Actor Randy Quaid, and his wife, Evi, were each ordered held in Vermont jails for lack of $500,000 bail Monday on charges of being fugitives from justice in California.
Evi Quaid pleaded not guilty Monday morning in Burlington. Randy Quaid appeared in court several hours later in St. Albans and will have another hearing in three days.
The arraignment for Evi Quaid took place about 90 minutes before her husband's scheduled court appearance in adjacent Franklin County on a fugitive charge. The pair was arrested over the weekend while trying to enter the United States from Canada.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, the extradition process to return the Quaids to California has begun. In a statement, the sheriff's office said that if the Quaids are ordered to remain in custody, the sheriff's Felony Fugitives Unit will coordinate their return back to California to face their outstanding charges.
"It has been five years since Randy and Evi Quaid are alleged to have committed crimes in Santa Barbara County," the statement said. "It is the intent of the Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office that Mr. and Mrs. Quaid, either voluntarily or if necessary by a warrant from the Governor of California, go through the judicial process."
Evi Quaid's arraignment took place in Burlington at the closest courthouse to the women's prison in South Burlington, where she is being held. Randy Quaid's hearing is set for Vermont Superior Court in St. Albans, 30 miles to the north.
Burlington defense lawyer Lisa Shelkrot, arguing for $2,500 bail, said in court that Evi Quiad had ties to Vermont, including her father, George Motolanez, who had taught at Middlebury Union High School and Middlebury College. She also has a bank account in Addison County.
Deputy State's Attorney Patrick Lamb argued Quaid has done nothing to resolve the 5-year-old cases that involve four criminal charges: felony vandalism, unauthorized entry into a dwelling, obstructing police and failing to appear in court while out on bail.
Lamb also noted that $500,000 bail was set by a judge in California and by a Vermont judge after Quaid was picked up over the weekend with her husband at the border crossing from the Quebec province into Vermont.
Vermont Superior Court Judge Thomas Walsh agreed to keep bail at $500,000, but he said the amount could be reconsidered.
Randy Quaid, 65, and Evi Quaid were taken into custody Friday night. He was detained by troopers in Vermont after Canadian officials said he'd be deported.
Quaid and his wife are wanted in Santa Barbara, California, to face felony vandalism charges filed in 2010 after they were found squatting in a guesthouse of a home they previously owned.
The pair skipped several court appearances and went to Canada, where Evi Quaid was granted citizenship. Randy Quaid's bid for permanent residency was denied.
Among many instances of strange behavior from the couple is this video released 6 days ago on Mrs. Quaid's YouTube channel.
Read more at: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2015/10/12/randy-quaid-due-court-fugitive-charges/73815246/
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