Two Arrested after Search Warrant

Posted on Author WKVI
Jessica Boyd
Shawn Heck

Two Knox residents were arrested on drug charges on Wednesday.

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department received information regarding a possible methamphetamine operation at 2135 S. Rhea Street in Knox. After an investigation, detectives applied for a search warrant for the residence, which was granted. Starke County and Knox City police officers executed the search warrant and reportedly found an active one-pot method methamphetamine lab, precursors used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, the finished product, and drug paraphernalia.

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Starke County Woman Arrested after Alleged Threat

Posted on Author WKVI

A Knox woman was arrested Thursday after she allegedly threatened to kill someone.

Starke County Police were called to a residence in reference to an intimidation incident. Samantha Hansel told police that Shelly Ziemba invited her over to her house where she reportedly proceeded to display unusual behavior and act inappropriately toward her. Hansel told police that Ziemba tried to force her to drink an entire bottle of alcohol and she tried on more than one occasion to leave the residence but was not successful. When she did finally leave the residence, Ziemba allegedly ran after her and threatened to kill her. She ran back to her friend’s home and the police were notified and told of the incident.

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No Life Threatening Injuries in Fiery Crash in San Pierre

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County emergency personnel were called to an accident yesterday afternoon where two vehicles burst into flames.

When officers arrived at the scene at U.S. 421 in San Pierre, they found a semi and a car fully engulfed in flames. Both drivers had been pulled from the wreckage. Officers determined that the driver of the passenger vehicle crossed the center line causing the accident. The semi was hauling mattresses which took firefighters nearly three hours to extinguish.

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Four Arrested for Methampetamine Lab in Knox

Posted on Author WKVI

While serving three arrest warrants on Robert Singleton and Matthew Baker, officers found the suspects Friday at 415 N. State Road 23 in Knox—along with an active methamphetamine lab and a slew of drugs in the presence of two young children.

When they arrived at the residence, officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Knox Police Department found Baker entering a vehicle and moved to detain him before finding an active one-pot methamphetamine lab in his hand. A brief altercation ended with a handcuffed Baker in the back of a squad car.

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Two Lives Saved due to Swift Action Taken by Police Officer, Firefighter

Posted on Author WKVI

A Knox City Police officer and a Knox fireman are being hailed as heroes after they freed occupants of a overturned car in a deep ditch filled with water.

On Saturday afternoon, the Starke County Sheriff’s Department received a call of a traffic accident on State Road 8 near 200 East. The caller stated he was following his wife, Tessa J. Haney, when her vehicle hit a patch of ice and she lost control of the vehicle. It landed on its top in a deep ditch on the south side of the roadway with water filling the car.

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Accidents Reported in the Kankakee Valley

Posted on Author WKVI

The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department responded to a single vehicle accident on 1500 South, one mile East of State Road 39 last night around 8:00 p.m. One occupant was taken to the hospital.

Knox City Police Department officers were called to a rollover accident on Bender Street near Pacific Avenue around 10:00 p.m. last night. This was also a single car accident and minor injuries were reported in this accident.

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department officers were called to a rollover accident early this morning at 1075 W. State Road 10. This was a one vehicle accident with one person injured.

All of these accidents are still being investigated and we hope to get more information on these cases once more information is available to us.

Knox Man Charged after Driving under the Influence

Posted on Author WKVI
John Lenig

A Knox man was arrested Sunday, January 29th after he reportedly hit a patch of ice and hit a tree while driving under the influence.

John Lenig told a Starke County Sheriff’s Department officer that he hit a patch of ice on Toto Road near State Road 23 and he hit a tree. After the vehicle hit the tree, it burst into flames. Josh Workman said that he drove upon the accident and saw that the car had hit the tree and was on fire. He saw Lenig out of the car and a female passenger, Amber Sheperd, still trapped in the car. Workman removed her from the wreckage and took her to IU Health Starke Hospital. She was later airlifted to a South Bend hospital for treatment of a broken neck and an internal injury.

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Two Arrested after Police Investigation

Posted on Author WKVI
Phillip Mullins
Angela McDougal

Two Knox residents were arrested this weekend as a result of a police investigation into a possible methamphetamine lab.

On Friday, February 3rd, officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Hamlet Police Department served an arrest warrant on Phillip Mullins in the 3000 block of 400 North in Knox, and found him, as well as a female and child, inside the residence. After Mullins was arrested, police also located an inactive methamphetamine lab, a hydrochloric acid generator, and several items associated with manufacturing methamphetamine, in addition to marijuana and other paraphernalia.

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Three Arrested after Alleged Burglary Incident

Posted on Author WKVI
James Keller
Stephen Wood
David Miller

Three North Judson residents were arrested on Wednesday, January 28th after an alleged Burglary incident.

Starke County police received a phone call about a truck parked at a house on 300 East that wasn’t supposed to be there. Police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Stephen Wood. Wood and his passenger, David Miller, told police that they were on their way to Miller’s house and the police let them go. The officer visited the witness who said that while the officer was conducting the traffic stop, a man, later identified as James Keller, was running southbound on 300 East. The officer got back into his car and found the suspect in the woods by using his thermal imager. A K9 unit was used to find him in the woods and he was taken into custody without further incident. Evidence at the scene suggested that he had stolen some items from a residence nearby.

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Knox Man Arrested after Burglary Incident

Posted on Author WKVI
Jacob Hanselman

A Knox man was arrested after a search warrant was conducted at his home Monday.

Officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department received a call Sunday about a burglary incident in the east 100 block of 400 South. The victim told police that a gun, a television and prescription medication were stolen.

After an investigation, detectives from the Sheriff’s Department applied for a search warrant for Jacob Hanselman’s residence at 309 Ruthie Dr. Apt. A-1 in Knox. Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall approved the search warrant. On Monday, officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Knox City Police Department executed the search warrant where they reportedly found items that had been reported stolen.

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Two Grovertown Residents Arrested after Police Conduct Search Warrant

Posted on Author WKVI
Heather VanDusen
Julius Novitzke

Two Grovertown residents were arrested Wednesday after a search warrant was executed at their residence.

Officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and the Indiana State Police conducted a drug investigation at 10195 E. Francis Street in Grovertown. Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall approved a search warrant for the property and officers from Starke County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police and the Plymouth K9 unit executed the search warrant early Wednesday morning. Officers located several items commonly used the manufacture of methamphetamine, discarded methamphetamine labs, the finished product and other controlled substances.

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Knox Woman Arrested after Battery Incident

Posted on Author WKVI
Jennifer Czarnecki

A Knox woman faces seven charges after a battery incident on Saturday.

Starke County police were called to a residence in North Judson where it was reported a female had been battered. When the Starke County officer arrived on scene, he observed a woman in handcuffs attempting to leave the back of the police car. She had reportedly told her mother that she had been battered, but no evidence of the battery was indicated.

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Knox Man Arrested on Battery Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
James Daniel

A Knox man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly battering his wife and firing a gun at her.

Starke County police received a call from the victim who said that she and James Daniel were arguing and he reportedly shoved her while she was on the phone with her father and she shoved him back. He then allegedly hit her in the face with his fist. He told her to exit the residence and her father came to get her.

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Starke County Police Arrest Two on Warrants

Posted on Author WKVI
Anne Marie Geller
Aaron Armes

Two people have been arrested on warrants involving drug charges. In December, Starke County police conducted a search warrant on a camper located on 200 South in Knox and found several items associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine and other controlled substances and drugs. Police also searched an area in the woods and found other items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. Arrest warrants were then applied for and approved for Aaron Armes and Anne Marie Geller who were known to live in the camper. Continue reading →

Yearly Statistics for Local Police Departments

Posted on Author WKVI
police badge

The North Judson Police Department had a total of 3,820 calls in 2011. The department had 832 traffic stops, 162 theft-conversion calls, 64 accident calls, 201 juvenile-family disturbance calls, 75 mischief-vandalism calls, and 55 assaults, battery and fighting calls. The officers also completed 12 Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated reports, 27 battery reports, 23 alcohol-drug reports and 116 adult arrests. 538 traffic warnings were also given in 2011.

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Knox Man Arrested on Possession Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
Vernon Dale Chessor

A Knox man was arrested on possession charges after a traffic stop on Thursday, January 5th.

An officer from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department pulled over a vehicle driven by Jennifer Bonnell on 200 South East of 550 East in Knox. She had allegedly driven into the officer’s lane as she approached him. As the officer turned around and activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop, the passenger, Vernon “Dale” Chessor, allegedly opened his door, dropped something outside of the car, and then shut the door. The officer called for another officer to see what the object was and continued with his traffic stop.

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Accident Claims Life of Plymouth Woman

Posted on Author WKVI

Emergency personnel were called to an accident on 1100 East, just north of U.S. 30 in Starke County yesterday afternoon. According to an officer from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department, 45-year-old Lois Bickel, of Plymouth, was traveling northbound on 1100 East, when for some unknown reason, left the roadway, went sideways, went into the ditch and hit some trees. She was airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital and later died of her injuries.

The St. Joseph County Coroner’s Office determined her cause of death as blunt force trauma. The Starke County Sheriff’s Department investigated the accident.

Two Arrested after Confronted with Intimidation Incident

Posted on Author WKVI
Donald Benton, Jr.
Donald Benton, Sr.

A father and son were arrested Saturday night after the son was confronted about an intimidation incident.

Starke County police were called after Donald Benton, Jr. allegedly threaten to kill a North Judson man. Benton, Jr. went to a North Judson residence and asked the victim to call another individual to meet Benton, Jr. somewhere so he could kill him, according to the police report. The victim said he wasn’t going to do that and Benton, Jr. became upset and started screaming at him. Benton, Jr. allegedly held the gun up to his face and threatened him to not tell anyone about what just happened. The victim then told his mother who then called police.

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