Couple accused of multiple burglaries; waive preliminary hearings

Victoria Asta appears in 1st District Court for a pretrial conference, Tuesday in Logan, Utah. Asta is being charged with aggravated robbery and burglary as well as other charges after she led police on a high speed chase.

LOGAN — A couple suspected in at least eight burglaries throughout Cache County waived their preliminary hearing right’s and will appear again in court on March 8.

Douglas L. Birkinbine and Victoria Asta each made separate appearances in 1st District Court Thursday afternoon. Birkinbine has been charged with 39 felonies and 13 misdemeanors, while Asta faces 14 felonies and 12 misdemeanors. The offenses range from aggravated robbery and burglary, assaulting a police officer, failing to stop at the command of police and other charges.

Birkinbine appeared first in court and said, he was following his attorney’s advice, when Judge Brian Cannell asked if he wished to waive his right to the preliminary hearing. His public defender, Shannon Demler, asked for a pre-trial conference to be scheduled for three weeks from now.

Asta appeared second. Her attorney, Kyler Ovard told the court they had worked out a partial resolution. Under conditions of the agreement, prosecutors are dropping 19 charges against her, and she is agreeing to meet with investigators to provide them with information regarding six of the burglaries.

Ovard said the agreement also stipulates that prosecutors can’t use what she tells investigators against her, in her remaining case. She will also appear again in court on March 8 for a pre-trial conference.

Birkinbine and Asta are suspected of robbing a home in Paradise at gun point and later leading deputies on a high speed chase that ended in Logan on November 17. Both of them remain in the Cache County Jail without bail.

<hr /><p style=”text-align: center;”>[email protected]

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!