Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Bria M. Graham, 20, rural Craigville, pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor.
Sentenced to 180 days in the Wells County Jail, with all but two days suspended — credited as time served, and placed on probation for 363 days.
Ordered to pay court costs and probation fees.
As part of a plea agreement, charges of possession of a Schedule I, II, III or IV controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor; visiting a common nuisance, a Class B misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor, were all dismissed.
Also dismissed, as part of a separate case, were charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor; minor in possession of alcohol, a Class C misdemeanor; and driving left of center, a Class C infraction.
On Jan. 23, 2020, deputies responded to a residence in Uniondale at the request of the mother of a teenage boy. The mother was concerned her son was possibly at the residence taking illegal substances.
When deputies arrived, they did allegedly discover evidence of drug abuse at the residence, including a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the residence, a tin of communal marijuana, a hand written sign that read “Support your local drug dealer,” and a bottle of prescription muscle relaxants for which no one in the residence had a prescription.
Graham was one of several people staying at the residence.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Samuel Mack MacDonald, 21, Andrews, charged with operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalency of .15 percent or more with a prior conviction for the same or a similar offense, a Level 6 felony; operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person with a prior conviction for the same or a similar offense, a Level 6 felony; and an open alcoholic beverage container during operation of a motor vehicle, a Class C infraction.
Wells County Sheriff’s deputies received a report March 11 that an eastbound vehicle had exited Markle on U.S. 224 and the vehicle was driving erratically. The vehicle then reportedly drove off the road near 500W and became stuck in the ditch.
Deputies responded and located the stuck Honda Civic with MacDonald reportedly in the driver’s seat slumped over the steering wheel. The Civic was still in gear — reverse — and locked because it was in gear. A deputy knocked loudly on the driver’s side window, but received no response from the driver. Fearing that the driver might be suffering from a medical emergency that could also possibly pose harm to others since the car was in gear, a sheriff’s deputy broke the window, reached in and put the car in park and turned off the engine.
That woke up the driver — later identified as MacDonald.
The deputy observed in his report that MacDonald smelled of alcohol, appeared intoxicated and refused to take field sobriety tests.
A breath test taken at the Wells County Jail reportedly showed his alcohol concentration equivalency to be .202 percent or more than twice Indiana’s legal limit for intoxication of .08 percent.
MacDonald was also reportedly belligerent and verbally abusive to the deputies and to the nurse who took his blood at Bluffton Regional Medical Center.
MacDonald has a previous conviction in Huntington Superior Court Dec. 20, 2019, for operating a vehicle while intoxicated
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Ryan Martin Charleston, 40, Bluffton, charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person with a prior conviction for the same or a similar offense, a Level 6 felony; operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction for the same or a similar offense, a Level 6 felony; auto theft, a Level 6 felony; driving while suspended with a prior conviction for the same offense, a Class A misdemeanor; and disorderly conduct, a Class B misdemeanor. Bond continued at $5,000. Jeffrey Stineburg appointed public defender.
On March 12, Bluffton police received a report from a woman that she had discovered that her 2015 Chevrolet Malibu had been stolen in Decatur. She told Bluffton police that she had received word that the vehicle was parked at a Bluffton residence.
An officer went to the Arnold Street address given by the woman and there located a vehicle matching the description of the stolen Malibu.
The officer cruised past and noticed that the vehicle was unoccupied. He drove on to speak with the woman who had filed the report.
A second officer, who also was at the scene, reported witnessing a man exit the residence across the street from where the vehicle was parked, get into it, and start driving it away eastbound on Arnold Street. The vehicle then pulled into a parking spot south of Washington Park.
A man, later identified as Charleston, reportedly exited the vehicle and started walking toward one of the officers with his hands in the air. Reportedly he told the officer he wasn’t going to lie, that he had taken and driven the vehicle, but he claimed the keys to the vehicle had been given to him. He needed a way home, so he took the car.
The officer took Charleston to the Bluffton Police Department for questioning. During the interview the officer noted that Charleston smelled of alcohol, appeared intoxicated and admitted to having drank alcohol. A Breathalyzer test allegedly showed his alcohol concentration equivalency to be .180 percent.
The officer observed in his report that Charleston admitted to having taken the vehicle from a residence in Decatur but then became upset and belligerent when asked to perform field sobriety tests.
He reportedly refused to have his blood taken. A warrant was issued and his blood was taken at Bluffton Regional Medical Center.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Drew M. Heller, 33, Bluffton, charged with driving while suspended with a prior conviction for the same offense, a Class A misdemeanor; operating a vehicle without insurance with a prior conviction for the same offense, a Class C misdemeanor; and distracted driving, a Class C infraction.
While on patrol March 11, a Bluffton police officer was stopped at the intersection of Oak Forest Drive and Main Street when he spotted a southbound vehicle in which the driver appeared to have both hands holding a cell phone to his ear. The driver — later identified as Heller — apparently had to brake hard for traffic stopped at a stoplight on Main.
The officer then activated his emergency lights and pulled the vehicle over. During the interaction with Heller, the officer reported that Heller had 19 prior suspensions of his license and one active suspension, which was effective Feb. 2 and did not have a reinstatement date until Oct. 5, 2027.
He also reportedly had no proof that the vehicle was insured.
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Petition for expungement and sealing of criminal records filed by Adams James Till, O’Fallon, Mo.
Infractions
Clancy J. Shank, 43, Fort Wayne; driving while suspended, Morton Street at Metts Street.
Demetria M. Dunnuck, 37, Montpelier; driving while suspended, Lancaster Street at Westgate Road.
Civil Cases
Petition for dissolution filed in the marriage of Catherine Louise Gephart, Bluffton, and Rian Lee Gephart, Bluffton.
Wells Circuit Court
Criminal Cases
Michael A. Randall Jr., Bluffton, violated probation by being arrested for possession of methamphetamine, a Level 5 felony, and resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor; failing to report to his probation officer Oct. 27, 2020; failing to comply with the counseling requirements of his sentencing; leaving the state without permission; and possession of a controlled substance.
Ordered to serve 2,190 days (six years) in prison. Credited for 247 days spent incarcerated awaiting disposition of his case. Advised of right to appeal. Appellate counsel appointed.
Randall was originally sentenced March 23, 2020, on one count of dealing in methamphetamine, a Class A felony.
