Continuance Denied for Woman Charged w/ Gun Discharge, Multiple Bail-Jumping
By Brandi Makuski
A Stevens Point woman will now wait until January to learn her sentence for a lengthy list of charges, including one charge of firing a gun during a domestic dispute.
Kera Larson, formerly known as Kera Skibba, 31, was arrested in June after allegedly discharging a handgun on the 800 block of Meadow Street. Police say the bullet exited the home and lodged itself into the wall of a neighboring residence.
According to the police report, the incident occurred at about 4:30 AM on June 30. Stevens Point Sgt. Joe Gruber said a man in the home suffered a minor bite wound during the disturbance, but no other injuries were reported.
Larson faces charges of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, intentionally pointing a firearm at a person and disorderly conduct.
Other charges against her include possession of THC, second offense; fourth-offense OWI; fourth-offense of operating with a positive blood alcohol content; resisting an officer; interfering with custody/beyond visitation; and more than a dozen counts of bail-jumping. The charges are the result of separate incidents dating back to 2014.
She pleaded not guilty to all the charges in August.
Larson was in Portage Co. Circuit Court on Nov. 30 with her attorney Eric Sheets. According to court records, Larson has reached a plea deal with Assistant District Attorney David Knaapen and was scheduled for sentencing last week, but her attorney requested a continuance due to a medical concerns over Larson’s high-risk pregnancy.
“[Larson’s doctors] are recommending she not do a jail sentence at this time,” Sheets told Judge Robert Shannon, saying he’d received a letter from Larson’s doctor outlining the medical concerns, and asking for her sentencing to be delayed until January.
Shannon said he didn’t consider a doctor’s note to be a sufficient reason for granting the delay, adding he wanted to hear testimony from Larson’s doctor under oath before considering the continuance.
“These matters have been pending for so long; I’m not casting dispersions, but I intend to schedule a plea [and sentencing] hearing,” Shannon said. “If there is a legitimate medical basis that’s supportive of postponing sentencing, we can take that up.”
Skibba is scheduled to return to court Jan. 20 at 11 AM.