Jan Dollahan Jr. was sentenced Thursday in Starke Circuit Court. Back in April, a jury found him guilty of criminal recklessness and invasion of privacy, after neighbors said he shot multiple rounds at their property, in an incident in May of 2016. Judge Kim Hall accepted those verdicts Thursday, according to court officials.
Starke County Officials Learn Science Behind Addition at Statewide Opioid Summit
Combating Indiana’s opioid crisis was the goal of a summit this week in Indianapolis. Hundreds of criminal justice leaders from around the state took part in the event, including Starke County Court Services Director Shawn Mattraw. Continue reading
Dollahan Sentencing Rescheduled for August, to Accommodate Attorney Switch
Jan Dollahan Jr.’s sentencing hearing has once again been pushed back, as Dollahan switches defense attorneys. Back in April, a jury found Dollahan guilty of criminal recklessness and invasion of Privacy. Neighbors said he shot multiple rounds at their property, in an incident in May of 2016.
Oregon-Davis, Knox High Schools to Stage Mock Crashes
As prom season approaches, local high schools are once again warning students of the dangers of drunk and distracted driving. The Oregon-Davis SADD chapter is holding its annual mock crash today for high school juniors and seniors. Fire trucks, rescue vehicles, and a helicopter are all expected to be on the Oregon-Davis campus, as part of the presentation.
Starke County Prosecutor Leads School Safety Convocation for Knox Middle School Students
Knox Middle School students are being urged to be proactive when it comes to school safety. Principal Josh Pugh updated the school board last week on a recent school safety convocation led by Starke County Prosecutor Nick Bourff.
Jury Finds Jan Dollahan Jr. Guilty of Criminal Recklessness, Invasion of Privacy
Jan Dollahan Jr. has been found guilty of Criminal Recklessness and Invasion of Privacy, after neighbors say he shot multiple rounds at their property, in an incident in May of 2016. Starke County Prosecutor Nick Bourff says a jury took less than an hour to return the guilty verdicts in Starke Circuit Court Wednesday.
Starke County Prosecutor Issues Press Release about Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Sexual violence is a serious public health issue that affects millions of men and women. According to the Center for Disease Control, in the United States alone, 1 in 6 men and 1 in 3 women reported experiencing sexual violence involving physical contact at some point in their life.
As startling as that statistic may sound, it doesn’t capture the true magnitude of the problem as many victims do not tell police, family or friends about the incident. Unfortunately, this is a crisis that individuals may face at any age. Children, adolescents, adults and the elderly can all fall prey to attackers.
In an effort to draw attention to the pervasive problem, April is recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff issued a press release about the topic providing some information and commenting on the seriousness of sexual assault. Continue reading
Starke County School Officials to Work Together on Improving School Safety
Last week’s school shooting in Florida has prompted Starke County school officials to work together to improve students’ safety.
Knox Superintendent Dr. William Reichhart told the school board Tuesday that he’s been coordinating safety discussions with the Starke County prosecutor. “Nick Bourff has come in and met with me this week and said, ‘How can I help?’ And so we are pulling all of the school safety specialists in the county together, and we’re going to meet right here in about a week, and our principals and our staff will be here, as well. And we’re going to be reviewing what can we do here in Starke County to make it even safer than what it is.” Continue reading
Status Hearing Held for Alleged Murder Suspect Edward Blackburn
A status hearing for Edward Blackburn was held in Starke Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon.
As previously reported, Edward Blackburn, of Arkansas, formerly of Texas, is being charged with the murder of Cord Colgrove, of Knox. Court documents indicate that in March of 2017, Blackburn allegedly shot Colgrove in the head in front of three witnesses in rural North Judson. Continue reading
Races Set for May Primary
The races are set for May’s primary elections. In Starke County, one hotly-contested office is county clerk. Current auditor Kay Chaffins is challenging incumbent Vicki Cooley for the Democratic party nomination. The winner would presumably face Republican Bernadette Welter-Manuel in November’s general election.
Candidate Filings Continue as Deadline Approaches
The deadline is approaching for candidates to file to run in the May primary. Candidates have until Friday at noon to file their paperwork with the county clerk’s office.
More Starke County Officials File to Run for Reelection
Candidate filings continue in Starke County. In the past week, Prosecutor Nick Bourff, District 3 County Council Member Dave Pearman, and Jackson Township Trustee Robert Schmidt have all filed to run for reelection.
Charge Against Augusta Hadden Dismissed
A felony charge has been dropped against a woman who’d been accused of assisting a murder suspect back in March. Augusta Hadden, 39, was accused of throwing a cell phone out of a truck driven by Edward Blackburn, following the murder of Cord Colgrove in rural North Judson.
No Criminal Charges to be Filed in 2016 Fatal Police-Involved Shooting
The police officers involved in the shooting death of William R. Newman last December will not be facing criminal charges.
Bell Found Guilty on Three Counts Stemming from April 2016 Drug Raid in Koontz Lake
A Koontz Lake man was found guilty of three meth-related charges by a jury in Starke Circuit Court Thursday. Troy Bell was arrested in April of 2016, following a drug raid in Koontz Lake.
Hadden Accused of Violating Pretrial Release Terms
The woman charged in connection with the March 3rd murder of a Knox man is back in jail.
Augusta Hadden, 39, is charged with the Level 5 felony offense of assisting a criminal. Court documents indicate she threw a cell phone out of a truck driven by murder suspect Edward Blackburn after he fatally shot Cord Colgrove at a rural North Judson residence. Continue reading
Sexting Public Service Campaign Honored by Indiana Broadcasters Association
WKVI’s collaborative effort with the Starke County Prosecutor’s Office to share a serious message recently received statewide recognition. The station was honored with its third Indiana Broadcasters Association Spectrum Award in as many years, this time in the Local Community Involvement category. The winning entry, entitled Sexting Campaign, drew some snickers from the audience when it was announced, but they quickly realized it’s no laughing matter when they heard the student-produced public service announcements. Continue reading
Formal Charges Anticipated Against Starke County Pursuit Suspect
The Winamac man accused of leading police from multiple departments on a Wednesday afternoon high-speed chase and manhunt is facing several felony and misdemeanor charges in Starke County. Continue reading
Prosecutor, Students Partner to Share Important Message
Students from Starke County’s three high schools have an important message for their peers about the long-term consequences of their online activity. Prosecutor Nick Bourff is trying to raise awareness of sexting, cyber-bullying and other types of high-tech harassment that may not only cause pain and embarrassment but may also carry criminal consequences.He recently enlisted the help of students from Knox, North Judson-San Pierre and Oregon-Davis to get the word out.
Starke County Prosecutor Warns of Sexting Perils
The photos you post online or the text messages you send can haunt you for years to come. That’s the message prosecuting attorneys across Indiana are sharing with young people. Starke County Prosecutor Nick Bourff says so-called sexting — the sending and posting of inappropriate images — can get you in a lot of trouble. Continue reading
