One vehicle reported stolen last week in the Koontz Lake area has been recovered.
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department responded to two vehicle theft complaints on May 24 in the Koontz Lake area and one vehicle was recovered on Union Road in Marshall County on May 29 while the other vehicle, a silver 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT, has not been located.
Detectives continue to gather evidence to locate a possible suspect in this case.
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
A new secured drop box for unwanted prescription medication has been placed in the lobby at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department.
Starke County Triad raised funds to purchase a permanent drop box for residents who would like to dispose of their unwanted, unused and expired prescription medications. Those medications can be placed in the box at any time at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department on Pearl Street.
No liquid medications or needles will be accepted.
Community Services of Starke County plans on applying to the Drug and Tobacco Free Starke County for a pill drop box for the North Judson Police Department as well. The Knox City Police Department has a secured and monitored pill drop box in the department’s lobby and you are able to drop-off medications 24 hours a day and seven days a week at that location.
Starke County Sheriff’s Deputies and emergency personnel were called to a three vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon.
The driver of a vehicle was traveling north of Knox and attempted to turning left into a driveway on U.S. 35 just south of State Road 8 west. The car behind that vehicle slowed and waited for the vehicle to turn when a third vehicle and rear-ended the second vehicle. The second vehicle then hit the vehicle turning left.
If you can’t make it to the Starke County Sheriff’s Department on Saturday, you can take it to any Indiana State Police Post from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. The sixth nationwide “Prescription Drug Take Back” initiative will allow you to drop off your unwanted, expired and unused prescription medication at any of the state police posts around the state. This is intended for liquid and pill medications.
Other sheriff’s departments in the area are also participating. For a list of locations, click here.
Two people were arrested after an accident in Starke County.
On Friday morning, the Starke County 911 Center received a call that there appeared to be drunk driver on Toto Road. Deputies were notified and attempted to catch the impaired driver.
The caller kept dispatchers informed of the car’s location until officers could catch up to the scene. When the officer got to within three miles of the vehicle, the driver crashed the vehicle on 700 E. just north of State Road 10.
Two men were apprehended at the Starke/LaPorte line yesterday afternoon after an alleged armed robbery at Will’s Service in LaCrosse.
The suspects had fled the scene shortly after the incident. Descriptions of the suspects and their vehicle were given to LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department deputies and surrounding police agencies. A short time later, a vehicle matching the suspect’s description was located traveling near the intersection of State Road 39 and State Road 8 and officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and the Knox City Police Department were able to stop the vehicle and assist the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department in arresting the pair.
We’ve passed the halfway mark in the observance of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. This is the time we celebrate the efforts of emergency dispatchers.
Dawn Bau, the Chief Dispatcher at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department, says the county dispatchers communicate emergency information to four police departments, three ambulances, seven fire departments and assist with the Indiana State Police and the Department of Natural Resources when needed.
Officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department found heroin, drug paraphernalia and syringes while serving a search warrant at a home on Long Lane Drive this morning following a six-month-long narcotics investigation. Frank Esparza, Jr. faces charges of dealing heroin, possession of heroin, possession of syringes and maintaining a common nuisance. Maria Esparza was booked on a charge of maintaining a common nuisance, as was Tamara Esparza. She’s also charged with neglect of a dependent. A fourth suspect, Anthony Esparza, faces charges of maintaining a common nuisance, neglect of a dependent and possession of a syringe.
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department staff will host a prescription pill drop on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the sheriff’s department on Pearl Street.
This allows you to drop off any expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs at the sheriff’s department. This is a free and anonymous service and no questions will be asked. This program is intended for liquid and pill medications only. The medications will then be disposed of properly and safely.
Sheriff Oscar Cowen asks that you be diligent in taking part in this program to help eradicate the abuse of prescription drugs.
A Knox woman who reportedly jumped out of a moving car has died.
23-year-old Alicia Husband of Knox was a passenger in a vehicle when witnesses say she jumped from the vehicle as it approached the intersection of State Road 8 and 600 East yesterday afternoon. She was traveling with her husband, Donald Husband, 31, of Knox.
She was taken to IU Health Starke Hospital and airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend. She was pronounced dead today shortly after noon.
An investigator from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office found an inactive meth lab at a home during a follow-up stolen property investigation Monday. The owner of the home on Island View Drive in Knox agreed to a search. The detective reportedly found an inactive one-pot meth lab and precursors in the garage of the residence. Officers from the Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team responded and cleaned up the scene. No charges have been filed at this time, and the investigation is ongoing.
A Fort Wayne man was arrested Wednesday after he reportedly caused damage to the railroad crossing arms on U.S. 35 and did not stop to report the accident.
A Starke County officer notified dispatch that a semi truck driver was crossing the railroad tracks on U.S. 35 in Knox as the crossing arms were coming down and continued traveling north despite the falling crossing arms, causing damage to the equipment.
Detectives from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department were conducting a meth investigation at 3131 S. State Road 39 in North Judson and found Woods sitting in a vehicle with his dog. Officers were given consent to search the vehicle and found an inactive meth lab and other items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
He was taken into custody and booked into the Starke County Jail on a preliminary charge of Dealing Methamphetamine, a Class B felony. He has not yet been in Starke Circuit Court for his initial hearing.
Nothing came of the alleged threats that were made on a boys restroom wall at the Oregon-Davis schools.
School officials were notified of graffiti in the bathroom that reportedly appeared threatening in nature over the weekend after an event was held at the school. Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney said police officers were at the school throughout the day and officials will remain on alert at the school on Tuesday. The threat level will be a yellow which indicates a moderate threat and not an emergency situation as experienced Monday.
Officers from the Starke County Traffic Safety Partnership are pleased with the outcome of a Friday sobriety checkpoint. They stopped 40 vehicles in North Judson at the intersection of Talmer and Schricker Avenues as part of an Operation Pull Over Blitz.
Starke County Deputy Brack Rowe previously told WKVI that police had located a white van that had been reportedly traveling around the area and stopping at various homes, where the occupants of the van would address the homeowners and attempt to sell vacuums or other items. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and located two male subjects, who were told that in order to sell items door-to-door, they must obtain a permit from the auditor’s office. The men were sent to the auditor’s office to obtain the permits, but when they learned of the process and fees, they decided not to proceed with obtaining a permit.
