Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Justin R. Gardener, 30, Bluffton, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalency of .15 percent or more with a prior conviction for the same offense, a Level 6 felony.
Sentenced to a year in the Wells County Jail, with all but 10 days suspended. Credited for two days spent in confinement awaiting disposition of his case.
Ordered to undergo substance abuse counseling, pay all costs associated with his blood test, a $200 Countermeasures fee, court costs and probation fees.
License suspension stayed and specialized driving privileges with order for ignition interlock granted.
As part of a plea agreement, one count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person with a prior conviction for the same offense, a Level 6 felony, was dismissed.
On March 4, sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a vehicle stopped in the road with the driver slumped over the steering wheel on Ind. 124 near 300W. The deputies discovered that not only was the vehicle stopped with a slumped driver as the passerby reported, but the vehicle was running and still in gear with the driver’s foot on the brake pedal.
Access to the vehicle was gained by the deputies using a lockout tool. Upon opening the door, the arresting deputy observed that a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage could be detected.
The deputies observed in their reports that the driver appeared intoxicated, was unable to complete field sobriety tests and blew a .195 percent alcohol concentration equivalency on a Breathalyzer test.
———
Tami Sue Halopoff, 52, Fort Wayne, violated probation by failing to report to her probation officer Sept. 6 and 14 and failing to report for a drug screening Sept. 14.
Ordered to serve 16 days in the Wells County Jail. Credited for eight days spent in confinement awaiting disposition of her case.
Upon completion of her sentence, her probation will terminate.
Halopoff was originally sentenced Aug. 15 on one count of operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalency of at least .08 percent, but less than .15 percent, a Class C misdemeanor.
———
Elbert Lee Marshall, 56, Bluffton, pleaded guilty to resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor.
Sentenced to 40 days in the Wells County Jail with the term of the sentence to be served consecutively with a three-year term meted in Blackford County Circuit Court on one count of non-support of a dependent child, with a previous conviction for the same offense, a Level 5 felony.
Ordered to pay court costs of $185.
While on patrol in the area of Marion and Lancaster streets May 31, 2021, a sheriff’s deputy reportedly saw a man who appeared to be trying to conceal his identity by hiding his face from view of the deputy. The activity occurred outside of a residence known to local law enforcement for illegal drug activity.
The man was reportedly wanted for arrest on multiple warrants.
The man was not Marshall but Marshall allegedly started to run away from the residence. The deputy reportedly identified himself as law enforcement and ordered Marshall to stop, but Marshall reportedly continued to run and ran in the back door of a nearby residence.
Eventually law enforcement officers were able to arrest Marshall without incident, He allegedly would not tell the deputy why he ran.
Marriage Licenses
Alexys Marie James, 26, Portland, and Ian Michael Abney, 23, rural Poneto.
Desstone Edward Berry, 30, rural Bluffton, and Bridgett Nicole Ruth, 28, Bluffton.
Scott Canterbury Campbell, 59, Longview, Texas, and Brenda Ruth Wendling, 59, Bluffton.
Sonja Renee Croy, 47, Bluffton, and Sean Lee Clark, 52, Bluffton.
Blaine Curtis Tonner, 19, rural Montpelier, and Laurell Frances Wygant, 21, rural Bluffton.
Cassandra Lee Hamilton, 39, Bluffton, and Eric Grandon Foulks, 41, Bluffton.
