Five Horses Seized In Starke County After Numerous Complaints

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Sheriff's Department

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department this weekend responded to a complaint about neglected horses in the roadway.

On Sunday, officers received a call from a resident informing them that horses were in the roadway on Range Road south of Toto Road, and police noted that this was approximately the 10th call they had received in the last month concerning these horses in the roadway. The complainant told police that the horses appeared emaciated and unkempt, and said they were obviously not being fed and taken care of properly.

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Crews Work on Tower at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department

Posted on Author WKVI
Crews work on the tower at the Starke County Sheriff's Department

The tower at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department sustained damage in yesterday’s storms and crews are on the scene repairing that damage.

“The wind took out the first 60 or 80 feet of the tower, it totally bent it over,” said Starke County Commissioner Dan Bridegroom. “What we’re going to do today (Wednesday) is try to remove the antennas that were on the tower and then take about a 60 foot section off the tower and see if we can replace the antennas to get the coverage throughout the county. This will be the remedy until we get a new tower.”

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Starke County Vehicle Search Turns Up Methamphetamine – Four Arrested

Posted on Author WKVI

Four people were arrested Tuesday after a traffic stop in Starke County.

A deputy from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department conducted a traffic stop on State Road 23 near 950 East and the officer was granted permission to search the vehicle. Several items used to manufacture and package methamphetamine as well as the finished product were found in the vehicle.

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Knox Man Arrested Following Search of Residence

Posted on Author WKVI

A Knox man was arrested Friday after a search warrant was conducted at his residence.

Late Friday night, a search warrant was executed by Starke County officers in the 700 E. block of East State Road 8 in Knox. During the search, officers reportedly found methamphetamine, precursors to manufacture methamphetamine, controlled substances and drug paraphernalia.

Christopher Kennedy was arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, and Possession of Chemical Reagents or Precursors, Controlled Substances and Drug Paraphernalia, plus Maintaining a Common Nuisance. He has since bonded out of the Starke County Jail.

No Fires Reported Over Holiday For Starke, Pulaski Counties

Posted on Author WKVI

Despite the controversy regarding Pulaski and Starke counties’ recent decisions to rescind their burn bans, no fires were reported on Fourth of July in either county.

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department reports that while they had no fire calls on the holiday, they did receive a number of noise complaints because of the fireworks. Overall, it was a safe Fourth of July for the county. No fires and no serious injuries were reported, and the Starke County fireworks celebration went off without a hitch.

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Fallen Tree Causes Moped Accident

Posted on Author WKVI

A moped driver was injured in an accident during the storms that went through the North Judson area last night.

The moped hit a tree in the middle of the road on 250 West near 700 South. The driver was taken to IU Health Starke Hospital and later airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend with unspecified injuries. The Starke County Sheriff’s Department has not released the name of the man involved in the accident.

Police Trace Bookbag Containing Precursors Back To Hamlet Man

Posted on Author WKVI

On Wednesday, June 13, officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department traveled to a residence near 1000 East and 500 North in regards to a book bag that was reportedly thrown from a vehicle.

When the officers arrived, they discovered methamphetamine precursors inside the bag, along with identification belonging ato a Travis O. Davis. After an investigation, police located Davis on June 19 at a residence on Railroad Street in Hamlet.

Davis was arrested and faces preliminary charges of Possession of Precursors.

Starke County Council Considers Purchase Of New Tax Software

Posted on Author WKVI
David Pearman

The Starke County Council discussed the purchase of new software for the Sheriff’s Department to help automate tax warrants and the cash books.

Starke County Council President David Pearman said the biggest concern is the cost for both components which were explained in the proposal given by Rick Culiver from Lieberman Technologies.

“The biggest issue is that it has a pretty substantial cost behind it and it has a pretty substantial maintenance cost,” said Pearman.

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Starke County Man Arrested On Auto Theft Charges

Posted on Author WKVI

A Starke County man was arrested Monday on an active arrest warrant for Auto Theft.

The charge stems from an incident on May 3, when Phillip Frazier reported to Starke County police that a black pickup truck parked in front of his residence was stolen. The vehicle had a flat rear tire and the motor was blown. Frazier said that he had not been at the residence and didn’t witness who might have taken the vehicle.

The suspect, David Whitfield, and his brother, Joshua Whitfield, had reportedly gone to the property on 300 East in Knox and hooked the black pickup truck to the back of the red pickup they were driving and drove away with it. Since the rear tire was flat, a rut was created in the asphalt so the responding officer followed the rut to trace the location of the truck.

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Hunnicutt to Appear for Initial Hearing on Escape Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
Joshua Hunnicutt

After fleeing the Starke County Jail on May 23 and turning himself in just five days later, Joshua Hunnicutt will appear for his initial hearing today for additional charges of Escape and Conspiracy to Commit Escape.

Hunnicutt had been on the run since climbing a razor-wire wall in the recreation area of the jail and fleeing from police. He said he turned himself back in because he realized he had made a poor decision in escaping, and said he doesn’t have any recollection of what took place prior to his escape.

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Four Arrested In Knox On Possession Charges

Posted on Author WKVI

Four people were arrested in Knox on Monday after police reportedly found drugs in a vehicle.

Knox City Police officers and officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Community Corrections were near the Super Value Inn when they saw a suspicious vehicle pull into the hotel parking lot. A woman got out of the car and, once she saw police, quickly got back in. Police stopped the vehicle and talked to the occupants.

One officer reported smelling burnt marijuana in the car and asked everyone to exit the vehicle. After the driver granted police permission to search the vehicle, police reportedly found methamphetamine and marijuana in the car, which were field tested with a positive result on both tests.

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Knox Man Arrested On Auto Theft Charges

Posted on Author WKVI

A Knox man was arrested for the theft of an automobile after an accident in Starke County on Saturday, May 19.

At 5 a.m., officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department were called to an accident on 50 South, just east of 200 East. A witness told police that the driver fled the scene, and officers were unable to locate the suspect.

Later that morning, a woman reported her car stolen from her friend’s home on Toto Road, west of 700 East.

Starke County police continued to investigate the incident and found that it was Zachary Tomerlin of Knox who allegedly took the vehicle from the Toto Road residence. Tomerlin was arrested on Tuesday, May 22, on a preliminary charge of Auto Theft.

Joshua Hunnicutt On The Run From Starke County Jail

Posted on Author WKVI
Rachel Berdine
Joshua Hunnicutt

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department has announced an inmate escape from the rec area of the Starke County Jail. Officials say Joshua Hunnicutt walked out from the jail at 3:55 p.m. yesterday.

Police believe that Hunnicutt escaped from the jail and into a car driven by his girlfriend, Rachel Berdine. She is known to drive a purple 1995 Geo Tracker with license plate number 513CEH. The suspects may have headed south of Knox.

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Residential Entry Charge Filed Against Knox Man

Posted on Author WKVI

A Knox man was arrested on Wednesday, May 16th, after police received a residential entry call.

Patrick Dunn reportedly entered a home on 200 North, walked into the master bedroom of the residence and tapped a woman on the shoulder demanding that she return a cell phone. The woman woke her husband and the pair ordered Dunn out of their home.  He then left on foot.

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Two Arrested on Drug Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
Bryon Green
Brandi Wright

Two people were arrested Tuesday after officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department found them to be in possession of drugs.

Officers were attempting to locate a suspect on an Aggravated Battery charge in the 8000 block of Sycamore Street in Monterey. The suspect’s parents gave the officers permission to search the residence and the suspect was not found. However, they did find $700 in assorted bills, crack cocaine, marijuana and two different types of prescription medications.

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Starke County Traffic Safety Partnership to Participate in Click it or Ticket Campaign

Posted on Author WKVI

Officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Knox and North Judson Police Departments will be participating in the “Click it or Ticket” campaign beginning May 18th through June 3rd.

This blitz, coordinated by the Indiana Governor’s Council on Impaired or Dangerous Driving, allows officers to patrol during this seat belt enforcement period. All drivers and passengers are encouraged to wear their seat belts at all times in a motor vehicle. If you don’t wear your seat belt, you will receive a traffic citation. No warnings will be given.

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Knox Man Arrested Following Pursuit

Posted on Author WKVI
Raymond Higdon

A Knox man was arrested on Friday following a pursuit incident in Starke County.

When a police officer observed a motorcycle traveling south on 1025 East from 300 North, an attempt was made to initiate a traffic stop but the driver did not halt to police. Police say that the driver, Raymond Higdon, looked over his shoulder, saw the officer, and immediately took off.

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1500 Pounds of Medications Collected During Take Back Initiative

Posted on Author WKVI

The Indiana State Police and the Starke County Sheriff’s Department recently participated in a drug take back initiative, sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Statewide, police collected more than 1500 pounds of unused or expired medications. The DEA collected 21 pounds of prescription medication from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bremen Post collected 150 pounds of medication.

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Indiana State Police Partners with DEA For Drug Take Back Initiative

Posted on Author WKVI

It’s time to clean out those medicine cabinets. The DEA is sponsoring their Fourth Annual “Prescription Drug Take Back” initiative, giving citizens the perfect opportunity to dispose of those unwanted or unused prescription medication. On Saturday, April 28th, citizens that wish to participate in the program may drop off their prescription drugs for disposal at any State Police Post throughout the state, except the Toll Road Post.

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Three Injured in Two Vehicle Accident

Posted on Author WKVI

Three people were injured in a two vehicle accident around 8:30 p.m. last night on U.S. 30 just east of the Grovertown Truck Stop.

Starke County police say that a passenger car was northbound on 1100 East, crossed the median, hesitated in the median, and began to proceed into the path of an oncoming semi. The driver of the semi tried to stop and swerved to the right to attempt to avoid a collision, however the driver could not stop. The semi was loaded at the time of the accident.

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