Wood River adds ex-wife to suit brought by Rick Jones

Rick Jones and former wife Dorothy Jones haven't finished untangling their finances, according to the city of Wood River.

On Oct. 28, the city joined Dorothy Jones as defendant in a suit Rick Jones filed against the city in Madison County Circuit Court.

Rick Jones sued the city in June, claiming it breached a development contract that he, Dorothy Jones and city officials signed in 2005.

The city answered in July that Rick failed to join Dorothy as a necessary party.

Rick's lawyer, Harry Sterling of Fairview Heights, wrote in August that "Dorothy L. Jones no longer has an interest in the real estate in question."

In Wood River, they don't believe it.

Daniel Nester of St. Louis wrote for the city on Oct. 28 that the county recorder had not recorded a deed transferring Dorothy's interest to Rick.

Until that happens, he wrote, Dorothy remains an owner.

"The city's due process rights in avoiding multiple suits and potentially inconsistent judgments only can be protected by joining Dorothy Jones in this action," he wrote.

"Further, her actions could affect the city's obligations and liabilities under the agreement, preventing this court from making a complete determination of the controversy in her absence," he wrote.

He wrote that "a necessary plaintiff who declines to join a cause of action shall be made a defendant in the action."

Rick Jones pleaded guilty in January to federal charges of income tax evasion.

He confessed that he spent for personal gain money that BP Amoco paid his company, Triad Industries, to decontaminate soil at its refinery.

He agreed to pay the government $1.2 million and BP Amoco $2.4 million.

He started serving a 15 month prison sentence in October at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan.