Columbia City Man Was Facing Burglary Charges Before Wednesday’s Chase
February 9, 2021 at 1:13 a.m.
Columbia City Man Was Facing Burglary Charges Before Wednesday’s Chase
By Amanda Bridgman-
James Henry Barr, 36, of Columbia City, and also showing an address of 41 EMS W25 Lane, North Webster, was taken into custody Wednesday evening after leading Indiana State Police troopers on a pursuit that ended in Milford after Barr crashed into a parked car.
Barr then fled on foot and allegedly broke into a garage in the 200 block of South Higbee Street before he was located and bitten by a K9.
Barr is alleged to have spit in the face of the transporting officer before being transported to KCJ, where he was booked at 2:08 a.m. Thursday after being medically cleared for the K9 bite.
Troopers located approximately 9 grams of methamphetamine, 111 grams of synthetic marijuana, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle Barr was driving, according to ISP.
Barr picked up a slew of new charges after the Wednesday incident, and he was wanted to face a burglary case open after he allegedly kicked in a woman’s door in September, held her at knifepoint and eventually fled in a vehicle he stole.
In that case, Barr faces charges for burglary, a Level 2 felony; robbery with a deadly weapon, a Level 3 felony; criminal confinement, a Level 3 felony; intimidation with a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony; theft, a Level 6 felony; theft, a Class A misdemeanor; criminal mischief, a Class B misdemeanor; a sentence enhancement theft charge as a Level 6 felony; and an enhancement charge as a habitual offender.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed Nov. 16 in Kosciusko Superior Court I, on Sept. 9, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home in reference to a burglary in progress.
Upon arrival, officers spoke with the female resident who told police a man kicked in her back entry door and came into her bedroom where she was laying on the bed in contact with 911. According to court papers, the man then held a knife to the woman’s throat and demanded the car keys to a vehicle that was parked outside.
The woman said she told him the keys were in the kitchen, but they were not there, so the man continued making threatening gestures with the knife and looking around until he found the keys he was looking for, according to the affidavit.
The man then left the residence with the woman’s cell phone and the vehicle.
Police observed several broken exterior lights on the woman’s home, according to court papers, and found her phone in the driveway. The woman said her lights were not broken before the incident.
That same day, the vehicle’s owner called police to report that she had given her friend permission to borrow her vehicle but that it had not been returned.
Both victims went to Warsaw Police Department, where Det. Brad Kellar provided an eight-person photo line up to the woman who was at the home. According to the affidavit, the woman circled the picture of Barr and told police “without a doubt” that was the man who came into her home.
According to court records, Barr was convicted of dealing in methamphetamine in Kosciusko County in 2010; theft in 2019; theft in 2018; and was currently out on bond for a neglect of a dependent arrest in DeKalb County.
Barr’s bond was set at $65,750.
James Henry Barr, 36, of Columbia City, and also showing an address of 41 EMS W25 Lane, North Webster, was taken into custody Wednesday evening after leading Indiana State Police troopers on a pursuit that ended in Milford after Barr crashed into a parked car.
Barr then fled on foot and allegedly broke into a garage in the 200 block of South Higbee Street before he was located and bitten by a K9.
Barr is alleged to have spit in the face of the transporting officer before being transported to KCJ, where he was booked at 2:08 a.m. Thursday after being medically cleared for the K9 bite.
Troopers located approximately 9 grams of methamphetamine, 111 grams of synthetic marijuana, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle Barr was driving, according to ISP.
Barr picked up a slew of new charges after the Wednesday incident, and he was wanted to face a burglary case open after he allegedly kicked in a woman’s door in September, held her at knifepoint and eventually fled in a vehicle he stole.
In that case, Barr faces charges for burglary, a Level 2 felony; robbery with a deadly weapon, a Level 3 felony; criminal confinement, a Level 3 felony; intimidation with a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony; theft, a Level 6 felony; theft, a Class A misdemeanor; criminal mischief, a Class B misdemeanor; a sentence enhancement theft charge as a Level 6 felony; and an enhancement charge as a habitual offender.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed Nov. 16 in Kosciusko Superior Court I, on Sept. 9, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home in reference to a burglary in progress.
Upon arrival, officers spoke with the female resident who told police a man kicked in her back entry door and came into her bedroom where she was laying on the bed in contact with 911. According to court papers, the man then held a knife to the woman’s throat and demanded the car keys to a vehicle that was parked outside.
The woman said she told him the keys were in the kitchen, but they were not there, so the man continued making threatening gestures with the knife and looking around until he found the keys he was looking for, according to the affidavit.
The man then left the residence with the woman’s cell phone and the vehicle.
Police observed several broken exterior lights on the woman’s home, according to court papers, and found her phone in the driveway. The woman said her lights were not broken before the incident.
That same day, the vehicle’s owner called police to report that she had given her friend permission to borrow her vehicle but that it had not been returned.
Both victims went to Warsaw Police Department, where Det. Brad Kellar provided an eight-person photo line up to the woman who was at the home. According to the affidavit, the woman circled the picture of Barr and told police “without a doubt” that was the man who came into her home.
According to court records, Barr was convicted of dealing in methamphetamine in Kosciusko County in 2010; theft in 2019; theft in 2018; and was currently out on bond for a neglect of a dependent arrest in DeKalb County.
Barr’s bond was set at $65,750.
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