Steamboat Pilot & Today

The case of a 20-year-old man accused of providing alcohol to a 17-year-old was bound over Wednesday from county court to District Court at the request of his attorney, who said she and prosecutors were near a plea agreement.

A judge, meanwhile, ordered Kevin Miller Neuwirth not to drink or use drugs and to stay away from others involved in the case.

Neuwirth was arrested Sept. 25 and later charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Prosecutors allege Neuwirth gave alcohol to Adele Dombrowski, a Steamboat Springs High School student who died the next day of a grand mal seizure.

A coroner's report stated alcohol did not contribute to Dombrowski's death.

Prosecutors say Neuwirth told police he bought a 1.75-liter bottle of rum from The Bottleneck liquor store Sept. 23 and was not asked for ID.

Neuwirth's Steamboat attorney, Cheryl Hardy-Moore, asked County Court Judge James Garrecht to bind the case to District Court, saying she had reached a tentative plea agreement with prosecutors.

Garrecht scheduled Neu?--wirth's next appearance to be an arraignment in District Court.

Hardy-Moore also asked Garr?--echt to schedule the arraignment in 2006 to give her time to work with Neuwirth.

"(Kevin's) trying to get his meds evened out before going onto the next phase in this case," she said.

Assistant District Attorney Kerry St. James offered no objections.

Before Garrecht dismissed Neuwirth, he served him with an order requiring he not drink, use drugs or firearms or contact anyone involved in the case.

Under the order, Neuwirth, who is free on $5,000 bond, is forbidden from contact with anyone younger than 18 unless that person's guardian is present.

Garrecht scheduled Neuwirth's arraignment for 1 p.m. Jan. 30.