On Monday, it is alleged that Jason Cooke entered the property of Linda Draper and she ordered him off the property. Cooke had reportedly exited a vehicle and walked onto the property and said he needed to speak with Draper’s son. She told Cooke that he was not welcome on the property and to leave. He then said he was going to talk to him anyway and continued on her property and into the house. Draper then called police and he left the property. He was eventually taken into custody and arrested on preliminary charges of Criminal Trespass and Residential Entry.
The next day, Cooke was arrested again on an Aggravated Battery charge after he allegedly pushed a woman out of a moving car on 25 North, east of 500 East in Starke County. An investigation continues into whether or not he further harmed the victim in a sexual assault. She told police that Cooke was with her earlier that evening and, while traveling through Starke County, he accused her of stealing drugs from him. It was then he allegedly threatened her life and pushed her out of the car driven by a third person.
They then left the victim on the side of the road. The driver did go back to the scene and picked up the victim and took her to IU Health Starke Hospital. The victim sustained injuries to her head and had numerous scrapes on her hands, feet and knees from the fall. She was later airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend due to her injuries.
Cooke is in the Starke County Jail on a $150,000 surety bond and has been charged with Aggravated Battery, Residential Entry and Criminal Trespass.
