Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Misty M. Kirtz, 41, Paulding, Ohio, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor.
Sentenced to a year in the Wells County Jail on the A misdemeanor with all but 90 days suspended, and 60 days in the Wells County Jail — executed — on the C misdemeanor. The terms of the sentences are to be served concurrently.
Placed on probation for 275 days. Credited for 52 days spent in confinement awaiting disposition of her case. Ordered to pay court costs and probation fees.
As part of a plea agreement, charges of failure to appear in court, a Class A misdemeanor, possession of marijuana, a Class C misdemeanor, and operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance or its metabolite in her body, a Class C misdemeanor, were dismissed.
On Oct. 24, 2020, sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of Ash Road and 400S on a report of a 911 call. The caller, later identified as Kirtz, would later explain that she meant to call 611 because she was lost and she was trying to get directions.
When deputies located Kirtz’s vehicle, they reportedly spoke with Kirtz and she started to cry stating she did not want to drive because she had been drinking. The deputy then noticed that there was smoke coming out from underneath the driver’s side seat of the car Kirtz had been driving. He grabbed a fire extinguisher and then reportedly discovered a half-burned car air freshener under the seat. The deputy noted in his report to the court that it is not uncommon for people in possession of marijuana to try and do things to mask the odor of it to law enforcement. Kirtz denied there was marijuana present in the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle reportedly turned up opened containers of Corona brand beer, a “Grateful Dead” jar of raw marijuana and two smoked marijuana cigarettes in a woman’s bag, and one and a half pills of the prescription anti-anxiety medication Xanax.
Kirtz allegedly admitted to earlier having drank six beers, “jello shots,” and a couple of hard drinks earlier.
She tested .107 percent alcohol concentration equivalency on a portable Breathalyzer test. The legal limit for intoxication in Indiana is .08 percent.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Lawrence Francis Bloom Jr., 35, Fort Wayne, charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor; driving while suspended with a prior conviction, a Class A misdemeanor; operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalency of .15 percent or more, a Class C misdemeanor; and speeding, a Class C infraction. Bond continued at $3,000. Allison Sprunger appointed pauper counsel.
On Jan. 22 a Markle Police officer pulled over a vehicle for driving 62 mph-35 zone on Clark Street near Girvin Street.
Bloom was the driver.
The officer performed a records check and discovered that Bloom had a suspended driver’s license. The officer had Bloom exit his vehicle. At that point he reported being able to detect an odor of an alcoholic beverage on Bloom and that he reportedly had a small bottle of Fireball whiskey in his left coat pocket.
Bloom reportedly blew a .173 percent alcohol concentration equivalency on a portable Breathalyzer test.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Kaleb J. Glatt, 27, Fort Wayne, charged with theft, with a prior conviction for the same or a similar offense, a Level 6 felony; and criminal trespassing, a Class A misdemeanor. Bond continued at $1,500. Jeffrey Stineburg appointed public defender.
On Dec. 15, 2021, Glatt, who reportedly had a trespass warning for all Walmart properties because of previous thefts from Walmart stores, reportedly entered the Bluffton Walmart Supercenter.
An asset protection employee saw Glatt push a shopping cart with a trash can along with other items to a self-checkout aisle. The employee looked into the trash can — which Glatt reportedly was only going to scan as a trash can — and discovered $1,302.61 worth of merchandise inside the can. Glatt was also wearing a backpack that he allegedly picked up in the store.
He left the cart behind but allegedly wore the backpack out of the store. Reportedly the store’s surveillance video captured video images of Glatt exiting the store wearing the backpack.
Walmart is seeking restitution for the $19.97 backpack that Glatt is alleged to have stolen.
