdoo patrolman Curilla in connection with a July 29 traffic stop.

Ulshafer was released on her own recognizance.

Salvadore Victor Craig Jr.

, 44, of Kelayres was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia by Frackville Pennsylvania State trooper Michael Marinchak. The charges were filed in connection with a Nov. 22 case.

Craig was released after posting $100,000 bail.

Deborah Marie Vargas

, 25, of Tamaqua was charged with obstruction of justice and disorderly conduct. The charges were filed by McAdoo patrolman Torres in relation to a June 9 case.

Vargas was released on her own recognizance.

Joseph Daniel Fritz

, 22, of York faces charges of criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property in connection with a July 30 case. The charges were filed by Tamaqua patrolman Christian DeAngelo, who withdrew a charge of burglary.

Fritz was released on $5,000 percentage bail.

Defendants who had charges dismissed include Samantha Jean Ferrence, 24, of Wilkes-Barre, charged with simple assault and harassment; Michael Jacob Merenda, 33, of McAdoo, charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and defiant trespass; Joshua Mooney, 31, of Gilberton, charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.