Hearing Delayed Until January 30 For The Dougherty Siblings

By Sean Bowes

Dylan Stanley Dougherty and Ryan Dougherty, of Lacoochee, a small town about 30 miles north of Wesley Chapel will wait until Jan. 30 to enter their pleas for charges that include five counts each of attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, vehicle theft, theft by receiving and displaying fictitious or altered license plates.

The brothers appeared before a judge on November 28, in Walsenburg, Co. However, because the courts are waiting for DNA results, the hearing will be delayed two months.

Lee Grace Dougherty, their sister, plead not guilty earlier this month to the same charges.

On Aug. 2, the three Dougherty siblings led a high-speed car chase with multiple shots fired from their vehicle through Wesley Chapel, which started an eight-day, nationwide manhunt.

“During the attack, I was concerned about civilian safety,” said Zephyhills Police Department (ZPD) Ofc. Widener. “More than 20 shots were fired (at his cruiser).”

After the trio shot out Widener’s tires, police say, they sped north where they robbed a bank in Valdosta, Georgia (then stole license plates and two cars in Utah) and went into hiding in Colorado. However, Ryan Dougherty, 21, the youngest of the group, admitted to authorities that they were headed to Mexico.

In the end, only one person was injured during the chaos, a bullet wound to Lee Graces’s leg after she pointed a gun at Colorado detectives after their car flipped in a police chase.

Court documents say that Lee Grace told authorities she “deserved to get shot” because she had pointed a gun at a police officer.

Chief Shears of the ZPD says that since the Dougherty’s committed crimes all over the U.S., he is unsure of where they will be charged. Robbing a bank is a federal crime, so the trio could be charged in federal court.

Shears has said he doesn’t care where the Doughertys are charged, whether in federal or state court, as long as they receive the maximum punishment for the crimes.

Each of the Dougherty siblings is being held on a $1.5 million bail at Huerfano County Jail in Colorado.