Members of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, Emergency Management Office and the Pulaski County Health Department are presenting several information sessions in order to help you prepare for a disaster in your area.
Active Shooter Training Scheduled in Pulaski County
Law enforcement agencies across the nation continue to create strategies to help diffuse an active shooter incident in a school or other public place. The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, EMS and all county fire departments will be coming together on Saturday, Feb. 23 to train for such an event at the Monterey Elementary School at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer is looking forward to working with all emergency personnel in creating a plan to keep residents safe.
Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department to Host Jail Commander and Sheriff’s Meeting
Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer said this is an opportunity for everyone to come to get together for an informational session.
Two Pulaski County Men Arrested for Stealing Scrap
Two Pulaski County men were arrested Saturday after stealing scrap from a property on 1400 West in Pulaski County.
The property owner called Pulaski County police to report that some unknown people were on his property and no one has permission to be there. Police found two men, cutting up a trailer frame. The suspects, Sean Allman of Francesville and J.B. Rowe of Medaryville, reportedly told police that they had permission to be there and that a man they met asked them to remove the steel from that property. They arrived at the property earlier in the day to assess what equipment they would need and then returned to cut up the scrap.
Motorist Uninjured in Friday Night Wreck
A Winamac man turned a little too soon Friday night and wound up driving off the side of the road. Ronald W. Garrett, 76, was southbound on U.S. 35 just south of Winamac and thought he was turning into Casey’s General Store. He was not injured. Deputies with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office called a tow truck to pull Garrett’s Chevrolet S-10 out of the ditch, and he drove it from the scene.
Winamac Man Arrested on a Burglary Charge
A Winamac man was arrested Friday on a burglary charge.
A resident told police that a large amount of cash was stolen from his home in late December or early January. As a result of an investigation, detectives were able to recover part of the stolen money on Friday, Jan. 25 and William Z. Finkley, Jr. was arrested for his involvement in the burglary. Detectives believe others were involved in this case and the investigation remains open.
Winamac Woman Arrested on a Possession Charge
A Winamac woman was arrested Tuesday after police found her in possession of controlled substances.
A Pulaski County deputy was following a car driven by Teresa McDaniel that was reportedly crossing the center line. She then turned into a driveway until the officer passed and then turned around. The officer did the same thing and followed her again. She was then pulled over for speeding in a 30 mph zone.
New Equipment Expedites Sex Offender Registry Checks
While some law enforcement agencies are gearing up to purchase new equipment for their vehicles to allow them to update the sex offender registry while on the road, several agencies have reported that they have had that equipment in place for several years.
Marshall County Sheriff Tom Chamberlin approached the county council last week with a request to purchase three laptop computers for his department – computers which, Chamberlin said, would be used by detectives and officers while checking on individuals currently registered as sex offenders. The equipment, at a cost of $3000, would be paid for out of the fund into which sex offender fees are paid.
Winamac Woman Arrested on Dealing, Possession Charges
A Winamac woman was arrested on drug charges after a traffic stop in Pulaski County.
Early Thursday morning, a Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputy saw that the driver of a passenger car failed to initiate the turn signal as the vehicle turned onto U.S. 35 from a side street in Winamac.
Three Arrested in Marshall County after Standoff; One Suspect Allegedly Involved in Pulaski County Shooting Incident
It started as a shooting incident in Pulaski County and ended in a SWAT team arrest in Marshall County.
Pulaski County police were called to 6680 N. U.S. 421 at 5:50 p.m. ET Sunday in reference to a call that Billie James “Tinker” Minix, of Knox reportedly shot a gun at an occupied residence. Minix allegedly shot at the residence from an abandoned building and from the driveway. Minix also allegedly fired a few shots at a vehicle occupied by two people during the incident.
Winamac Woman Dies After Reportedly Stepping in Front of Bus
A 32-year-old Winamac woman died Saturday afternoon after she was struck by a motor coach bus on State Road 14 near Oak Drive East in Pulaski County. The driver of the bus, 66-year-old James C. Hale of South Bend, told police that at around 2:13 p.m., he was traveling westbound on State Road 14 and saw a pedestrian walking in the middle of the road.
Hale said that the pedestrian began to walk into his lane of travel as he approached, so he quickly applied his brakes and crossed into the eastbound lane to avoid the pedestrian. Unfortunately, he said the pedestrian changed course and turned back into the path of the bus, despite looking directly at the massive, quickly-approaching bus.
Pulaski Sheriff’s Department Reports 840 Book-Ins at Jail for 2012
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department reported a busy 2012 year, as the year-end statistics for the county were released this weekend. Dispatchers for the county handled 6,804 calls for service, including those for fire, EMS, and police, while deputies were called to an average of 15.8 calls per day for a total of 5,791 calls for the year.
Deputies arrested 65 impaired drivers, conducted 36 drug investigations, 130 theft investigations, and 32 burglary investigations. The Sheriff’s Department also investigated 10 child molestation cases and five shoplifting cases.
No DUI Arrests in Starke, Pulaski Counties
The Kankakee Valley started the new year off on a good note, as no one was arrested over the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day holidays for driving under the influence in Starke or Pulaski counties.
Police throughout the area stepped up efforts to catch drunk drivers over the holiday, and were on high alert for any suspicious behavior. Fortunately, those celebrating the holiday appear to have taken the responsible road in designating a driver or calling for a ride.
Pulaski Commissioners Approve New Vehicle For Sheriff’s Department
The Pulaski County Commissioners this week approved a new purchase for the Sheriff’s Department: a new Dodge Charger squad car from Braun Chrysler. Sheriff Michael Gayer told the council that he will obtain several more quotes from local dealerships for both quarter- and half-ton trucks to add to his fleet.
Gayer said that so far, Goble has been the only local county dealership to provide a price on the new vehicle, and Steve Dobson at Jim Dobson Ford has yet to give him a response. On top of that, Gayer’s contact at Braun Chevrolet has been on vacation and Gayer has not been able to reach him.
Winamac Man Arrested For Firing a Shotgun Toward a Home
Pulaski County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Winamac man Friday night after he allegedly fired a shotgun toward an occupied house.
At around 11:46 p.m., police were called to 5885 N. 575 W. in Winamac in reference to a shooting, and were told that a gray or silver truck had pulled up by their residence while the family, including the wives and infant children, was standing outside. The property owner said the truck seemed to shine a light on them, and then fired five or six shots that seemed to be in their direction, which led police to find four red shotgun shells lying on the ground by the intersection of county roads 600 North and 575 West.
Pulaski County Man Beaten, Robbed in His Home
A Pulaski County man was allegedly beaten and choked during a home invasion incident Monday night. Deputies were dispatched to 305 E. County Road 100 S. in response to a report of a possible theft and battery, and arrived to find a bloodied and bruised Paul E. Minix, who told them that he had been assaulted by two suspects.
Minix said he had let the pair stay the night on Sunday, but when the next day came and Minix asked them to leave so he could take his medication and go to sleep, they departed but soon returned and allegedly choked and battered him. He sustained injuries to his face, neck, shoulder, elbow, and knee, and said they had stolen two cell phones from his residence after assaulting him. Minix said he had recently purchased one of the cell phones from the two suspects for $50.
Monticello Man Arrested For Domestic Battery At Gas Station
A Monticello man was arrested Sunday after an alleged battery incident took place at a gas station in Medaryville.
A caller told Pulaski County police that a man and woman were fighting and he reportedly broke out the window in her car. When police arrived on scene, the man, later identified as Matthew Robbins, approached the driver’s side of the squad car in an aggressive manner. He was told to stop twice and he stopped and allegedly told the officer to take him to jail.
Mailbox Thefts, Damages Under Investigation In Marshall, Pulaski Counties
The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the theft of mailboxes on 4th Road between Michigan and Nutmeg Road.
Several homeowners called police to report the federal offense on Saturday and Sunday. Unknown subjects are stealing the same mailboxes and it has happened on more than one occasion.
If you have any information about these thefts, call the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department at (574) 936-3187.
Officers from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department have also been dealing with mailbox damage reports from several residents throughout Pulaski County. If you have any information on these incidents, call the Sheriff’s Department at (574) 946-6655.
Paul Burke Sentenced To 10 Years in DOC For Attempted Aggravated Battery
A Royal Center man has been sentenced in Pulaski Circuit Court for his attempt to injure a Pulaski County police officer by throwing anhydrous ammonia at him.
Paul Burke was sentenced to 10 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to a charge of Attempted Aggravated Battery. Burke will serve six of those years on good time credit and serve four years on probation. He must also submit to alcohol and drug testing and complete substance abuse treatment. Additional charges of Disarming a Law Enforcement Officer as a Class C felony, Theft as a Class D felony, and two Class A misdemeanor charges of Resisting Law Enforcement and Illegal Storage and Transportation of Anhydrous Ammonia were dropped as part of the plea agreement.
Police Arrest Two Following Medaryville Pursuit
Two Medaryville residents were arrested after a pursuit incident Monday night.
A Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputy saw a vehicle approach the intersection at 550 North and U.S. 421 in Medaryville. Although the officer could not see into the truck, he recognized the truck to belong to Shane Born, a habitual traffic violator.
