Man Stabbed after Midnight NORTH WEBSTER – A North Webster man is in serious condition this morning in a Fort Wayne hospital after being stabbed several times shortly after midnight.
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department officers and a Warsaw Police Department canine officer were able to locate the victim, Travis Ray Osbun, 33, of 320 E. Huntington St., North Webster, near his vehicle just outside his residence.
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Dept. deputies responded to various 911 calls today at approximately 12:54 a.m. after witnesses stated a man had came to their door bleeding and seeking shelter.
As officers converged on the area of CR 850E south of CR 500N, 911 callers stated the male victim, who was bleeding extensively, would immediately leave when advised they were calling 911.
Osbun had apparently been stabbed at least four times in the abdomen and chest area and was immediately transported to Lutheran Memorial Hospital, Fort Wayne, in serious condition.
KCSD deputies located the alleged suspect, Billy Joe Pearson, 19, of 4426 N. CR 850E, Leesburg, at his residence and took him into custody without incident.
According to KCSD detectives, Osbun had apparently gotten into a domestic argument with his girlfriend and went to the Pearson residence to “cool” off.
Pearson allegedly became tiresome of Osbun during the evening and asked him to leave. According to initial information, Osbun refused to leave at which point Pearson apparently began stabbing him.
The Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office preliminarily charged Pearson with felony aggravated battery. Pearson currently does not have a bond set.
KCSD was assisted by the North Webster Police Department, North Webster EMS and the Warsaw Police Department.
Girl Injured on Dewart Lake SYRACUSE – Indiana conservation officers are investigating a boat accident that occurred Thursday on Dewart Lake.
At 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Indiana conservation officer Joseph Tenbarge and officers from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call regarding a juvenile being struck by a boat.
According to Tenbarge, 11-year-old Morgan Rodman, New Paris, was being pulled on a tube behind a boat that was following the shoreline. A boat being driven by an unnamed 10-year-old male was entering a bay at approximately 30 mph. The boat operator was not paying attention and was going too fast to stop by the time he finally saw the tube. The boat struck the tube, knocking Rodman into the water.
Rodman was treated by the medics on scene for a bruised shoulder. The grandmother, who was in charge of the 10-year-old boat operator, was issued a citation for permitting unlawful operation. Under Indiana law, anyone who is the owner of or has possession of a watercraft and allows a violation to occur can be cited for permitting unlawful operation.
In Indiana, to operate a motorboat more than 10 horse power requires either a valid driver’s license or being 15 years old and having completed a boater education course.
A list of available boater education courses is available at the Indiana DNR website, http://www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/4812.htm
Warsaw Man Arrested in Elkhart ELKHART – A Warsaw man was arrested for riding a motorcycle while intoxicated and being a habitual traffic violator following a Thursday afternoon crash in Elkhart County.
Michael Kauffman, 41, Warsaw, crashed his Harley-Davidson motorcycle at U.S. 6 and CR 13 in Elkhart County at 4:20 p.m. Thursday. Kauffman drove off the shoulder of U.S. 6, then overcorrected and drove off center and lost control. Shortly after crashing, Kauffman fled the scene, but was apprehended later.
Kauffman was transported to Goshen General Hospital for treatment. Kauffman suffered lacerations above his right eye, elbow and complained of chest pain.
Warsaw Grad Dies in FW FORT WAYNE – A former Warsaw Community High School graduate and his wife died Wednesday following a motorcycle crash in Fort Wayne.
James. R. Hendrickson Jr, 56, Fort Wayne, and his wife, Mary Hendrickson, 50, died after their motorcycle was struck head-on by a car on Ardmore Road, near Covington Road, shortly after noon Wednesday.
James was pronounced dead at the scene. Mary was taken in critical condition to Lutheran Hospital, where she died shortly after.
They were not wearing helmets.
The female driver of the vehicle that struck Hendrickson was listed in stable condition as of this morning.
