A passenger in a vehicle that was stopped because it did not have a windshield ended up taking a ride in a police car. Starke County Sheriff’s Office Chief Detective Rob Olejniczak pulled over a vehicle driven by 34-year-old Shannon Watts of North Judson on 500 North at 750 East in Hamlet on Wednesday, May 26, according to a news release. Continue reading
Investigators from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office are looking for a Knox man they believe was was making meth in his basement. They responded to a home in the 3000 east block of 200 South in Knox on Tuesday, May 5 after another man found a meth lab in the basement and called the police. Deputies from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office found the lab, precursors used to make meth, syringes and marijuana but were unable to locate the suspected cook, according to a news release. He’s identified as James Messer, 34, of Knox. Continue reading
Inmates at the Starke County Jail could soon be picking up trash along county roadways under the supervision of a corrections officer. The Starke County Commissioners last night blessed Sheriff Bill Dulin’s plan to establish an inmate road crew of between three and five people to bag up debris for the county highway department to collect. Superintendent Rik Ritzler says it shouldn’t be a problem if the inmates stay in one area and Dulin coordinates schedules with him in advance. The road crew will not cost the county any additional money. The commissioners agreed it will be beneficial to the county in terms of beautification and making the inmates work. Continue reading
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department has sold one of its K9s to Starke County.
Sheriff Michael Gayer told WKVI News that the K9 officer resigned abruptly and no other officer in the department wanted to resume the responsibility of K9 “Terror”. He reached out to other departments to see if a K9 could help them. One department that expressed interest was the Starke County Sheriff’s Department. The K9 and a kennel were sold to Starke County for $8,500 about two weeks ago.
The Pulaski County commissioners discussed the K9 situation Monday night during their meeting where Commissioner Terry Young was not pleased with the amount of money for which the K9 was sold. Commission President Larry Brady gave the sheriff the option of including the vehicle with the K9 and the kennel at a price of $17,000 or leave the vehicle for use by a department head. The vehicle stayed with the county.
The rural Knox man accused of beating his wife to death, kidnapping a man from a business parking lot, stealing a Jeep at gunpoint in English Lake and leading authorities on a high-speed chase through three counties before shooting himself is back in Starke County. Detective Rob Olejniczak from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Jailer Joshua Kazee picked Gary Chavez up from the Cook County, Ill. jail today. Continue reading
A Grovertown man faces multiple charges after detectives from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department served a warrant at his home late last week. Detective Rob Olejniczak says items reported stolen from the Grovertown home of Hope Grounds on June 15 were recovered at Stephen Danti’s residence in the 4000 North block of 1100 East. Continue reading
Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff has filed three felony charges against the Knox man accused of stealing two cars in Starke County and a third in Hebron before shooting himself when police in Lake County used stop sticks to end a high-speed chase Friday afternoon. Continue reading
