The former Starke County Sheriff’s Department prisoner transport van will soon be converted for use by coroner Adam Gray. President of the Starke County Commissioners Kent Danford tells WKVI news he’s checked the vehicle out and deemed it road-worthy for the coroner. Continue reading
Starke County K-9 Assists in Drug Arrests
Starke County’s new K-9 assisted with the apprehension of two suspects on drug charges at a Knox residence late last week. Continue reading
Starke County Creates Sheriff’s Department Receptionist Position
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department will soon have a receptionist in addition to the full-time matron after action last week by the Starke County Council and Commissioners. Sheriff Bill Dulin sought permission to add an employee to process civil papers, answer the telephone, greet visitors and provide general clerical support to the department. Some of that work has been done by dispatchers in the past, but Dulin advised the council and commissioners the state jail inspector could cut funds to the 911 center if they are caught doing work not that’s not part of their statutory job description. The county council discussed the issue and decided it’s not worth the risk, especially since funds for the new position are already in the sheriff’s budget. Dulin also noted the floor plan for the new jail is different, and 911 center and main entrance are in separate parts of the building. The matron will continue handling sheriff’s sales and processing payroll and claims for the sheriff’s department. Continue reading
Starke County K9 Officers Graduate from Training
Starke County’s new K9 officers have graduated from training at the Von Liche Kennels in Denver, Ind.
Officer Rob Olejniczak and K9 “Terror” have spent the past five weeks learning how to perform traffic stops, building searches, open area searches for drugs, and searches of a suspect. Olejniczak also learned how to detect the dog’s change of behavior when the dog alerts to the presence of drugs. Filing proper paperwork and how to condition the K9 outside of school were other educational topics.
When Olejniczak and “Terror” go into service at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department, they will be available to aid other departments in the county and outside the county for drug searches.
New Information Released About Knox Fire Victims
A second victim of a Friday fire at a rural Knox home has died. A representative from the Allen County Coroner’s Office in Fort Wayne tells WKVI news Linda Manns, 51, died at 10:50 p.m. Saturday from complications due to that fire. She suffered extensive thermal burns, and her death was ruled accidental. Continue reading
Knox Fire Victim Dies at Fort Wayne Hospital
A second victim of a Friday fire at a rural Knox home has died. Officials with the Starke County Sheriff’s Department advise WKVI News Linda Manns, 51, died Saturday at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne. Continue reading
House Fire Claims Child’s Life
A two-year-old child is dead as a result of a Friday morning fire at a rural Starke County home. The Bass Lake Fire Department responded to a residence in the area of 700 South and 300 East just before 7:30 a.m. yesterday They pulled two adults from the blaze but were unable to find a two-year-old child in time. Continue reading
Knox House Fire Claims a Child’s Life
A two-year-old child is dead as a result of an early morning fire at a rural Starke County home. The Bass Lake Fire Department responded to a residence in the area of 700 South and 300 East just before 7:30 a.m. They pulled two adults from the blaze but were unable to find a two-year-old child in time. Continue reading
Starke County Sheriff’s Department Looks into Hacker Shack Fire
Officials from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department went to the scene of a Monday night fire at the former Hacker Shack building located on the grounds of the Bass Lake Golf Course.
The building had been torn down and it appeared that the rubble was set on fire like a controlled burn, according to officials.
Bass Lake firefighters were called to the location on 500 South on Monday at 5:30 p.m. and they remained there for a few hours. No injuries were reported.
Three Injured in U.S. 30 Accident
Three people were injured in a traffic accident on U.S. 30 at Knoll Brothers in Starke County this morning.
Starke County deputies conducted an investigation and found that a semi truck pulled out of the truck stop headed west on U.S. 30 when a driver in an SUV traveling in the same direction rear-ended the semi, according to witness accounts released in a news release by the sheriff’s department. The SUV rolled on its side. The SUV was pulling a wood chipper at the time of the accident. The semi was stopped four-tenths of a mile west of the scene on U.S. 30.
Two People Injured in Monday Afternoon Accident
Two people were injured in an accident in North Judson on Monday afternoon.
Starke County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the intersection of County Road 625 South and County Road 300 West where they found that a vehicle had failed to yield to the right of way. The other vehicle was struck as it was traveling north through the intersection.
Motorist Taken to Hospital After Striking House
The driver of a car that hit a house in Koontz Lake late last night was taken to IU Health Starke Hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash. It happened at 11:10 p.m. in the 7000 block of State Road 23, according to a news release from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department. Continue reading
MedfFight Called to Crash at 8 and 23
Starke County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a crash at the intersection of State Roads 8 and 23 that sent one person to the hospital via MedFlight. The wreck happened around 6 last evening. The officers found one person pinned in a vehicle, according to a sheriff’s department news release. Continue reading
Peddler’s Permits Required to Sell Items
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department has received several calls about two men going door-to-door selling magazines.
Officials told WKVI News that the individuals were asked to go to the county auditor’s office to obtain a peddler’s permit to sell the items. A resident has the right to ask a salesman for a peddler’s permit before any sales pitch is made or before any transaction is final.
Police Eradicate Marijuana Plants
Officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department eradicated marijuana plants in sober living Austin Texas, Austin recovery treatment options.
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Deputies received information from the Indiana State Police Marijuana Eradication Team of an outdoor marijuana grow in the 5000 S. block of 300 E. in Knox.
Approximately 60 marijuana plants were found growing in a garden behind the residence. Officers removed the plants from the property.
Starke County Sheriff’s Department Gets New K9
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.
Starke County Sheriff’s Department Releases Name of Crash Victim
A North Judson resident was killed in Monday’s car versus tanker truck accident at the intersection of State Road 10 and Range Road. The Starke County Sheriff’s Department released the crash victim’s name this afternoon. Continue reading
Starke County Crash Vicitm ID Still Pending
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department has yet to release the name of the woman killed in a Monday crash at the intersection of Range Road and State Road 10. That crash involved a tanker truck and a vehicle. When officers arrived they found the tanker truck on its side in flames and a passenger car on the side of the roadway. Continue reading
Hit and Run Case Remains under Investigation
Detectives with the Starke County Sheriff’s Department continue to investigate a hit-and-run accident that resulted in the death of a Grovertown man.
Christopher Howard, 33, was last seen leaving a friend’s house at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16 in the area of 1025 E. and 50 N. in Starke County. He was reported missing that afternoon and officers found his vehicle in the area of 900 East and 500 North two hours later. Police noted in a press release that the car was involved in a collision and footprints were observed leaving the scene.
Accident Victim’s Identity Not Yet Released
A woman involved in a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Range Road and State Road 10 in Starke County on Monday morning died of massive blunt force trauma, according to St. Joseph County Deputy Coroner Chuck Hurleus.
The woman’s identity has not been released.
Emergency personnel were called to the scene shortly after 11 a.m. on Monday where Starke County Sheriff’s Deputies police found semi tanker on its side and on fire. A passenger car was located on the side of the roadway, according to the accident report. The driver of the passenger car was taken to South Bend Memorial Hospital where she later died of her injuries. The passenger of the vehicle and the semi driver were taken to IU Health Starke Hospital and later transferred to South Bend Memorial Hospital.
