Pulaski County deputes went to 504 N. U.S. Highway 421 in Medaryville and the renter, Carl Larkin, allowed two deputies inside the residence. In plain view, officers reportedly identified marijuana, drug paraphernalia, methamphetamine, syringes, and precursors.
The two suspects involved in an armed bank robbery at the First National Bank of Monterey on Monday afternoon have been formally charged in the incident.
The lead detective in the case, Scott Taylor from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, said Scott Freeman and Michelle Riley were charged in a probable cause hearing held this week.
Freeman, 34, of Winamac has been charged with Robbery and because the action involved a weapon, the classification of the charge was elevated to a Class B felony. He is being held in the Pulaski County Jail on a $250,000 bond. Riley, 29, of Culver has been charged with Aiding in a Robbery, a Class B felony. Riley is being held in the Pulaski County Jail on a $150,000 bond.
A bank in Pulaski County was robbed at gunpoint this afternoon around 1:33 p.m. ET, according to officials with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department. The First National Bank of Monterey was robbed by an unknown suspect who left the scene in a silver Impala after flashing a gun and demanding money.
The vehicle was reportedly missing a license plate and the suspect is described as a 6’ white male with a maroon ski mask and Carharts. The bank manager lost contact with him near the T-intersection at Lake Langenbaum. He was reportedly carrying a pull-along suitcase.
If you have any information about this incident or have seen the suspect vehicle, call 911.
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department was one of 250 law enforcement agencies that participated in the Operation Pull Over effort over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Sheriff Michael Gayer stated that seven impaired drivers were arrested in the campaign.
The Indiana State Police was also involved in this effort. Officers participated in extra patrols during the Thanksgiving travel weekend in the Safe Family Travel, Operation Pull Over campaign that ended Sunday.
Sheriff Michael Gayer said monetary donations can be made to the Shop with a Cop account at any Alliance Bank so the children less fortunate can choose an item for Christmas this year.
A dangerous drug is making a resurgence in the area, as Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer said the county has seen its third death as a direct result of a heroin overdose. Gayer said the third death was less than a week ago; the man was found by a roommate with heroin and paraphernalia nearby.
Gayer explained it’s difficult to combat this new danger in the community, as thus far, it’s staying under the radar.
A Francesville teenager died of injuries sustained in a car accident Friday morning.
Pulaski County Sheriff’s deputies were called to State Road 114 and County 1600 West shortly after 7 a.m. on a report of a serious accident. Deputies investigated the scene and found that 19-year-old Zachery R. Conkel of Francesville failed to stop at that intersection and struck the right side of a semi tractor trailer driven by 42-year-old Gilberto Alvarez of Lansing, Illinois.
Pulaski County Emergency Management Agency Director Larry Hoover and Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Ron Patrick discussed military equipment at the commissioners’ recent meeting.
Hoover explained that the sheriff’s department and the EMA can use equipment no longer used by the military for various uses. Hoover talked with the commissioners about selling that equipment after a period of time.
A Winamac man was arrested Sunday after Pulaski County deputies reportedly found a marijuana growing operation on his property.
A deputy was checking the area of 625 North and 800 West as he received an anonymous call of suspicious activity in the area. The officer got out of his car at a location where he saw a home ruined by a fire and two outbuildings. He approached a shed and was greeted by a man later identified as Rodger Birnbaum, 57, of Winamac. He had been carrying an electric screw driver and set it down to talk to the officer. The officer reportedly smelled a strong marijuana smell and asked to search the shed. Birnbaum asked the officer why he would do that and the officer explained that he could smell marijuana coming from the shed and he observed Birnbaum acting suspiciously.
Police arrived at a fifth-wheel camper on 250 North and saw children playing outside but no adults. Officers attempted to get someone to answer the door, but no one came to the door. The officers thought it would be in the best interest to see if anyone was in the camper so they announced their presence and entered the camper.
A Winamac man was arrested Friday after allegedly hitting a woman with a car.
Shane Reed, 26, was driving southbound on County Road 300 West and reportedly told police that he saw two people standing in the roadway. He said one of the two people moved off the roadway but the other didn’t. He advised that he attempted to avoid hitting the person, but could not.
The Pulaski County Council on Monday approved a revision to the salary ordinance regarding dispatchers for the sheriff’s department, reducing their number of hours per week while increasing their base pay. This will allow them to work 40 hours per week as opposed to 42 hours as they have been while keeping their paychecks the same.
A Pulaski County officer pulled over Karen Howard’s vehicle after noticing she failed to use a turn signal. Police also received a tip that she might have drugs in the vehicle.
Since members of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department put wanted persons on the department’s Facebook page, seven arrests have been made.
Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer said that anonymous tips came into the department about several subjects featured on the social media site and officers followed up on those tips. Seven arrests have been made and more are anticipated.
Sheriff Gayer said that on Monday, Aug. 12, a list of wanted felons was posted on the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. Call the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department at (574) 946-6655 if you have an anonymous tip as to where the felons may be, but do not attempt to take them into custody on your own.
Sheriff Michael Gayer said the department is using all possible means to locate those who are charged with criminal and civil action. He is hoping to bring in those who need to respond to charges against them.
A 42-year-old Monticello man and a juvenile were injured Tuesday, June 18 late in the evening after a car vs. motorcycle accident on U.S. 35 south of Winamac near County Road 225 South.
Stanley Dunkler of Knox told Pulaski County deputies that he was driving on U.S. 35 when he entered into the other lane and collided with a motorcycle driven by Tyrone Anderson of Monticello.
Joshua Shepherd, 25, was arrested on preliminary charges of Burglary, a Class C felony and Theft, a Class D felony.
Fierce storms whipped through the Kankakee Valley area Friday night causing damage.
The storm caused flooding in Pulaski County where over three inches of rain fell in a half-hour period. A Pulaski County officer noted to dispatch that the water was up over the hood of his squad car while in the town of Winamac. The drains couldn’t keep up with the amount of water that fell in that short amount of time. Several cars were stranded in the road during the storm, several trees fell, a power outage was reported, and several roads washed out as a result of the rushing water. Homeowners may also need to deal with roofing damages due to heavy rains and strong winds. Businesses have been affected as well, making commercial roof replacement companies a bit busier than usual for this time of year.
The Pulaski County Highway Department was out Saturday patching up the roads and cutting up the many trees that fell in the road.
Luckily, no injuries were reported.
The Melody Drive-In theater at Bass Lake suffered damage as well with the demolition of Screen One. The Starke County Sheriff’s Department received a couple of other notices of trees down but no other damage.
Marshall County Emergency Management Agency Director Clyde Avery said there is ponding in fields in the Marshall County area and he’s monitoring river levels after the storms. Trees were reported down in the area, but no injuries were reported.
Photos by Denice Daggett and William Boldt
One adult and one juvenile were taken into custody after Pulaski County police allegedly found drugs in a car after a traffic stop Friday morning.
A Pulaski County deputy was patrolling on U.S. 421 when he saw a vehicle operating without a working passenger side headlight or a license plate light. The officer pulled over the vehicle just south of Medaryville and found a 17-year-old male operating the vehicle. As the driver was attempting to locate the requested license and registration, the officer reportedly saw a marijuana cigarette in the vehicle.
