Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Charges of driving while suspended with a prior conviction for the same offense, a Class A misdemeanor; operating a motor vehicle without insurance with a prior conviction for the same offense, a Class C misdemeanor; operating a motor vehicle with a fictitious license plate, a Class C infraction; and operating a motor vehicle with an expired license plate, a Class C infraction were all dismissed for Nicholas A. Gearlds, 23, Bluffton.
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Mason Ridge Borne, 21, rural Ossian, pleaded guilty to unlawful use of 911 service, a Class A misdemeanor.
Sentenced to eight days in the Wells County Jail — credited as time served — and ordered to pay court costs of $185.
Two other counts of unlawful use of 911 service dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
On July 3, 2022, a sheriff’s deputy responded to Borne’s residence on 450E after the 911 emergency dispatch received three 911 calls placed from a cell phone that was being tracked to the address.
When the deputy arrived, he reportedly got no response to knocking on several doors. He then noticed a male — later identified as Borne — asleep on a sofa in the living room of the residence and was able to awaken Borne and get him to come to the door.
Borne then admitted to the deputy that he had placed the 911 calls from a cell phone he had that had discontinued service. He reportedly claimed he made the calls to get a law enforcement official to respond to the residence so he could use that law enforcement official’s phone to contact a friend who had borrowed Borne’s car. Borne wanted to let his friend know when he, Borne, needed the car returned.
When the deputy reportedly explained to Borne that was illegal use of 911, Borne reportedly became angry and ordered the deputy off the property.
Wells Circuit Court
Criminal Cases
Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Reonte Moore, 23, Fort Wayne, charged with battery by bodily waste to a public safety official, a Level 6 felony. Bond continued at $5,000. Eric D. Orr appointed public defender.
Moore, who is an inmate at the Wells County Jail, is charged with spitting on a corrections officer after he allegedly refused to lockdown at the required lockdown time of 8 p.m. Nov. 3, 2022.
Moore is incarcerated at the Wells County Jail on charges of attempted murder, a Level 1 felony, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent offender, a Level 4 felony. Moore’s 10-day trial by jury is being held this week and next week in Wells Circuit Court.
Bluffton City Court
Kaylynn M. Hippensteele, 16, Ossian; 68 mph-55 zone, U.S. 224 east of 100E.
Natalia Santos, 16, Bluffton; unlawful possession of tobacco, Bluffton High School.
Caylee A. Sharp, 30, rural Berne; expired license plate, Main Street at Capri Court.
Gloria M. Harrison, 20, Berne; 64 mph-55 zone, Ind. 218 at 200W.
Noe D. Peña, 46, Roma, Texas; 69 mph-55 zone, Ind. 218 west of 300W.
Samuel J. Bittner, 27, Ossian; 49 mph-45 zone, 450E north of 500N.
Edwin R. Jordan, 50, Hyattsville, Md.; 64 mph-55 zone, Ind. 3 south of Willow Road.
Cody R. Butcher, 28, Montpelier; 54 mph-40 zone, 800 block of North Main Street.
Rebecca L. Jones, 40, Portland; disregarding an official traffic control device, Ind. 124 at Main Street.
Gabriel Bordallo Lomas, 49, Fort Wayne; no valid driver’s license in his possession, Main Street at Monroe Street.
Joseph M. Schweikhardt, 18, rural Warren; 74 mph-55 zone, Ind. 218 west of 600W.
Ivan D. Hovermale, 64, rural Marion; 61 mph-55 zone, Ind. 218 near 400W.
Madelene E. Hoose, 34, Bluffton; 59 mph-40 zone, Main Street at Jackson Street during a school hour speed zone time, 9:33 a.m.
Matthew D. Wheeler, 43, Berne; 77 mph-55 zone, Ind. 116 west of 600E.
Albrecht V. Makowski, 35, Bluffton; expired license plate, Main Street at Market Street.
Marixa H. Barrientos, 56, Fort Wayne; expired license plate and no insurance, Washington Street at Johnson Street.
James W. Sweat, 54, Decatur; 69 mph-55 zone, Ind. 124 east of 600E. Sweat paid a fine of $35.50 plus court costs of $135.50.
Randell S. Richardson, 64, Holland, Mich.; 60 mph-55 zone, Ind. 1 south of 800S. Richardson paid $10.50 plus court costs of $135.50.
Darci J. Pulfer, 18, rural Cragville; 55 mph-40 zone, Main Street at North Sutton Circle.
Tristan M. Gearheart, 18, Bluffton; unlawful possession of tobacco by a minor, Main Street at Silver Street.
Betty M. Lamb, 73, Hartford City; 71 mph-55 zone, Ind. 1 south of 750S.
Joshua R. Clark, 22, Fort Wayne; 60 mph-55 zone, Ind. 1 near 650S.
Amanda L. Zerby, 46, rural Bluffton; 45 mph-30 zone, 200 block of East Monroe Street.
Karen L. Knowlton, 64, Markle; no valid driver’s license in her possession, Main Street at Wabash Street.
Joseph D. Pederson, 21, Decatur; no valid driver’s license in his possession and improper display of license plate, 129 E. Dustman Rd.
Tristan E. Morris, 19, Anderson; 46 mph-35 zone, Ind. 1 in Jefferson Township.
Richard E. Greenwood, 39, Fort Wayne; 44 mph-30 zone, Main Street at Wiley Avenue.
Claudia Lopez Gonzalez De Abrego, 44, Fort Wayne; disregarding a lighted signal, Ind. 1 at U.S. 224. Paid a fine of $25.50 and court costs of $135.50.
Hunter Wenger, 17, rural Bluffton; 62 mph-45 zone, Ind. 116 west of 350E.
Xavier L. Shuman, 19, rural Bluffton; 58 mph-40 zone, 600 block of North Main Street.
Jonathan Perez Gonzalez, 19, Fort Wayne; 72 mph-45 zone, amd learner’s permit violation, 450E at 200N.
Alam Abdullah, 30, Fort Wayne; 57 mph-40 zone, Main Street at Willowbrook Trail.
Kent R. Chenoweth, 38, rural Warren; 77 mph-55 zone, 300W at 200N.
Matthew G. Turnbough, 44, rural Craigville; 60 mph-30 zone and failure to stop at a through highway where required, 200N at 450E.
Parker B. Capps, 16, rural Ossian; 57 mph-40 zone, 600 block of North Main Street.
Daniel L. Diven, 34, Fort Wayne; 45 mph-30 zone, Jackson Street in the Lancaster Elementary School zone.
Lindsey Stockman, 31, Fort Wayne; 60 mph-45 zone, 100E near 800N.
Mary E. Morgan, 27, Markle; 50 mph-35 zone, Clark Street south of Girvin Street, Markle. Entered into a deferral agreement. Assessed court costs of $70, and initial user’s fee of $52, $10 per month for 12 months and a $10.50 administration fee.
Makayla Modricker, 23, Albany; driving left of center, Id. 1 north of 200S.
Alicia L. Noble, 25, Monroeville; 49 mph-30 zone, Monroe Street at Fieldcrest Drive.
Jose Chavez Martinez, 40, Moses Lake, Wash.; disregarding a stop sign causing an accident, 700E at 900S.
File Reports
Reports of receipts and expenditures of political committees have been filed with the Wells County Clerk’s office by:
• Stephanie Tucker for Ossian Town Council Committee, Stephanie A. Tucker, Ossian, Libertarian, for Ossian Town Council at Large.
For the period beginning Oct. 15 and ending Dec. 31, the committee showed $69 in cash on hand, no itemized nor unitemized contributions or receipts, and no expenditures.
The committee ended the reporting period with $69.85 in cash on hand.
The committee owed no debt.
For year-to-date 2022, the committee began the reporting period with no cash on hand, received $5,138 in itemized contributions and receipts, no unitemized contributions or receipts, made $5,068.15 in itemized expenditures, no unitemized expenditures and ended the reporting period with $69.85 in cash on hand.
• Tara G. Bowersock for Zanesville Town Clerk, Tara Gale Bowersock, Zanesville, Republican for Zanesville Clerk-Treasurer.
For the period beginning Oct. 15 and ending Dec. 31, 2022, the committee showed no cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, received no itemized nor unitemized contributions or receipts, no itemized nor unitemized expenditures and ended with no cash on hand and no debt.
For year-to-date, 2022, the committee showed no cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, no itemized nor unitemized contributions or receipts, no itemized nor unitemized expenditures, and ended the reporting period with no cash on hand.
• Brian Hollingsworth for County Council, Brian Lee Hollingsworth, rural Bluffton, Democrat for Wells County Council District 1.
For the period beginning Oct. 15 and ending Dec. 31, 2022, the committee showed no cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, no itemized nor unitemized contributions or receipts, no itemized nor unitemized expenditures, and ended the reporting period with no cash on hand.
The committee owed no debt.
For year-to-date, the committee showed no cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, no itemized nor unitemized contributions or receipts, no itemized nor unitemized expenditures, and ended the reporting period with no cash on hand.
• Brian Lambert for County Council, Brian James Lambert, rural Bluffton, Republican for Wells County Council District 1.
For the period beginning Oct. 15 and ending Dec. 31, the committee showed no cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, no itemized nor unitemized contributions or receipts, no itemized nor unitemized expenditures, and ended the reporting period with $1,692.86 in cash on hand.
The committee owed no debt.
For year-to-date 2022, the committee began the reporting period with no cash on hand, received $6,140 in itemized contributions or receipts, $285 in unitemized contributions or receipts, made $4,918.34 in itemized expenditures, no unitemized expenditures and ended the reporting period with $1,692.86 in cash on hand.
• Nathanael Wilson for Trustee, Nathanael A. Wilson, rural Markle, Republican for Rockcreek Township Trustee.
For the period beginning Oct. 13 and ending Dec. 31, the committee showed $105 in cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, $367.36 in itemized contributions and receipts, no unitemized contributions or receipts, $427.36 in itemized expenditures, no unitemized expenditures and ended the reporting period with no cash on hand.
The committee owed $367.36 in debt to the candidate himself.
The lone itemized contribution of $367.36 was from the candidate himself.
The lone itemized expenditure of $472.36 was to New Haven Print, Fort Wayne, for mailers.
For year-to-date 2022, the committee began the reporting period with no cash on hand, recorded $867.36 in itemized contributions and receipts, no unitemized contributions or receipts, made $867.36 in itemized expenditures, had no unitemized expenditures, and ended the reporting period with no cash on hand.
• Colin Andrews for Prosecutor, Colin Andrews, Bluffton, Republican for Wells County Prosecutor.
For the period beginning Oct. 15 and ending Dec. 31, the committee showed $10,627.31 in cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, received $8,665.62 in itemized contributions and receipts, no unitemized contributions or receipts, made $18,576.63 in itemized expenditures, $21.50 in unitemized expenditures, and ended the reporting period with $694.80 in cash on hand.
The committee owed $4,326.96 in debt to the candidate himself.
Itemized contributions were from: Michael Vanover, rural Keystone, $4,300; and the candidate himself, $4,365.62.
Itemized expenditures were $5,544 to Veronica Wilson, rural Markle, for consulting fees; $300 to Midland LLC, Midland, Texas, for billboard advertising; $12,492.48 to New Haven Print, Fort Wayne, for campaign mailers; and $240.15 to WinRed.com, Arlington, Va.
For the year-to-date 2022, the committee began the reporting period with $2,10 in cash on hand, $18,455.77 in itemized contributions and receipts, $204.01 in unitemized contributions and receipts, $19,961.78 in itemized expenditures, $143.20 in unitemized expenditures and ended the reporting period with $694.80 in cash on hand.
• Carnall for Prosecutor, Andrew J. Carnall, Bluffton, Democrat for Wells County Prosecuting Attorney.
For the period beginning Oct. 15 and ending Dec. 31, the committee showed $844.47 in cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, no itemized contributions or receipts, no unitemized contributions or receipts, $871.44 in itemized expenditures, $3.03 in unitemized expenditures and ended the reporting period with no cash on hand.
The committee owed no debt.
The lone itemized expenditure was $871.44 to the candidate himself to repay the debt owed by the campaign to Carnall.
File Statements
Candidates’ statements of organization and designation of principal committee or exploratory committee have been filed with the Wells County Clerk’s office by:
• Michelle Lyn Simon, Bluffton, Republican for Bluffton City Clerk-Treasurer.
Simon is serving as her own chairperson and treasurer. The designated depository for campaign funds is First Bank of Berne.
• Scott Alan Mentzer, Bluffton, Republican for Bluffton Common Council District 4.
Mentzer is serving as his own chairperson. The campaign’s treasurer to Dayle A. Mentzer, Bluffton.
The designated depository for campaign funds is First Bank of Berne.
Declares Candidacy
A declaration of candidacy for municipal primary nomination in 2023 has been filed with the Wells County Clerk’s office by Scott Alan Mentzer, Bluffton, seeking the Republican nomination for Bluffton Common Council District 4.
