Warsaw

Officers with the Warsaw Police Department investigated the following incident:

• 6:23 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, 500 block of East Market Street, Warsaw. Demariol Lospon reported theft of a bicycle.
• 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, 1100 block of North Park Avenue, Warsaw. Jessica Giron Vega reported her bicycle was stolen while she was at work.

Kosciusko

Officers with the Kosciusko Sheriff’s Department investigated the following incident:

• 10:16 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, 3600 block of North CR 175E, Warsaw. Alexander Ianson reported the theft of a black Android cell phone from a residence.

Kosciusko

The following individuals were booked in the Kosciusko County Jail:

Warsaw

Officers with the Warsaw Police Department investigated the following incidents:

• 7:48 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, 600 block of South Buffalo Street, Warsaw. Tony E. Lloyd turned in a bicycle that he had found to the Warsaw Police Department.
• 10:35 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, 500 block of North Detroit Street, Warsaw. Samuel Paul Drazich reported a bicycle was found at the back door of Pizza Hut.

Kosciusko

The following people were booked in the Kosciusko County Jail:

WARSAW — Attendance in the Kosciusko Circuit Court room dwindled as the trial of Brandon Woody and Kyle DeHart continues for the third day. The two are on trial for the Feb. 19, 2015, murders of Tara Thornburg and Josh Knisley.

Family members of the two victims, however, and a few family members and friends of the defendants remain steadfast in their attendance.

Testimony Wednesday included the cross examination of Kosciusko County Detective Josh Spangle over evidence found and brief testimony by Arlen Miller, Ash Road, Nappanee, who discovered a wallet containing identification of Kyle DeHart on March 11, 2015.

The wallet was found on Shively Road in St. Joseph County, one-half mile west of the Elkhart County line. Following objections the jury was given the stipulation this evidence was only to support Tom Hursey’s earlier testimony that he had been asked to take DeHart to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to get a new license after DeHart stated he lost his.

Also testifying was Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Fire Chief Michael Wilson, who was coroner at the time of the murders. While scene and autopsy photographs were not shown to the audience, the jury was warned the photos were quite graphic.

During Wilson’s testimony, which included explaining procedures of investigating the scene, he testified to the autopsy results for both victims. The bullet entrance wound on Knisley was on the back side of the neck, near the hairline, going through the brain and exciting above the right eye, causing instant death. He also testified there was evidence a gun had been fired at a close range.

The death of Thornburg was caused by a brain shock wave, which caused trauma to the brain through the slow swelling of the brain. Wilson testified a bullet entrance wound was found above the upper lip, below the center of the nose, and exited behind the left ear in the hairline. He stated the entrance wound caused two front teeth to be lost and because of the shock wave type trauma to the brain, it did not cause instant death.

Additionally Wilson testified toxicology reports showed both Thornburg and Knisley had traces of marijuana in their systems. He could not testify as to when the drug was introduced to each person’s system.

John VanderReyden, who observed Woody rapping at a party and pulling a pistol from the waistband of his pants in the choreographing of the song several months before the shooting, was also a witness. Other witnesses included Syracuse Police Chief Jim Layne, testifying to the statement given voluntarily by VanderReyden, and the recalling of Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Detective Josh Spangle, trained in extraction of information from cell phones.

During Spangle’s presentation graphs of overall phone usage of Woody’s and DeHart’s phones between Jan. 28 through Feb. 19 were presented. Graphs were shown on the number of times the two communicated, either by text or phone calls, to each other. One graph showed a time frame between 10:46 p.m. Feb. 18 and 1:35 a.m. Feb. 19, that neither phone was used.

During cross examination, Spangle was asked if similar examinations were done on the phones of Hursey, Thornburg and Knisley. No data was found on Thornburg’s phone after Feb. 5, and Knisley’s phone could not be accessed due to encryption. Regarding Hursey’s phone it was noted he was “off air” from 9:42 a.m. Feb. 18 until 2:58 p.m. Feb. 20.

Afternoon testimony was slated to begin at 1:30 p.m.

Billie Lynn Mireles

WARSAW — A Warsaw woman was arrested after dealing drugs near a park where a child was playing.

Billie Lynn Mireles, 77 King’s Highway, Winona Lake, is being charged with count one dealing in narcotic drug enhancing circumstances, a level 4 felony, and count two dealing in schedule IV controlled substance enhancing circumstances, a level 6 felony.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on May 25, an officer witnessed Mireles sell ten oxycodone pills, a schedule II narcotic drug, to an individual for $120.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Mireles sold the pills at 533 East Market St., approximately 224 feet from Liz Fraser Field public park and approximately 500 feet from Richardson Dubois public park. The parks are adjoined as one public park, however, the segments have different names. Officers confirmed one elementary aged child and two adults were playing in Richardson Dubois Public Park at the time of the purchase.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on June 3, an officer observed Mireles sell ten alprazolam pills, a schedule IV controlled substance, to an individual for $40.

Mireles was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Oct. 4. and held on a bond of $15,250 surety and cash.

Warsaw

Officers with the Warsaw Police Department investigated the following accidents:

3:06 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, 1 Tiger Lane, Warsaw. Drivers: Cheyenne N. Wenger, 17, East 8 Square Road, Warsaw,  and Madison N. Graham, 17, South Summer Breeze Court, Warsaw. Both drivers were backing out from their parking spaces at Warsaw Community High School. They failed to see each other in their rear view mirrors and collided as they backed into each other. Damages up to $2,500.

3:42 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, East Market Street and South High Street, Warsaw. Drivers: Marjorie E. Amiss, 74, South County Farm Road, Warsaw, and Harley M. Redinger, 57, East Clay Street, Warsaw. Amiss and Redinger were traveling eastbound on Market Street going through the High Street intersection. Amiss and Redinger both merged into the left lanes at the same time causing Amiss to collide with Redinger. Damages up to $2,500.

WARSAW — After witnessing a vehicle swerve across the centerline, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department found various drugs and a large amount of cash on the occupants.

Devin Stuart Gerding, 20, 1692 East CR 200N, Warsaw, is charged with dealing more than one gram of a narcotic drug, a level 4 felony; dealing more than one gram of cocaine, a level 4 felony; possession of a narcotic drug, a level 6 felony; possession of cocaine, a level 6 felony; possession of a syringe, a level 6 felony; dealing an excess of 30 grams of marijuana, a level 6 felony and possession of marijuana, a class B misdemeanor.

Tyler Dean Prater, 19, 206 North Calhoun St., South Whitley, is charged with possession of a narcotic drug, a level 6 felony and possession of a syringe, a level 6 felony.

On Sept. 27, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department observed a vehicle swerve over the centerline. The officer conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as Gerding. Prater was located in the backseat of the vehicle with another male in the passenger’s seat.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, while speaking with Gerding, the officer observed a metal tray sticking out from under the driver’s seat and a hollowed out cigar wrapper. The officer instructed Gerding to exit the vehicle. As Gerding was exiting the vehicle, the officer observed a small baggie in the door handle area.

The officer asked Gerding if he had any narcotics in the vehicle. Gerding admitted that he did and handed over a silver metal cylinder that contained two small ziploc baggies. One baggie contained 1.3 grams of cocaine and the second baggie contained 2.4 grams of heroin.

Inside Gerding’s pocket, the officer found $5,095 with 48 of the bills being $100 bills. Gerding also removed an orange pill bottle from his crotch area that contained 6.4 grams of marijuana.

The officer then searched Prater and found a Crown Royal bag in his waistband. Prater advised there were items in the bag that would stick the officer. Inside the bag, the officer found six hypodermic needles, three metal spoons, four pieces of cotton and a significant amount of clear plastic bags. The officer field-tested one of the spoons and it tested positive for heroin.

The officer then searched the backseat of the vehicle and located a backpack. The backpack contained two large bags of marijuana that had a combined weight of 112 grams.

Prater admitted to the officer that he had been addicted to heroin for one year and had used heroin approximately two hours before the officer made the traffic stop.

Both men were booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on Sept. 28 with $15,250 bonds.

Kosciusko

The following people were booked in the Kosciusko County Jail:

WARSAW — “Who was it?” asks Syracuse Police Officer Joe Denton, getting no answer to the question he asks. “Who was in the house?” Tara Thornburg clearly states, “Brandon Woody.” You hear Denton calling Woody’s name and her stating, “they’re not here.”

These comments are heard in a video from the body cam worn by Denton, the first officer on the scene at 205 E. Main St., Syracuse, responding to a call of a shooting in February of 2015. The video, at a distance, showed Thornburg laying on the living room floor, then getting up to use the bathroom.

This was the last piece of evidence submitted by the state Wednesday, Oct. 5, in the trial of Brandon Thomas Woody and Kyle David DeHart for the murders of Thornburg and Josh Knisley. Only a small portion of the body cam recording was allowed to be shown to the jury and the audience.

Following brief cross examination by Larry Hansen, Woody’s counsel, and Joe Sobek, co-counsel for DeHart, the state rested its case and the trial recessed for the day.

Sobek questioned the number of cases Denton has handled involving traumatic head injuries and challenges associated with such injury. He also asked the approximate amount of blood Thornburg had lost. Denton stated her reactions seen in the video were common. He also stated he was not a doctor and could not indicate the amount of blood loss.

Hansen asked if Thornburg identified any one else, which she did not.

Other testimony for the afternoon included those of Breanna Schneider, Jacob Larkin, Indiana State Trooper Neil Hodges and Ashlyn Shepard.

Schneider testified to the arrival of Woody at the apartment she shared with her fiancé, a male friend of her fiancé and Thomas Hursey. She stated Woody appeared at the residence, in a T-shirt and jeans, sometime between 5-5:30 a.m. Feb. 19. Thinking it was Hursey, because of the use of a coded knock, she opened to door to find Woody. He immediately asked if he could stay. She testified she repeatedly told him to leave before he finally left. She did not see what direction he went.

Larkin, who became emotional when testifying about his friendship with Thornburg, primarily testified about events on Feb. 18 and getting his cell phone back from Joan DeHart on Feb. 23. He testified of getting a weird feeling while in the vehicle alone with Woody and Hursey during the late evening hours of Feb. 18, as they prepared to take him home. “It was long enough I began to think what is going on?” Larkin testified. He later testified when DeHart entered the vehicle, everything was normal.

The defense focused on Larkin’s purchase of “medicinal” marijuana from Thornburg on Feb. 18 and previous purchases and the various distances between a number of locations.

Hodges’ testimony dealt with the arrest of Woody at a gas station at Day and Fir roads in Mishawaka. Only three minutes of the gas station surveillance camera was allowed to be shown. This portion showed police walking up to a vehicle Woody was believed to have been in. The vehicle was covered with snow. Woody’s arrest was not shown.

Shepard, who has a child with DeHart, was extremely emotional during her testimony. She testified meeting with DeHart twice on Feb. 18 and then again around noon, Feb. 19. She also testified why she initially told police DeHart was with her on the evening of the 18th, as that is what she had told her grandmother, when she left to be with friends.

Shepard was questioned if she had seen the black tennis shoes entered into evidence. She testified she had seen similar shoes at the DeHart residence and was pretty sure the shoes belonged to his father, Scott DeHart. Under cross examination she testified she had never seen Kyle DeHart wearing the shoes.

Counsels for the two defendants began their defense presentations at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 6.

WARSAW — Scott DeHart, father of defendant Kyle DeHart, was the lone witness for either of the defendants in what appears to be the final day in trial of the accused murders of Tara Thornburg and Josh Knisley on Feb. 19, 2015.

The morning session was underway by 8:29 a.m. with Larry Hansen, counsel for DeHart, calling his client’s father to the stand. Scott DeHart’s testimony lasted approximately 30 minutes.

When given the opportunity to present any evidence or witnesses on behalf of Brandon Woody, Scott Lennox, counsel for Woody, stated he had no evidence or witnesses. Having no other rebuttal evidence by the state, the court recessed shortly after 9 a.m. to prepare final instructions for the jury and allow attorneys to prepare closing statements.

During testimony, Scott DeHart, a teacher and coach for the past 26 years, and a former athletic director, stated his wife and three children: Allison, who passed away approximately five years ago; Kyle and Ben, had resided at the residence on North CR 450E, Syracuse, and the four of them were residing there at the time of the murders. It was also noted he volunteered to testify.

Scott DeHart testified nothing unusual happened the day of Feb. 18 at the residence. He testified seeing his son at the residence and no one else between the hours of 10:45 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., basing those times on television shows he was watching. He even testified to talking to his son on several occasions.

Noted earlier in Scott DeHart’s testimony was the fact all three of the DeHart children had been adopted. Scott DeHart was asked his son’s age and noted he was born in 1992, but could not get the age correct stating he had a hard time remembering birth dates. He also testified that he has known his son since he was a few days old.

“I love Kyle very much,” his father testified, adding he would not be making things up to save him.

During questioning of the prosecution, which focused on how he could remember times that evening, but not the dates of the birthdays, Scott DeHart stated he was advised by investigators to make notes, which he did several days after the murder. Dan Hampton, prosecutor, asked why that information was never provided to authorities, Scott DeHart stated “No one ever asked me for it.”

Scott DeHart also testified that he never saw Brandon Woody at his residence that evening, and did not know his wife, Joan, had taken Woody from the residence until after she came back and told him she had. Scott DeHart also testified that between 5:15-6 a.m. on Feb. 19, he and his wife went to see Kyle in his room and ask what was going on. Scott DeHart testified his son was at the home when he left for work around 7 a.m.

During questioning by Lennox, Scott DeHart stated that 99 percent of the time when his son had friends over he would investigate who was present. He also testified that there is a separate entrance to the man cave and he would not be aware of any entry or exits from that area.

Hansen asked Scott DeHart to carefully examine the tennis shoes admitted into evidence before asking if those were his. Scott DeHart testified they were not as he wears size 12. During recross questioning, Hampton brought up the fact Ashlyn Sheperd had testified those had been seen at the DeHart residence. “I know those are not my shoes,” Scott DeHart noted.

Kosciusko County Judgments
Kosciusko County Filings

Small Claims

The following small claim has been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court III, Judge Joe V. Sutton presiding:

• Discover Bank v. Brian D. Apt, Mentone, $3,691.60
• Lake City Animal Clinic v.
  Brenda Baldridge, $487.09
  Michelle Mikesell, Silver Lake, $331.92
• Michiana Anesthesia Care, P.C. v. Paul Bartels, North Webster, $1,460.95
• Warsaw Health System LLC v.
  Kristi Bodley, Winona Lake, $1,955.18
  Ruth E. Ellis, Pierceton, $996.57
  Marion Lilly, Syracuse, $2,299
  Chastity Osborne, Mentone, $2,598.30
  Samantha F. Payton, Pierceton, $1,364.80
  Matthew Robertson, Pierceton, $2,059.96
  Linda K. Warrenramsey, Warsaw, $1,361.02
• Shaffer Rentals v. Doris & Larry Bush, Warsaw, $2,034.84
• Showbarker LLC v.
  Travis Coday, Syracuse, $962.59
  Kevin Klein, Warsaw, $517.93
• City of South Bend v.
  Christopher Creekmore, Pierceton, $1,296.14
  Christopher Creekmore, Pierceton, $1,268.93
• One Advantage LLC v.
  Amy L. Curry, Syracuse, $1,478.49
  Stephen Dickson, North Webster, $4,543.66
  Christopher J. Grimes, Syracuse, $1,639.14
• Reed Earhart Lennox & Barrett v. Kerry E. Fribley, North Webster, $612.91
• Communitywide Federal Credit Union v. Roberta M. Hershberger, Warsaw, $4,796.82
• Kerry L. Morton v.
  Floyd F. Krenn, Plymouth, $4,181
  Joe Sanchez, Warsaw, $4,181
• Blackford Law Office v. Aliesha W. Stevens, Warsaw, $1,828.77

Civil Collections

The following civil collections have been awarded in Kosciusko County Courts:

• Fort Wayne Radiology Association v. Mary B. Bradley, Sidney, $1,379.60
• Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC v. Andrea Chupp, Milford, $842.89
• Snow & Sauerteig LLP v. Kim Motherwell, Grand Rapids, Mich., $23,613.79
• Sagamore Community Federal v. Christopher M. Murray, Bunker Hill, $6,117.89
• Communitywide Federal Credit Union v. Nancy Planck, Leesburg, $5,599.64
• Discover Bank v. Rose A. Price-Cihlar, Syracuse, $16,575.91

Superior Court II

The following traffic infraction has been filed in Kosciusko Superior Court II, Judge Torrey Bauer presiding:

Speeding — Kelsey Hedrick, Warsaw, $192.50; Marcia A. Erickson, Warsaw, $158.50; Jack A. Engler, Warsaw, $158.50, Rhonda K. Anderson, Claypool $192.50.

Failure of Occupant to Use Safety Belt — Cameron M. Lowe, Warsaw, $25; Allyson N. Wright, Warsaw, $25; BryanJason Passenger, Vicksburg, Mich., $25.

Marriage Licenses

The following couples have applied for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk of the Court Ann Torpy:

Gutzwiller-Schmitt
Ryan Jonathan Gutzwiller, 33, Chicago and Christina Schmitt, 25, Chicago

Cassatt-Crittendon
Jordan Christopher Cassatt, 19, North Webster and Taysha Lynn Crittendoon, 20, North Webster

Weimer-Keefer
Patrick K. Weimer, 52, Warsaw and Becky K. Keefer, 52, Warsaw

Criswell-Chapman
Joseph Luis Criswell, 36, Pierceton and Kimberly Sue Chapman, 30, Pierceton

Bedward-Cook
Robert Ray Phillip Bedward, 34, Etna Green and Ashley Denise Cook, 36, Franklin

Brown-Keene
Gerald S. Brown, 64, Cromwell and Audrey Lynn Keene, 48, Cromwell

Boganwright-Miller
Trent Jay Boganwright, 26, Claypool and Hannah Lanay Miller, 25, Claypool

Allen-Allen
Samuel Ray Allen, 56, Claypool and Charlotte L. Allen, 50, Claypool

Cook-Reed
Eric L. Cook, 34, Warsaw and Robin Nicole Reed, 41, Warsaw

Marriage Dissolutions

The following couples have filed for marriage dissolutions in the Kosciusko Superior and Circuit courts:

Howard — Terry J. Howard, Milford, and Tabatha Howard, Milford. Married: Sept. 29, 2012. Separated: Aug. 1, 2016. There are no minor children.

Owens — Ivonne Owens, Warsaw, and Christopher Owens, Warsaw. Married: May 6, 2000. Separated: Aug. 20, 2016. There are two minor children.

Streby — Jeffrey T. Streby, Syracuse, and Brandi Streby, Syracuse. Married: Feb. 12, 2001. Separated: Aug. 14, 2016. There are no minor children.

Stratton — Marisa Stratton, Winona Lake, and Brian Stratton, Winona Lake. Married: June 10, 2009. Separated: Aug. 29, 2016. They have two minor children.

Rachael Leann Adams

WARSAW — A Warsaw woman is facing forgery charges after writing checks from a deceased man’s closed bank account.

Rachael Leann Adams, 38, 3762 West Old Road 30, Warsaw, is being charged with five counts of forgery, each a level 6 felony.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Feb. 5 officers with the Warsaw Police Department responded to a forgery at Short Stop Convenience Store. The manager of the store advised that on Jan. 25, a female later identified as Adams had entered the store on two separate occasions and had written checks that were returned on a closed bank account. The manager gave officers the forged checks as well as the surveillance footage of Adams using the checks.

Officers found that the owner of the checks was deceased. Officers spoke with his widow who advised the account owner had died in 2007 and his account was closed. The checks had been in a kitchen cabinet at her residence.

When officers spoke with Adams, she advised she had gotten the checks from a female who stated they belonged to her boyfriend’s ex-stepdad and were given to the couple to be used for emergencies. Adams admitted to using three or four of the checks, but could not remember specifically if she had used them at Short Stop.

Officers went to Wilby’s and discovered three more forged checks in the account’s name written over a two day period in late January. Copies of the checks and surveillance footage of Adams using the checks were obtained.

Rachael Leann Adams is being held at Kosciusko County Jail on $5,250 bond.

Warsaw

Officers with the Warsaw Police Department investigated the following accident:

7:19 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, CR 200N and Boeing Road, Warsaw. Driver: Nicholas J. Obacz, 31, Oldfather Street, Warsaw. Obacz was westbound on CR 200N. As he approached a curve, he applied his brakes. Obacz’s rear wheel locked up, causing his vehicle to veer off the road and continue into a ditch. Obacz was ejected from the vehicle. Damages up to $25,000.

WARSAW — Brandon Thomas Woody was found guilty on two counts of murder. Kyle David DeHart was found guilty on two counts of murder and guilty on a charge of obstruction of justice.

The two will be sentenced on these charges at a date to be announced.

Jurors deliberated just over seven hours before the verdict was returned to Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed.

The courtroom was near or at capacity to hear the closing statements and verdicts in the murder trial of Woody and DeHart late Thursday morning. They were charged for the Feb. 19, 2015, murders of Tara Thornburg and Josh Knisley. DeHart was also charged with obstruction of justice in the alleged destruction of evidence.

The case went to the jury at 1:45 p.m.

Indiana law allows the prosecution to present its closing arguments first and rebuttal closing arguments after the defense counsel.

Dan Hampton, prosecuting attorney, showed the photographs of Thornburg and Knisley before sitting them on the prosecution table, near the jurors. “While true these are pictures, to those who personally knew them, they still live in the hearts and souls of their loved ones.” He focused on the trueness of Thomas Hursey’s testimony of where things were in the bedroom and where shoes, a gun magazine and gun were tossed. Hampton referred to the inability of not locating the gun to finding a needle in a haystack.

Hampton also referred to other testimonies given by state witnesses and words used in the rap songs admitted into evidence.

“Following the horror at the house, the Thornburg family lost a daughter. The Knisley family lost a son. We lost, in our community, two caring young adults who lost their two lives in the ruthless action of these three (stating loudly their names) Thomas Hursey, Brandon Woody and Kyle DeHart,” stated Hampton.

Scott Lennox, counsel for Woody, centered his closing arguments around the state’s star witness, Hursey and described Hursey as a contracted liar. He noted his convictions on crimes and as a contracted liar set up his friends for convictions, after which his charges began to drop off. Lennox indicated that Hursey was the killer, not his client.

Lennox stated Hursey never came forward until he was in hot water and then walked away, even going so far as to ask for the mother of his child, who has custody, to be put in jail for drug use.

Lennox stated it made no sense for Thornburg to accuse someone she knew and had no bad blood between. Why he asked, referring to the shock wave injury to the brain stem of Thornburg and not being in the right mind and because she knew Woody, but did not Hursey.

Larry Hansen, counsel for DeHart, made similar arguments as Lennox, indicating it was Hursey who pulled the trigger and then accused Woody and DeHart. He referenced Hursey’s testimony of DeHart’s vehicle being a community car, of a neighbor only hearing two car doors slam and of the father of DeHart testifying his knew his son was at home. Hansen asked the question ‘who were the jurors going to believe?’

Hansen referenced several points made during the testimony of Josh Larkin, regarding the cell phone left behind, and who was immediately in the vehicle the night before the murders. Larkin testified it was Hursey, Woody and himself with DeHart entering possibly five minutes later. This, stated Hanson, contradicted Hursey’s testimony that all four entered the vehicle at the same time.

He also argued there was no proof or evidence, other than the fact the items were at the DeHart residence, that his client participated in the destruction. He pointed the finger at Hursey.

Hansen stressed the defense did not have to prove one thing and again asked the jurors who they would believe, the father or Hursey.

Hampton’s rebuttal argument disputed comments from the defense attorneys and further expounded the meanings and definitions of a number of the instructions given to the jurors. As did his opponents during their arguments.

“Instead of me having the last word, who more qualified than one individual to have the last word,” stated Hampton. It was at this point the 911 call was replayed with Thornburg stating the name Brandon Woody and “he” knocked her out and shot her boyfriend. She also gave her name to the dispatcher. “She had enough presence of mind to give her name and ID her shooter, and tell Joe Denton (first on the scene) ‘they’re gone,’ ” concluded Hampton.

LEESBURG — An 18-year-old Leesburg man was arrested after having sexual relations with a minor.

Nicholas Reed Colquitt, 18, 105 EMS T26B Lane, Leesburg, is being charged with sexual conduct with a minor at least 14 years old but younger than 16 years old, a level 5 felony.

Nicholas Reed Colquitt

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the victim advised that she left school on Sept. 22 to get something to eat in Warsaw with Colquitt. He drove through Warsaw without stopping to get food and told her they would eat at his residence.

An employee of Child Protective Services interviewed the victim about the incident. The victim advised that Colquitt led her to his bedroom where the intercourse took place. A condom was used but it broke in the process. The victim advised she had never been inside of Colquitt’s residence before that day and he knew her age at the time of sexual intercourse.

An officer with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department spoke with Colquitt. Colquitt advised that he and the victim went to his residence where they kissed and clothes were removed. He admitted to the acts as the victim described them to the CPS employee. Colquitt told the officer he thought the victim was older, but they were not currently and had never dated.

The officer obtained a search warrant of the residence and found a cushion described by the victim, an empty package for an emergency contraceptive tablet, one broken condom, three used unbroken condoms and nine empty condom wrappers.

Colquitt was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on Oct. 5 with a $10,250 surety and cash bond.

Kosciusko

The following individuals were booked in the Kosciusko County Jail:

Kosciusko

Officers with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department investigated the following accidents:

10:31 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, East US 30 and South CR 325E, Warsaw. Drivers: Janice C. Osborn, 59, East CR 100S, Pierceton, and Lloyd E. Tatman, 44, Fleming Road, Garden Prairie, Ill. Osborn was headed south on CR 325 East and turned right to go west on divided US 30. Osborn failed to turn on the westbound lanes and instead headed onto the east bound lanes of US 30. Osborn was going the wrong way on a one way lane of travel. Osborn traveled west in the east bound lanes a short distance until she collied head-one with another vehicle. Damages up to $25,000.

6:27 a.m. Friday, Oct. 7, South SR 25 and South CR 400W, Warsaw. Driver: Robert D. Warner, 48, West Center Street, Warsaw. Warner was unable to avoid a collision with a deer than ran out in front of Warner’s vehicle. Damages up to $5,000.

Warsaw

Officers with the Warsaw Police Department investigated the following accident:

11:26 a.m. Friday, Oct. 7, North Parker Street and East Fort Wayne Street, Warsaw. Drivers: Willa L. Henry, 80, Brookview Drive, Warsaw,  and Sandra M. Dewald, 73, East CR 1200N, Roanoke. As Henry began to turn right onto Parker Street. Henry did not see Dewald and struck the passenger side of the vehicle. Damages up to $2,500.