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Four Hurt

Four people were injured Saturday in a car-van collision on Ind. 13, near North Webster. According to police reports, the driver of the car, Jason Swick, 22, of CR 600W, Claypool, was following the van south on Ind. 13. He said he glanced away from the road when the van, driven by Michele L. Geraghty, 35, of Downer's Grove, Ill., stopped to turn in to a driveway. Swick said he could not get stopped in time. According to reports, he hit the back of the van and crossed the road before coming to a rest in a field. Geraghty's van rolled over before coming to a stop. Swick complained of shoulder pain and was treated at the scene. Three passengers in Geraghty's car were injured and taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital. Regina King, Chicago, Ill., complained of neck pain. Carol Scheaffer, Chicago, complained of head pain. Karen King, address unavailable, had a fracture in her lower arm. All three were treated and released. Damage was estimated at $2,500-$5,000 to Swick's car and $5,000-$10,000 to Geraghty's van. Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department investigated. Photo by Gary Nieter, Times-Union
Photo by Gary Nieter, Times-Union- | July 28, 2016

Woman Says She May Have Been Drugged By Man Who Then Stole Car

PIERCETON - A rural Pierceton woman who reported her car stolen Saturday morning may also have been sexually assaulted. The 29-year-old woman told a Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department deputy that she awoke in her car outside a Pierceton bar about 3:30 a.m.The woman said she may have been drugged because she doesn't remember anything that happened between 9:30 p.m.Friday and the time she woke up in her car with her bra unhooked, but her clothing otherwise intact. At that time, a man seated in the car told her that she could have her car keys back if she had sex with him for 10 minutes.She refused and the man reportedly began to drive her car, taking her throughout the southeastern part of the county and touching her inappropriately before dropping her at a friend's house.He then allegedly left in her car.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

BZA To Consider 4 Variance Requests Tonight

Joe and Karen Hamilton, of 1127 Country Club Lane, will present a request before the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals tonight for a variance from developmental standards for their property. The Hamiltons request a 0-foot yard setback, a variance from the 25-foot setback required by the city.The request will eliminate a present encroachment on a city right of way. Gilbert and Rosella Hawkins, of 1503 E.Fort Wayne St., will present a request for a variance from developmental standards to allow a 10-1/2-foot variance from the required 15-foot front yard setback requirement for the construction of a deck beside their house. The deck will not block any visual lines of site, and the right of way along Sherman Street will still provide 15 feet of visual clearance from the projected deck to the street. A request for a variance of use to allow for a massage therapy home occupation will be presented by Dawnna L.Plummer, of 2705 Marion Drive.
Joe Kirkendall, Times-Union staff writer- | July 28, 2016

Warsaw Woman Robbed

A Warsaw woman was robbed at knifepoint after a man entered her car early Wednesday morning. According to a report from the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, around 6:20 a.m.Wednesday, the woman was westbound on Dogwood Drive when she saw a man walking in the roadway.After crossing the railroad tracks, she stopped at Ind.15 and waited to make a right turn. While the woman's car was stopped at the intersection of Dogwood Drive and Ind.15, the man got into the car, held an open knife on his lap, and told her to turn left on Ind.15. The man, who was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and gloves, told the woman to turn onto Old 15 as he went through her purse. After telling the woman to turn left on CR 200S, the man had the woman turn right onto Kline's Lane and go back to the business buildings and stop. Once the woman stopped, the man reportedly held the knife to her neck and told her not to move.
JEN GIBSON, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Pierceton Building Collapses

BY TIFFANY SHAW, Times-Union Staff Writer An abandoned building surprised Pierceton Tuesday when a portion of it collapsed onto Market Street. The building, an old filling station on the corner of Market and First streets, began to fall around 11:15 a.m.when the back wall collapsed.The south wall fell into Market Street at 2:15 p.m. Pierceton Fire Department blocked off the street to traffic before the second collapse and closed Ind.13 after the second.Ind.13 reopened yesterday, and Market Street was cleared and opened this morning.No one was injured. One fireman described the damage as total.The south half lies in rubble, with only part of the north face still standing. The building, owned by Jim Perry, is up for tax sale.Since it is still private property, the owner is responsible to take care of the building.The town could only clear the debris out of the street and pile it into and around the building.
injuries as wall falls- | July 28, 2016

Teens' Car Hits Atwood Lunch Box

ATWOOD - Two teen-agers were in critical condition this morning after the car they were in slammed into a building in Atwood early Sunday morning. The driver of the car, Travis Middaugh, 18, of North Clark Street, Nappanee, and his passenger, Ignacio Vasquez, 18, of Franklin, Wis., were pinned in the wreckage as a result of the 3:48 a.m.crash on Main Street (Old Road 30), west of Harrison Street, in Atwood.After being extricated from the car, both teens were airlifted to Parkview Hospital, Fort Wayne. According to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, it is believed that Middaugh was eastbound on Old Road 30 "at an extremely high rate of speed," when he apparently lost control of the car.A press released indicated that it appeared that Middaugh crossed the center line, overcorrected and crossed back over the center line before sliding sideways and striking the porch of a residence and slamming into the Atwood Lunch Box Cafe before coming to rest.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

1 Dies, 3 Hurt When Jeep Rolls Over Near Nappanee

NAPPANEE - One man is dead and three people were injured after a one-vehicle accident Sunday morning on CR 1350N, east of Asbury Court, near Nappanee. All four people were ejected from the Jeep they were in when the driver lost control and the vehicle rolled over.None of the vehicle's occupants was wearing a seat belt.Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the 5:39 a.m.accident. According to a Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department report, Keith L.Miller, 18, of Beech Road, Nappanee, was westbound on CR 1350N, west of CR 700W, when the vehicle went off the north side of the road for an unknown reason.It appears the vehicle was then overcorrected onto the roadway, but left the south side of the roadway and overturned. A back-seat passenger, Ralph Schmucker, 27, CR 52, Nappanee, suffered massive chest injuries and was transported to Elkhart General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

North Webster Boy Serious After Being Struck By Falling Tree

NORTH WEBSTER - A North Webster boy is in serious condition with a skull fracture after a tree fell on him near his residence. Tyler Lee Herbst, 5, of North CR 1000E, North Webster, was airlifted from his residence to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne after the 10:17 a.m.accident.The child was unconscious at the scene and bleeding from the open wound on the back of his head. According to Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department officials, Tyler was standing off to the side of a tree that his father, Eric Herbst, was cutting down.As the 14-inch diameter tree began to fall, the base of the tree "kicked out" and the tree began to fall toward Tyler.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

South Whitley Woman Dies From Crash Injuries Suffered June 28

A South Whitley woman injured in a June 28 traffic accident died Sunday as a result of her injuries. Lisa Schmucker, 23, was a passenger in a car driven by her husband, Chancy D.Schmucker, 24, when the car was struck from behind by a Jeep driven by Tonya P.Gudakunst, 35, of Pierceton.Upon impact, the Schmucker car was pushed into oncoming traffic, where it was hit by a truck driven by Leonard N.Seibel Jr., 48, of Pennsylvania.The car then came to rest against a utility pole, leaving Lisa Schmucker and her 4-year-old daughter, Davanna, trapped in the back seat of the car. Eight people were injured in the accident. Lisa Schmucker suffered internal injuries in the accident and Davanna Schmucker, who was strapped into a child safety seat, suffered head injuries.Both were airlifted to Parkview, from which the child was discharged Friday.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Burglar Hits Homes In Warsaw

Two Warsaw residences were burglarized by the same man on Monday, police believe. Robert D.Slone, 24, of 1296 Copeland Drive, Warsaw, was arrested around 2 a.m.Monday after he was caught burglarizing the home of Michael Bryant and Sheena Deaton, Robin Drive, Warsaw. Bryant and Deaton were asleep when they were awakened by a barking dog and their door slamming.Realizing someone was in the home, Bryant got out of bed and chased the man down Crescent Drive, Warsaw, before catching him and bringing him back to the Robin Drive residence to await arrest. Slone had allegedly attempted to steal Deaton's purse, but officers found it in the bushes, probably dropped as Slone fled. Charges are pending against Slone in a second burglary, occurring sometime between Aug.2 and 4, at Marlene Clements' Copeland Drive, Warsaw, residence. The burglar reportedly entered Clements' residence using a butter knife to pry open a bathroom window.
KRISTA PRIMROSE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Solid Waste District Approves Deal With Packerton Land Co.

With minor legal changes, the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District approved the host agreement Wednesday with Packerton Land Co., Claypool, and Allied Waste Industries Inc., regarding the Packerton landfill. Mike Armey, attorney for the SWMD, reviewed the agreement and said, "I felt there were several things that weren't in there, one being the term (of the contract)." There also was no provision to increase tipping fees, which Armey added to the draft the board approved Wednesday.The district board approved a five-year term, with automatic renewal after every five years unless one of the parties decides to opt out of it after each term period. Allied Waste will need to approve the agreement.If the company makes major changes in the agreement, the agreement will be brought back before the board for review.Minor changes will be negotiated by district board chairwoman Avis Gunter.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

OMC Sale Approved; Syracuse Effect Uncertain

U.S.Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois approved the sale of Outboard Motor Corp.and its assets to JTC Acquisition LLC and Bombardier Motor Corp.of America Friday, according to a press release. Both companies are players in the recreational marine industry.Bombardier is a subsidiary of Canada-based Bombardier Inc., and JTC Acquisition is an affiliate of U.S.-based Genmar. OMC approved the $95-million bid Feb.5 in an auction of its assets that was part of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. Bombardier will get the OMC engine business and assets and Genmar will obtain the boat facilities and assets in the sale. The sale must still get Federal Trade Commission approval before it is final but no problems are expected. According to the press release, a spokesman said that Genmar may hire back many of the laid-off OMC workers and try to build up and improve the boat lines made famous by OMC.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Reapers Bring Solemn Message To Prom Goers

SOUTH WHITLEY - The bell tolls.Two gloomy, robed figures pass through the high school halls. Another student is gone. Whitko's Students Against Drunk Driving made a symbolic effort Friday to remind their peers not to drink and drive this weekend at the prom. The grim reapers this period were played by Whitko juniors Jamie Brown and Patty Walters.Their victim was underclassman Jamie Engle. Their features hidden with hoods, Brown and Walters made their way out of the choir room to Engle's class, ringing the death knell every few steps.In Engle's place they left a paper flower - a reminder of the drunk-driving tragedies that claim so many lives. Every 32 minutes (how often a life is claimed by a drunk driver) a student was snatched from a class.They were brought back out for display in the morgue (cafeteria) at the end of the day. As Whitko students filed out at the end of the day they passed their friends lying, toe tags attached, covered with sheets.
GREG BROWN , Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Appointment takes new town marshal by surprise

MENTONE - Jim Eads was taken by surprise Monday night at the Mentone Town Council meeting, but he's not complaining. Eads, who has served as interim town marshal since Tim Carpenter resigned in March, was sworn in as town marshal after it was announced that he was the most qualified applicant. Council president Ed Rock said three applications were received for the position and Eads was the only one of the three with full-time law enforcement experience and police academy training. "That answers my original question as to what else is out there," Forrest Kantner said.He failed to back a motion at a special meeting in March to elevate Eads from deputy marshal to marshal, saying that he wanted "the best of the best" and wouldn't know if Eads was that man until the town advertised the position. Rock then resubmitted his 2-month-old motion to promote Eads to marshal.That motion was seconded by Kantner and carried by Lynn Phillips.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Nearly All Electrical Service Restored

Kosciusko County REMC restored electrical service to its customers by midnight Saturday, following a siege of outages caused by an ice storm. "We have a few individuals waiting for electricians to make repairs at the service entrance," said REMC CEO Lynn Collyer."And we have a couple of guys working to repair those type of things." Ice formed on tree branches and power lines overnight Jan.31.The weighted limbs took out the lines and caused the lines themselves to loosen and cut off power. On Thursday more than 100,000 customers were without electrical power. Just as power came back online, slick roads contributed to an acident in which a truck hit an REMC utility pole, knocking out the electricity to customers again this morning. Up to two inches of snow fell in northern portions of the county, making travel hazardous this morning.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Grill To Speak At Winona Appreciation Dinner

WINONA LAKE - Dr.Stephen A.Grill, dean of community education, Grace Schools, will be the guest speaker at the Winona Lake Community Appreciation Dinner, "A Step Back in Time," March 4 at Grace College's Robert and Frances Gordon Student Recreation Center. The 6 p.m.event includes a tour of the recreation center, a presentation of the William Reneker Memorial Community Service Award, a review of last year's town events and accomplishments and a home improvement recognition. Brent Wilcoxson will give updates on the Village At Winona.Other speakers include local artists and town council president Jerry Clevenger. A local barbershop quartet will perform. Tickets are $15 per person, available at the town hall.Reservation deadline is Feb.27.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Suspect In Ex-Warsaw Resident's Murder On Trial In Florida

NAPLES, Fla.- A man accused of murdering a former Warsaw resident will be psychologically evaluated before his trial. Chris Alan Jones, 42, was scheduled to stand trial May 18 in Collier County, Fla., for the murder of Timothy Lynn Carman. Carman was shot three times in his home in East Naples, Fla.on May 12, 1997.Jones was reportedly a friend of Carman. According to court reports, Jones and his girlfriend went out for dinner and drinks with Carman and his girlfriend.After returning to Carman's home on Moon Bay Street, Jones allegedly shot Carman after hugging him. The two girlfriends reportedly told police they heard three gunshots.Jones' girlfriend reportedly told police she saw Jones pull a gun from his pocket and rack the slide back. Police found a semiautomatic handgun near Carman's house. Jones is charged with second-degree murder.His attorney said the state needs more time for experts to evaluate and examine Jones.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Syracuse Man Sentenced In Child Neglect Case

A Syracuse man was sentenced last week to 20 years in prison for battery and neglect of a dependent as a result of a Jan.10 incident that injured a 3-year-old boy. Louis Reid Graham, 31, of 201 E.Pittsburgh St., Syracuse, was arrested that day after he poured scalding water over the head of the child three times after losing his temper while bathing him.The boy suffered second-degree burns to his forehead, neck and back and Graham did not seek medical attention for him. The injuries were discovered several hours later when the child's mother returned home from work.She took the child to Goshen General Hospital and officials there notified police of the abuse situation.The boy was injured about 11:30 a.m.Jan.10 and treatment at GGH began about 3:30 p.m.that day. Police said Graham was the boyfriend of the child's mother.Although Graham is not related to the child, the neglect of a dependent offense is applicable because he was charged with the child's care.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Explorer Lay Offs Nearing End

Some local workers who were laid off in April may be heading back to work at the end of this month.
Jen [email protected] | July 28, 2016

Inhumane Kennels

Editor, Times-Union:I recently visited a breeding kennel in the area. What I saw there sickened me!The back buildings where they keep all the breeders was so hot I could hardly breath.
- | July 28, 2016
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