Charges Dismissed Against Former Chairwoman

A former chairwoman of the Harrisburg School Board and her husband will not go on trial next week over accusations that they allowed dozens of teenagers to drink alcohol last spring at a pre-graduation party on their property.

Lincoln County State's Attorney Tom Wollman says a key witness in the case against Michelle and Brian Schirado is at a critical stage in his military training, and that pulling him to testify would harm his military career.

The charges against the couple are dismissed without prejudice, meaning they could be refiled in the future.

More than two dozen teens were cited last May for underage drinking at the Schirados' rural home. Defense attorneys say they are confident the couple would have been exonerated at trial of charges related to those citations.