Businesswoman charged with writing worthless checks
by Staff Reports
A Boone businesswoman was charged Monday with two felony counts
of writing worthless checks.
Police allege that Betty Jean Austin, 71, proprietor of the Mountain House Restaurant, wrote two large worthless checks to a food distributor.
The checks were written for $3,961.76 and $3,164.88, according to Sgt. Matt Stevens of the Boone Police Department. A worthless check greater than $1,000 constitutes a felony charge, he said.
Austin met with Boone Police at the Watauga County Magistrate's Office and was served with the charges Monday.
She was released with a written promise to appear in court Jan. 22, 2013.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misstated Betty Jean Austin's age due to incorrect information from police. The story has been corrected.
Police allege that Betty Jean Austin, 71, proprietor of the Mountain House Restaurant, wrote two large worthless checks to a food distributor.
The checks were written for $3,961.76 and $3,164.88, according to Sgt. Matt Stevens of the Boone Police Department. A worthless check greater than $1,000 constitutes a felony charge, he said.
Austin met with Boone Police at the Watauga County Magistrate's Office and was served with the charges Monday.
She was released with a written promise to appear in court Jan. 22, 2013.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misstated Betty Jean Austin's age due to incorrect information from police. The story has been corrected.