NEW CUMBERLAND — A Stark County man had a better reason then most for missing a court appearance Thursday morning.

Court authorities were somewhat perplexed about the absence of Van Keith Jones, originally scheduled for a hearing at 9 p.m. Thursday, after he wasn’t brought over to Hancock County Magistrate Court like his peers that similarly had court dates.

It took a little time to verify, but Jones, of Canton, had posted bond on all his West Virginia charges, resulting in his pickup by Massillon.

While he was supposed to be in a New Cumberland courtroom, Jones instead was being arraigned by Massillon Municipal Court magistrate Amanda Kuhn, who set his bond at $250,000 cash, surety or 10 percent with pretrial release and ordered no contact with the victim. His attorney Spencer Geraghty demanded a jury trial and filed the time waiver.

A spokesman for the Stark County Jail verified Jones was still incarcerated as of noon Thursday.

The West Virginia magistrate court docket still shows a hearing for Jones on Sept. 18 for the 28 Marshall County violating a protection order charge that he racked up while incarcerated from allegedly calling his victim.

In regards to the charges stemming from the police pursuit, which concluded in Chester, another hearing has been set at 10 a.m. Oct. 2 before Magistrate Steve Svokas in Hancock County magistrate’s court via video technology.

sujhelyi@mojonews.com