Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Bradley Kinzie, 45, Bluffton, pleaded guilty to theft, a Class A misdemeanor.
Ordered to pay $185 and prepare and submit a letter of apology to the Wells County Prosecutor’s office.
Kinzie was charged with taking two push lawn mowers from a Bluffton residence May 23, 2021. Kinzie reportedly had permission from a neighbor of the residence where the mowers were stolen to take scrap metal that the neighbor had. When Kinzie asked about the mowers, the neighbor allegedly told Kinzie he could take those as well, but the neighbor was apparently speaking of two scrap mowers that he had, not the mowers belonging to his neighbor.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Victor Waters, 55, Bluffton, charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor; possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor; operating a motor vehicle without insurance, a Class A infraction, and following another vehicle too closely, a Class C infraction. Larry Mock appointed public defender.
At 6:20 p.m. on April 22, two Ossian police officers were patrolling Jefferson Street when they spotted a muffler lying in the middle of the street. The officers stopped and got out to pick up the muffler when they spotted four vehicles parked in a stone parking lot on the west side of the street nearby. All of them had been involved in a traffic crash while stopped in a line at the traffic light at the intersection of Jefferson and LaFever streets.
The person apparently at fault for the crash, Waters, reportedly struck a vehicle from behind with enough force to push it into the vehicle ahead of it and push that vehicle into the vehicle ahead of it.
Waters reportedly became irritated when one of the officers asked him for his insurance information and more irritated when the officer said that he could smell an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The officer asked Waters if there was any marijuana inside the vehicle and Waters reportedly said there was not. The officer told him that he was going to search Waters’ vehicle and Waters reportedly denied him permission. Because of the odor coming from the car, the officer said he was going to search it anyway.
In the course of the search the officer reportedly found a small plastic bag of green leafy plant material with the odor and appearance of marijuana, a can of Modelo beer and an open bottle of vodka. The officer added that in his interaction with Waters he could smell an odor of alcohol coming from his breath.
Waters reportedly declined to do any tests and a warrant was sought for his blood.
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Audriana Luvenia Elliott, 31, Indianapolis, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor, and auto theft, a Level 6 felony.
Sentenced to 202 days in prison on the felony and 60 days in the Wells County Jail on the misdemeanor. The terms of the sentences are to be served concurrently.
Because she was credited for 202 days spent in confinement awaiting disposition of her case, her sentence was considered as time served.
Ordered to pay $185.50 in court costs.
As part of a plea agreement, charges of resisting law enforcement by use of a motor vehicle, a Level 6 felony, and operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance or its metabolite in his body, a Class C misdemeanor, were both dismissed.
On Jan. 15, Bluffton police responded to a residence on West Wabash Street on a report that a 2008 Subaru Legacy that had been left running by the vehicle owner in a friend’s driveway had been stolen.
Bluffton police issued an alert message to surrounding law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the vehicle. A sheriff’s deputy spotted a vehicle matching the description with an identical license plate number northbound on Ind. 1 and eventually was able to pull it over north of Ossian — after it allegedly continued northbound after the deputy activated first the emergency lights on his patrol vehicle and then eventually the siren.
The deputy noted in his report to the court that at one point the vehicle pulled over onto the shoulder as if it was going to stop and then pulled away again before finally stopping for good in the middle of Ind. 1 near 1200N.
The driver — later identified by police as Elliott — allegedly at first refused to obey the commands of the deputy and other law enforcement personnel who arrived at the scene to assist. She then complied.
Upon questioning, Elliott reportedly at first said the Subaru belonged to a “neighbor friend” but upon further questioning she admitted to the investigating deputy that she had been a patient at the Praxis substance abuse rehabilitation facility on West Lancaster Street, but had left. She wanted to go home to Indianapolis and while out walking she told the deputy she saw the running Subaru in the driveway of the Wabash Street residence, got into it and took off.
The investigating deputy observed she appeared intoxicated but he decided not to perform field sobriety tests due to the frigid weather.
A SoToxa test performed allegedly showed the presence of illegal substances in her system.
She also had a suspended identification card and had never been issued a driver’s license.
Upon performing a criminal records check, the deputy discovered that Elliott had an extensive criminal history with multiple automobile thefts, resisting law enforcement, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, but none of the charges contained disposition information.
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Shauna Brickley, 32, rural Bluffton, violated probation by testing positive for methamphetamine use Dec. 30, 2021, Feb. 10, March 5, and March 7; failing to report to counseling March 3, March 7, and March 8; and failing to comply with the directive of the Department of Child Services.
Ordered to serve 66 days in the Wells County Jail and her probation was extended by six months.
Brickley was originally sentenced Aug. 30, 201, on one count of criminal trespass, a Class A misdemeanor.
File Reports
Reports of receipts and expenditures of a political committee have been filed with the Wells County Clerk’s office by
• Brian Lambert for County Council, Brian James Lambert, rural Bluffton, Republican for Wells County Council District 1.
For the period beginning Jan. 1 and ending April 8 the committee showed no cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, $2,640 in itemized contributions, $285 in unitemized contributions, $185.60 in itemized expenditures, no unitemized expenditures, and finished the reporting period with $2,740 in cash on hand.
The committee owed no debt.
Itemized contributions and receipts were from Jim and Gail Lambert, rural Bluffton, $285; Amy VandenBoom, rural Ossian, $250; Chip and Kim Mann, Bluffton, $200; Blake Poindexter, rural Bluffton, $200; Phil and Jennifer Bredemeyer, rural Ossian, $200, Justin and Kristen Thomas, rural Bluffton, $100; Nola Starkey, rural Bluffton, $100; Caleb abd Cherish Kinsey, Bluffton, $100; Kevin Page, rural Ossian, $100; Grant and Maura Frauhiger, rural Ossian, $100; Zach and Tiffany Hoover, Bluffton, $100; Bill Gardenour, Bluffton, $100; Jeff and Jill Shelton, rural Markle, $100; Scott and Linda Kling, rural Bluffton, $100; Noah Cook, Ossian, $75; Jayde and Abby Steffen, Bluffton, $50; Jay and Cheryl Louison, rural Uniondale, $50; Jackson and Maria Bates, Bluffton, $50; Hannah Miser, rural Bluffton, $50; Janel Rodgers, rural Poneto, $500, Rick and Holly Klopfenstein, rural Bluffton, $50; Tim and Owen Drayer, rural Bluffton, $50; Matt and Jessica Beste, Bluffton, $50; Scott Hultz, Bluffton, $50; Michael and Erica Bennett, rural Geneva, $50; Melissa Combs, Fort Wayne, $50; Patrick and Leann Meyer, rural Bluffton, $30; Judy Herring, rural Keystone, $25; Tonya Jenkins, rural Liberty Center, $25; and Jack and Robin Thornburgh, Bluffton, $25.
The lone itemized expenditures was $185.60 to the Uniondale Post Office for postage.
• Vanover for Wells County, Michael K. “Mike” Vanover, rural Keystone, Republican for Wells County Commissioners District 1. (This is an amended report).
For the period beginning Jan. 1 and ending April 8, the committee showed $15,981.52 in cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period; $19,107 in itemized contributions and receipts, no unitemized contributions and receipts, $10,006.09 in itemized expenditures, no unitemized expenditures and ended the reporting period with $25,512.50 in cash on hand.
The committee owed $4,9937.11 in debt.
Because this is an amended report to adjust the numbers in total expenditures to correct an error from the original report filed April 18, and because this entire report was featured in a previous edition of the News-Banner, the 13-page report is not being reprinted here.
• Wells County Republican Central Committee, Bluffton.
For the period beginning Jan. 1 and ending April 8, the committee showed $44,374.09 in cash on hand, $2,700 in itemized contributions and receipts, $2,467.96 in unitemized contributions and receipts, $3,026.20 in itemized expenditures, $418.70 in unitemized expenditures, and finished the reporting period with $46,097.15 in cash on hand.
The committee owed no debt.
Itemized contributions and receipts were from: Scott Elzey, rural Markle, $400; Jeffrey Espich, Bluffton, $250; Beth Johnson, Fort Wayne, $1,000; Roger Thornton, Bluffton, $250; Matthew Leman for State Representative, Berne, $400; and Committee to Elect Dan Leonard, Huntington, $400.
Richards Restaurant, $363.80, purpose not listed; Wells County Chamber of Commerce, Bluffton, $365, purpose not listed; Print Source, Bluffton, $345.02, purpose not listed; Laura Roberts, rural Bluffton, $203, purpose not listed; Team Mantra Wear, $462, purpose not listed; Prestor Wright, Bluffton, $324, purpose not listed; Bluffton Utilities, $250.10, purpose not listed; and Northern Indiana Public Service Company, $713.28, purpose not listed.
• Committee to Re-elect Scott Holliday, Scott Anthony Holliday, Ossian, Republican for Wells County Sheriff.
For the period beginning Jan. 1 and ending April 8, the committee showed no cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, $12,986.34 in itemized contributions and receipts, $159 in unitemized contributions and receipts; $3,546.06 in itemized expenditures, no unitemized expenditures and ended the reporting period with $9,599.28 in cash on hand.
The committee owed $2,500 in debt to the candidate himself.
Itemized contributions and receipts were from: Scott Holliday, Ossian, $2,500; Roger and Marge Thornton, Bluffton, $100; Randy and LeeAnn Steele, rural Markle, $50; Roger and Susan Popplewell, Bluffton, $60; Hott Family Dentistry, Bluffton, $1,500; Robert Whicker, Uniondale, $500; Gregory Vanover, rural Warren, $500; John Whicker, Bluffton, $250; Benjamin and Kara Beer, Bluffton, $250; Doug and Ruth Dukes, Milford, $300; Michael and Gretchen Gouloff, Fort Wayne, $500; Timothy and Lisa McCormick, Bluffton, $100; LeeAnn Steele, rural Markle, $301.34; Steve and Elaine Pratt, Markle, $100; Jill Shelton, rural Markle, $250; Brandon Harnish, Bluffton, $50; Michael Vanover, rural Keystone, $1,500; Joshua and Staci Hunt, Bluffton, $50; Jeffrey and Sharon Espich, Uniondale, $100; Mark Heirbrandt, Westfield, $1,000; Barry and Cherry Story, rural Bluffton, $250; Chandler and Rachel Gerber, Bluffton, $250; Kerry and Laura Roberts, rural Bluffton, $50; Steve and Melissa Thompson, Bluffton, $250; Glenna Plummer, Bluffton, $100; Andrew and Karen Beckstein, rural Uniondale, $250; Larry Mock, Bluffton, $50; RTT Investments, Fort Wayne, $250; PTR, Fort Wayne, $100; Hoosiers for Holdman, rural Markle, $1,000; Matt S. Lehman for State Representativ e, Berne, $500; Brandon Seifert for Huntertown Town Council, Huntertown, $25.
Itemized expenditures were Facebook, Menlo Park, Calif., $55 for Facebook Boost; Family Farm and Home, Bluffton, $170.97 for T-posts and zip ties; Wix.com, San Francisco, Calif., $123.85 for a web domain, business email, and election website monthly fee.; Harcourt Outlines Inc., Milroy, $1,907.81 for signs, decals and stakes; Mike Vanover for Wells County, rural Keystone, $500 for a campaign donation; Amazon, Seattle, Wash., $48.89 for a printer cartridge, address labels, and fundraiser supplies; Canva, San Jose, Calif., $362.99 for postcards, business cards and monthly subscription fees; Vista Print, Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada, $93.07 for a sponsor board; Walmart, Bentonville, Ark., $96.89, for soda, water, drinks and rubber bands; United States Postal Service, (which post office not specified), $11.60 for stamps.
