Trespassers Arrested After Fleeing from Police

Police say this SUV was previously reported stolen in Marshall County.
Police say this SUV was previously reported stolen in Marshall County.

A pair of Bremen break-in suspects face numerous felony charges in Marshall County after leading police from multiple agencies on a high-speed chase this morning. The caretaker of a vacant residence in the 400 block of Kenilworth Road in Bremen found a man and woman sleeping in the upstairs bedroom, went outside and called the police. She tried to block their SUV to keep them from leaving until officers arrived. She told police the man pulled a gun on her before he sped off through an adjacent field. Continue reading

Law Enforcement Agencies Begin Operation Pull Over Blitz

 
 

Law enforcement agencies across Indiana are taking part in an Operation Pull Over blitz through the end of the month. Patrol officers will be looking for drunk drivers and seatbelt violators.

Last November 490 alcohol-related crashes occurred in Indiana, resulting in 224 injuries and 13 fatalities. A total of 735 drivers were arrested statewide for driving under the influence, and 9.504 seatbelt citations were issued to drivers and passengers who were not buckled up. Continue reading

INDOT Worker Assaulted

 
 

A man assaulted an INDOT worker after being confronted about driving around a barricade on Friday morning.

The INDOT worker was sitting in his truck on a lunch break when he saw a man in a maroon pickup drive around barricades that were blocking the road in the southbound lane of State Road 331 just south of Bourbon in a construction zone.

According to a report from the Indiana State Police, the worker got out of his vehicle and attempted to stop the driver. The worker told police that the driver struck him with the driver’s side mirror and then exited the truck and yelled profanities at him. The driver then proceeded to punch him several times in the face, according to police.

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Three Injured in U.S. 30 Accident

 
 

Three people were injured in a traffic accident on U.S. 30 at Knoll Brothers in Starke County this morning.

Starke County deputies conducted an investigation and found that a semi truck pulled out of the truck stop headed west on U.S. 30 when a driver in an SUV traveling in the same direction rear-ended the semi, according to witness accounts released in a news release by the sheriff’s department. The SUV rolled on its side. The SUV was pulling a wood chipper at the time of the accident. The semi was stopped four-tenths of a mile west of the scene on U.S. 30.

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LaPorte Police Participating Special Enforcement This Week

 
 

LaPorte County police will be stepping up patrols this week for a traffic safety project called “Operation Stop Arm”.

Sheriff’s deputies have partnered with Michigan City officers and Indiana State Police Troopers to make drivers more aware of school bus loading and unloading during this National School Bus Safety Week.

Driver who disregard stopped buses with stop arms extended and flashing lights can be cited on a Class A infraction of arm signal device: duty to obey. That carries a fine of up to $10,000. A driver can be arrested for a Class B misdemeanor offense of reckless driving if the driver recklessly passes a school bus while loading or unloading students. That offense carries up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

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Coroner Identifies U.S. 30 Crash Victim

One driver was killed and a second was injured in a Monday morning crash on U.S. 30 in Hamlet.
One driver was killed and a second was injured in a Monday morning crash on U.S. 30 in Hamlet.

A Hamlet man was killed instantly after the vehicle he was driving collided with a semi truck on U.S. 30 at Frontage Road in Hamlet late Monday morning. Starke County Coroner Kris Rannells says Lawrence Siegel, 72, died of massive blunt force trauma including head, neck, chest and internal injuries. Continue reading

Drug Take Back Event Today

ISP LogoThe Indiana State Police is partnering with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for the ninth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. The event is being held today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Residents can drop off expired or unused prescription medications to law enforcement for proper disposal at any of the Indiana State Police posts. Over 320 tons of prescription medications were collected nationwide last October. During this event new or used needles will not be accepted. Pills, cough syrup and other unwanted medications can be deposited for disposal.

For state police post locations, visit http://www.in.gov/isp/2382.htm.

Police Offer Advice to Marshall County Safety Committee

 
 

Police officers spoke to those assembled in a Marshall County Safety Committee meeting this week where they gave school, highway and emergency management officials some things to remember in case of an emergency.

Indiana State Police Troopers want to work with local law enforcement agencies and the school corporations during certain critical situations. One officer indicated that social media can hamper efforts of the police when investigating potential hazardous situations that involve student safety. Police agencies have protocols in place to deal with bomb threats and active shooter reports, as do school corporation. It was recommended that law enforcement and administrators need to come together to solidify a plan. A recent situation was cited where a bomb threat was reported at a school corporation in the region and students were texting parents to pick them up from school when police needed to keep those students together for safety reasons, student count and witness accounts.

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Indiana Moves to Electronic Firearms Application Process

Handgun PermitApplicants for a firearms license in Indiana will need to complete the necessary paperwork online after Oct. 1. The paper application will be replaced with an electronic firearms application process. The Indiana State Police process all applications. A spokesman says the new application will streamline the process for both the applicant and law enforcement officials and is designed to be user friendly. Continue reading

High-Speed Pursuit Still Under Investigation

 
 

The investigation into Wednesday’s high-speed pursuit through Grovertown and into Marshall County is continuing. A Starke County Sheriff’s Deputy initially tried to stop a car driven by Paul Coffin on U.S. 30 at 1200 East. Coffin drove for another mile before pulling over, according to information released by the Starke County Sheriff’s Department. As the deputy was getting out of his car, Coffin reportedly backed into it, causing the patrol car to strike the deputy. Continue reading

Sheriff’s Department Releases More Information About High-Speed Pursuit

 
 

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department has released more information about a high-speed pursuit that started near Grovertown and ended in Marshall County. A sheriff’s deputy tried to stop a vehicle on U.S. 30 west of 1200 East, but the driver kept going. He finally stopped at 1100 East but put his car into reverse when the officer got out of his patrol vehicle. The suspect backed into the police car, causing the vehicle to strike the deputy. Continue reading

Fulton County Drug Raids Lead to Six Arrests

Meth BustA two-week long Indiana State Police investigation into drug activity in Fulton County ended with six arrests last night after officers served search warrants at three Rochester homes. A state police news release indicates the officers found methamphetamine, a meth lab, drug precursors and paraphernalia. They searched homes at 1124 Bancroft Street, 317 West 11th Street and 4729 Camp Shahola Drive in Rochester. Continue reading