Former Home Detention Officer To Face Trial In Escape Case
January 10, 2019 at 7:02 p.m.
A former Kosciusko County Community Corrections home detention officer who was charged in October 2017 with aiding an escape will take his case to trial by jury.
David Kolbe, attorney for Patrick Olson, of Winona Lake, said this morning that Olson has chosen to defend himself at jury trial. A teleconference between Kolbe, special prosecutor D.J. Sigler, of Whitley County, and Special Judge Robert Bowen, of Marshall County, was originally scheduled for this morning on a plea agreement for Olson, but Olson has decided not to plea guilty to the charges.
The jury trial is expected to take three days in November. Olson must decide if he wants the jury trial in Marshall or Kosciusko County, Kolbe said. Kolbe said he will talk to Olson about that and a decision will be made over the next several days.
“He has a right to be judged by his peers,” Kolbe said.
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Olson is accused of helping an inmate escape and having sex with her while he was a home detention officer. He was charged with aiding or inducing an escape and sexual misconduct by a service provider.
According to a November 2017 Times-Union article, police say Olson removed the ankle bracelet from a detainee he once oversaw and took her on a romantic getaway to Valparaiso in late September 2017.
After the pair returned, police allege Olson reconnected the ankle bracelet. Olson was fired from his position as home detention officer on Oct. 4, 2017.
A former Kosciusko County Community Corrections home detention officer who was charged in October 2017 with aiding an escape will take his case to trial by jury.
David Kolbe, attorney for Patrick Olson, of Winona Lake, said this morning that Olson has chosen to defend himself at jury trial. A teleconference between Kolbe, special prosecutor D.J. Sigler, of Whitley County, and Special Judge Robert Bowen, of Marshall County, was originally scheduled for this morning on a plea agreement for Olson, but Olson has decided not to plea guilty to the charges.
The jury trial is expected to take three days in November. Olson must decide if he wants the jury trial in Marshall or Kosciusko County, Kolbe said. Kolbe said he will talk to Olson about that and a decision will be made over the next several days.
“He has a right to be judged by his peers,” Kolbe said.
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Olson is accused of helping an inmate escape and having sex with her while he was a home detention officer. He was charged with aiding or inducing an escape and sexual misconduct by a service provider.
According to a November 2017 Times-Union article, police say Olson removed the ankle bracelet from a detainee he once oversaw and took her on a romantic getaway to Valparaiso in late September 2017.
After the pair returned, police allege Olson reconnected the ankle bracelet. Olson was fired from his position as home detention officer on Oct. 4, 2017.