Criminal charges filed against Columbia Mayor Curtis Hardwick in 2017 after city gas customers were overbilled have been dismissed, just over a month after Hardwick was defeated for re-election.

According to the Adair County Community Voice, Hardwick was indicted by an Adair County grand jury in March 2017 on a felony charge of theft by unlawful taking and a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct.The case started in Adair County but was moved to Circuit Judge David Williams’ court in Burkesville and was being prosecuted by John Gardner, Barren County commonwealth’s attorney. On Dec. 19, Judge Williams accepted a request by Gardner and dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning charges cannot be brought up again.