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Three teenagers were charged with illegal consumption of alcohol after an off-duty police officer reportedly witnessed them drag racing near U.S. 30.
A Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department deputy stopped one of the two vehicles in front of Albertson's Gun Shop and the other was blocked at that location by Jeff Wampler, an off-duty North Webster Police Department officer.
The first vehicle had one male occupant, who was released from the scene without any charges against him. The three teens who were preliminarily charged were in the other vehicle. The driver, W. Andrew Gruppe, 17, of Yorktown, was at first detained because there was an outstanding warrant against him. Officers also noticed that Gruppe had watery eyes and he reportedly smelled of beer. A portable breath test indicated he had a blood-alcohol level of .028 percent.
Gruppe also was charged with possession of paraphernalia because police found a marijuana pipe in his car.
Because police found drug paraphernalia in the car, a police dog was brought in to check for drugs, but none were located in the car.
Two passengers in Gruppe's car also allegedly tested positive for alcohol consumption.
Dexter L. Anglin, 17, of Syracuse, reportedly had a blood-alcohol level of .025 percent, and Austin P. Bratton, 17, of Muncie, tested .009 percent on a portable breath test.
Gruppe and Bratton were released into the custody of Gruppe's mother and Anglin was released to his mother's custody.
In another traffic case, Anglin may face charges in connection with a May 26 fatal traffic accident in which he was the driver of a car that left the roadway and rolled several times, ejecting all six occupants of the vehicle.
Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine said charges are expected against Anglin after a toxicology report released Monday indicated he was under the influence of marijuana at the time of the accident in which Tara Likens, 19, of North Webster, was killed. Charging information for the case was forwarded to the prosecutor's office for review.
