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A former Mentone police officer faces a charge of criminal mischief after allegedly scratching a van and puncturing a tire on the vehicle.
Jason David Westafer, 28, of 17487 Apple Road, Bourbon, was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail Wednesday afternoon on a charge of criminal mischief, a Class B misdemeanor. He was later released after posting a $2,000 bond.
Westafer was a deputy marshal for the Mentone Police Department until his resignation in May. At the time Westafer resigned, Mentone Town Marshal Jim Eads declined to elaborate as to the reason for Westafer's termination of employment. Westafer apparently resigned under the threat of being fired. He currently is an officer with the North Liberty Police Department, where chief Steve Michaels could not be reached for comment this morning.
According to court documents, the criminal mischief charge against Westafer was filed earlier this month after a review of a November incident that occurred in Pierceton.
Westafer allegedly scratched a van belonging to Shirley L. Hurt of Warsaw with a key while the vehicle was parked on First Street. The vehicle also sustained a punctured tire. The damages were found at 2 a.m. Nov. 3 when Hurt and her daughter, Lisa Westafer, left The Post in Pierceton. Jason and Lisa Westafer have a divorce case pending in Kosciusko Circuit Court. That case was filed in August.
Jason Westafer and two women who were with him were also inside The Post on the night the incident occurred and exchanges reportedly took place among them, Hurt and Lisa Westafer.
Court documents also indicate that Jason Westafer told Pierceton police on Nov. 29 that his girlfriend was responsible for the damage to Hurt's vehicle. Marie Spencer of Akron later refuted that information, telling police on Dec. 2 that Jason Westafer asked her "to take the 'heat' for the vandalizing," according to a police report.
A Class B misdemeanor is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine up to $1,000. The damage to Hurt's vehicle totaled more than $1,000.
