Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Probation transferred from Allen County to Wells County for Douglas R. Painter, 56, Bluffton, found guilty in Allen County Superior Court 4 of possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony.
The duration of probation is from now until March 17, 2025.
He was ordered to pay all costs and fees associated with the probation and its transfer, to complete substance abuse counseling, and during periods of when he is either unemployed or working 35 hours a week or less, he is to perform 20 hours of community service.
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Shawn R. Nally, 52, Portland, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person with a prior conviction for the same offense, a Level 6 felony.
Court vacated judgment as a Level 6 felony and entered judgment as a Class A misdemeanor.
Sentenced to a year in the Wells County Jail, with all but 10 days suspended. Credited for four days spent in confinement awaiting disposition of his case. Ordered to serve 90 days of home detention, 355 days of probation, complete substance abuse counseling, pay the costs associated with his blood test, pay a $200 Countermeasures fee, court costs and probation fees.
Driver’s license suspended for one year.
As part of a plea agreement, charges of operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance or its metabolite in his body, a Class C misdemeanor; possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor; improper or no taillight and/or license plate light, a Class C infraction; no headlights from dusk to dawn when required, a Class C infraction; and unsafe movement on a road with two or more lanes, a Class C infraction were all dismissed.
A Bluffton police officer was patrolling east on Market Street at 9:17 p.m. Aug. 9, 2022, when he saw a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu with no lights on. While it was still a little light outside, the sun had set exactly a half an hour earlier.
The Malibu reportedly swerved to the right and swerved back again. The officer pulled the vehicle over. Upon speaking with the driver, the officer reported the interior of the vehicle smelled of marijuana.
The officer, joined by other officers at this point, explained to Nally what he was smelling and asked him to perform field sobriety tests. Nally allegedly attempted to exit the Malibu with his seat belt still fastened.
Nally failed field sobriety tests. Marijuana was located on the passenger seat of the vehicle.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Michael S. Broillet, 34, Bluffton, charged with possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor. Released on his own recognizance. Pauper status denied.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Bluffton Walmart Supercenter Jan. 28 after receiving a tip that Broillet — a wanted man — was inside the store shopping.
Deputies located Broillet inside the store and placed him into custody. While searching his person incident to arrest, deputies reportedly found marijuana wax and a vape pen with which to consume the wax.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Jade M. Glover, 37, Bluffton, charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person and resisting law enforcement, both Class A misdemeanors; and operating a vehicle with an expired license plate, a Class C infraction.
A sheriff’s deputy responded to a report that a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse sport utility vehicle had slid off Ind. 116 near 800E Jan. 26.
When the first deputy arrived, he observed that there was no one seated in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Instead, there was a man seated in the front passenger’s seat and a woman seated in the back of the vehicle. The deputy asked who had been driving the vehicle and the man reportedly told the deputy that a person named “Michael” (no last name) had been driving and had exited the vehicle to go get help. The deputy observed there were no footprints in the snow leading away from the vehicle. The deputy then asked again who had been driving the vehicle.
Eventually Glover reportedly admitted that she had been driving the vehicle and told the deputy to, “Take me to jail.”
Because the road was covered with ice and snow and was quite slippery, the deputy was unable to perform field sobriety tests.
Glover did allegedly blow a .270 percent alcohol concentration equivalency on a Breathalyzer test, which is more than three times Indiana’s legal limit for intoxication of .08 percent.
The deputy observed in his report to the court, that while attempting to place Glover in handcuffs, she pulled away from the deputy and allegedly attempted to take a swing at him.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Jules Omar Buffington III, 18, rural Peru, charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor; operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor; and minor consuming alcohol, a Class C misdemeanor.
While investigating a report of an underage drinking party in the 500 block of West Central Avenue Jan. 28, a Bluffton police officer heard a loud crash just up the street and went to investigate.
What he found was a 2016 Chevrolet Impala that had backed into a parked 1998 GMC Jimmy. Buffington was in the driver’s seat and there were three other passengers in the vehicle. One of the passengers reportedly volunteered that they had not been at the nearby underage drinking party. The officer investigating the crash had not asked anyone in the vehicle about attending the party.
The officer observed in his report to the court that while Buffington denied having drank alcohol he smelled of alcohol and appeared intoxicated.
Buffington reportedly failed field sobriety tests but allegedly refused to take a portable Breathalyzer test at the scene.
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Trevor Habegger, 20, Berne, pleaded guilty to resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor.
Sentenced to a year in the Wells County Jail, with all but two days suspended — credited as time served, and placed on probation for one year.
Ordered to pay court costs and probation fees.
Bluffton police officers responded to a report of an underage drinking and toking party at a residence in the 500 block of West Central Avenue Jan. 28.
Upon arrival, officers reported a strong odor of burned marijuana was emanating from the residence. The occupants of the house were ordered to exit and reportedly approximately 50 youth exited the front door of the residence.
Habegger reportedly exited the back door and tried running around to the front of the house as an officer gave chase. At the front of the house, he reportedly slipped and fell in the snow. He was then detained. He reportedly admitted to being “very drunk” and blew a .138 percent alcohol concentration equivalency on a Breathalyzer test.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Shane B. Bailey, 53, Bluffton, charged with intimidation, wherein the threat is to commit a forcible felony, a Level 6 felony; domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor; and disorderly conduct, a Class B misdemeanor. Bond set at $5,000 surety only. Cory Spreen appointed public defender.
At 8:32 p.m. Jan. 28, a Bluffton police officer responded to apartments in the 600 block of West Cherry Street on a report that a woman in an upstairs apartment had screamed for help and to call police.
Bailey is charged with shoving a woman with whom he shared the apartment. He reportedly was intoxicated and belligerent. Once police officers managed to gain custody of him, he allegedly became even more loud and belligerent.
Because of his degree of intoxication, he was taken to Bluffton Regional Medical Center to be medically cleared before being transported to the Wells County Jail. At the hospital, officers reportedly told Bailey again to quiet down, but he allegedly refused to do so.
While being booked into the Wells County Jail, Bailey reportedly threatened to beat a police officer.
Civil Cases
Complaints for possession and for non-payment of rent filed by Bluffton Woods mobile home park against tenants: Tristan McPherson and Ashley Garza. Amount owed is to be determined by the court.
Complaints for payment filed by Snow & Sauerteig, Fort Wayne, against: Brent R. Schwartz, Ossian, $9,473.85; Kaitlyn McKinley, Bluffton, $10,115; Brittany Messina, Bluffton, $10,115; John R. Masterson, Bluffton, $4,111.25; Sharon Hill, Bluffton, $10,115; Jonelle Gibson, Bluffton, $4,078.76; Benjamin Crosswhite, Ossian, $3,925.51;
Complaint for payment of $2,496.57 and interest of $493.56 filed by OneMain Financial Group LLC, Evansville, against Logan C. Haler, Bluffton.
Complaint for payment of $815.68 filed by Portfolio Recovery Associates, Vernon Hills, Ill., against Kelly Wagers, Ossian.
Petition for dissolution filed in the marriage of Joshua Ryan Roseberry, Ossian, and Kaitlyn Marie Roseberry, Ossian.
Complaints for possession filed by Oka Corp., Bluffton, against James Meyers, Bluffton, $1,200.
Complaint for possession and for non-payment of rent in an amount to be determined filed by Premier Flats, Bluffton, against tenant Edwin Wheeler.
Wells Circuit Court
Civil Cases
Complaint for payment of $5,617.56 filed by OneMain Financial LLC, Evansville, against Christopher R. Claghorn, Bluffton.
Petition for dissolution filed in the marriage of Ron Hayes, Tocsin, and Vickie Hayes, Silver Springs, Fla.
Complaints for payment filed by Portfolio Recovery Associates, Norfolk, Va., against: Dale M. Pitman, Bluffton, $3,127.06; Kendall Eicher, Bluffton, $1,192.73.
Bluffton City Court
Kevin Joel Melendez Lopez, 25, Indianapolis; disregarding a lighted signal, Main Street at Wiley Avenue.
Sarah L. Lancaster, 61, Albany; 60 mph-40 zone, Main Street at Jackson Street during the period of the day when the speed limit is reduced from 55 mph to 40 mph because of the school zone.
Nicholas A. Yoder, 40, rural Decatur; 75 mph-55 zone, Ind. 1 north of 1100N.
Titus N. Todd, 26, rural Pennville; operating a motor vehicle with a license plate that belongs on another vehicle, Ind. 1 at 1000N.
Douglas A. Edwards, 19, Linn Grove; unlawful possession of tobacco by a minor, Washington Street at Columbian Avenue.
Hu Sa Man, 26, Fort Wayne; 55 mph-40 zone, Main Street at Willowbrook Trail.
Kyle L. Bedwell, 20, Selma; failure to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle, I-69 at the 292 mile marker.
Chase A. Blem, 19, Bluffton; 48 mph-30 zone, 200 block of East Dustman Road.
