Two former Starke County Sheriff’s Department detectives recently indicted by a Grand Jury on several charges pleaded not guilty to all indictments in a hearing in Starke Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon.
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A Grand Jury issued indictments against two former Starke County Sheriff’s Department detectives on several charges following a lengthy investigation by the Indiana State Police Criminal Investigation Division Lowell Post.
Continue readingThe defendant in a trial in Starke Circuit Court pleaded guilty during the final witness’s testimony Thursday afternoon.
Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff said Rodney Slusser pleaded guilty to charges of attempted battery with a deadly weapon as a Level 5 felony and criminal mischief as a Class B misdemeanor. With his guilty plea, Bourff moved to dismiss the other counts in the case which include another felony count of attempted battery with a deadly weapon, two counts of resisting law enforcement, and a misdemeanor count of reckless driving.
A special prosecutor has been named to handle the case against Sheriff Oscar Cowen in which claims of impropriety were filed by former deputy Don Ferguson. Curtis Hill of Elkhart County has been named, but he has not yet accepted the position. Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff petitioned for a special prosecutor because of his close work relationship with the Starke County Police.
The Special Judge assigned to the case, Honorable Jeffrey Thode of Porter Superior Court #6 located in Portage, Ind., will replace Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall who issued an Order of Recusal and Assignment of a Special Judge to the case.
The Indiana State Police have informed Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff that claims of impropriety have been brought against Sheriff Oscar Cowen by former deputy, Don Ferguson.
Because he works closely with the Starke County Police, Prosecutor Bourff petitioned for a special prosecutor to handle the claims. Also issuing an Order of Recusal and Assignment of Special Judge was Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall. The Special Judge assigned to the case is the Honorable Jeffrey Thode of Porter Superior Court #6 located in Portage, Indiana. This Judge will conduct all future proceedings including a ruling on the pending Petition for a Special Prosecutor.
Tony Kerby lost his life in the Yellow River attempting to save his younger brother’s life. The good looking boy went in the treacherous waters to save his 8-year-old brother Dominick when the youngster slipped off a rock. Dominick was saved when a person in the park pulled him to safety, but Tony could not swim to the banks.
Community members were so saddened by the death that a cross was put at the site to honor his efforts and his life. The memorial was created by Shelby Clemons of North Judson, his wife, Danielle, and Misty Baldridge of Knox.
For the past two weeks, we have been scrolling down the top 10 stories of the year 2010. Here is the top story of 2010:
It was like a shootout from the wild-west. On February 15th, two Starke County officers tried to serve a felony warrant on Michael Drogosz at Bass Lake.
After he failed to come out, officers called for a SWAT team. Before those officers could arrive, officers Don Ferguson and Bill Dulin took fire from inside the residence. With bullets whizzing too close for comfort, the officers fired back in self defense.
