INCIDENTS
City:
Tuesday, 3:18 p.m., caller from the 500 block of West South Street reported being conned out of $800 in an internet housing rental scam.
Tuesday, 3:38 p.m., apartment at Valley Park Apartments, 320 W. Dustman Rd. Wells County EMS, Bluffton Fire Department first responders and officers were called to a report of an unresponsive 62-year-old woman. Wells County Coroner requested.
Tuesday, 4:10 p.m., Horton Street resident reported someone claiming to be from Publisher’s Clearing House was trying to scam her into sending the con artist prepaid cards. The resident recognized it as a scam but the scammer was threatening to come to the woman’s house.
Tuesday, 8:59 p.m., McDonald’s restaurant, 984 N. Main St. Caller reported a female acquaintance had dumped chocolate syrup all over the hood of his car.
Wednesday, 12:32 a.m., Lancaster Estates mobile home park, 1211 W. Lancaster St. Caller reported hearing someone trying to break into his residence. Officers and sheriff’s deputies responded. Whoever it had been was gone.
Wednesday, 1:06 a.m., 2300 block of North Main Street. Officer pulled over a vehicle for having a non-functioning driver’s side headlight. The driver, Carlos Valentine Martinez Jr., 47, Fort Wayne, was arrested on charges of unlawful possession of a hypodermic syringe, a Level 6 felony; possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor; and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor. Bond set at $11,000. A search of the vehicle allegedly produced a small bag of a crystalline substance identified by law enforcement as methamphetamine, multiple bottles of alcohol — one of which allegedly was open — a box containing numerous glass pipes which contained a substance consistent in appearance to burned methamphetamine, a contact lens case that contained a substance that appeared to be methamphetamine, a couple of hypodermic syringes, and other drug paraphernalia. Martinez reportedly submitted to a saliva swab and the results of that allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine consumption.
Wednesday, 7:35 a.m., Family Farm and Home, 990 N. Main St. Burglar alarm. Officers responded. Alarm accidentally tripped.
Wednesday, 10:26 a.m., Anytime Fitness, 935 N. Main St. Burglar alarm. Officers responded. Alarm accidentally tripped.
County:
Tuesday, 5:33 p.m., apartment on Countryside Drive in Markle. Caller reported theft of prescription script for an antibiotic.
Tuesday, 11:16 p.m., Ind. 1 south of U.S. 224. Sheriff’s deputy assisted a stranded motorist.
Wednesday, 4:32 a.m., residence on Washington Street in Poneto. Caller reported seeing two large dogs exit through the open door of her garage and was concerned there may be someone inside the garage. Deputies dispatched and located the dogs and also shortly afterward located a man who was out walking looking for the dogs. It appears that only the dogs had been in the garage.
Wednesday, 7:13 a.m., Ind. 116 at 100N. Sheriff’s deputy noticed a vehicle in a field and pulled over to see what was wrong. Driver advised he lost his brakes and had turned into the field to avoid hitting any other vehicles. There was no damage to the vehicle in the field.
Wednesday, 7:39 a.m., Ind. 1 north of 700N. Apparently a large roll of red “danger” tape had fallen off a vehicle and stretched for 300 to 400 yards on the side of the road.
Ossian:
Tuesday, 1:18 p.m., 400 block of North Melching Street, Ossian. Caller reported seeing two men in bright yellow vests walking around the area but did not see any evidence that any construction was being done in the area. Officer responded and spoke with the two men who were with a utility locating service.
ACCIDENTS
City:
Tuesday, 6:50 p.m., Lancaster Street at Columbian Avenue. Madison E. Straw, 22, Fort Wayne, was westbound on Lancaster Street when the 2004 Dodge Caravan she was driving dropped off the right side of the road and struck a no parking sign. Damage exceeded $1,000.
Wednesday, Wabash Street at Main Street. A 2013 Dodge Charger driven by Cheyenne F. Harris, 27, Bluffton, hit from behind a stopped 2014 Honda CR-V driven by David Clark, 47, Bluffton. Damage estimated at less than $1,000.
FIRE RUNS
Tuesday, 4:46 p.m., Lila Lane Apartments, 1550S Plaza St., Apartment 23. Oven fire. Bluffton Fire Department dispatched. Fire contained to the oven. No damage elsewhere. Tenant planned to contact management.
ARRESTS
Ethan Allen Copple, 18, Bluffton; operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in his body, a Class C misdemeanor.
Aaron George Shorts, 25, Fort Wayne; invasion of privacy, a Class A misdemeanor. Bond set at $25,000.
Michael George Isnogle, 27, Bluffton; driving while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor. Bond set at $500.
David Michael Womack, 39, Huntington; five counts of invasion of privacy with a prior conviction for the same offense, all Level 6 felonies. Bond set at $50,000.
TICKETS
Samantha J. Cole, 39, Ossian; distracted driving, Main Street at Wiley Avenue.
