Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Robert Lee Wine, 32, Bluffton, charged with two counts of invasion of privacy, a Class A misdemeanor. Released on his own recognizance. Patrick Miller appointed public defender.
On Sept. 28, 2022, Bluffton police went to a residence in the 200 block of East Townley Street to serve a warrant for arrest on Wine. A female answered the door and said Wine was not there, but she also allegedly admitted he had been at the residence with her the prior day.
There was an active protective order in place between Wine and the female.
Then, on Feb. 20, deputies and officers went to the same residence to serve the invasion of privacy warrant on Wine. The same female answered the door, and allegedly after hesitating, admitted that Wine was in the residence and pointed out a rear bedroom where Wine was supposed to be.
Deputies walked into the room and could not see anyone so they figured Wine was hiding under the bed. He reportedly refused to come out when ordered to, so the deputies removed the mattress and box spring from the bed and detained Wine without further problems.
He was also charged with violating his parole.
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Dennis D. Rogan, 32, Fort Wayne, violated probation by failing to report to his probation officer Nov. 28, 2022.
Ordered to serve 120 days in the Wells County Jail. Credited for 12 days spent in confinement awaiting disposition of his case. Ordered to pay $260 in fees.
Upon completion of his sentence his probation will terminate.
Rogan was originally sentenced Sept. 26, 2022, on one count of operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalency of .15 percent or more, a Class A misdemeanor.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Burke Wayne Baughman Jr., 30, Plainfield, charged with battery, a Class B misdemeanor. Released on his own recognizance.
On Oct. 25, 2022, Ossian police responded to an Ossian residence on a report that Baughman had grabbed a female acquaintance by the throat and shoved her to the ground. He then reportedly fled from the residence.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Augustine Ramon Galvan, 45, Fort Wayne, charged with possession of a narcotic drug, a Level 6 felony; driving while suspended with a prior conviction for the same offense, a Class A misdemeanor; possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor; and throwing a lighted cigarette from a moving motor vehicle, a Class C infraction.
It was the throwing of the cigarette that first attracted the attention of a Bluffton police officer to the 2017 Kia Optima Galvan was driving on Main Street near Capri Court Feb. 20. The officer pulled over the Optima in the parking lot of the Dairy Queen restaurant, 960 N. Main St.
While speaking with Galvan, the officer observed in his report to the court, he could smell a strong odor of raw marijuana emanating from the interior of the vehicle.
When the officer asked for Galvan’s driver’s license, Galvan reportedly handed the officer the driver’s license of his female passenger — who also happened to be the registered owner of the car.
When the officer asked Galvan for his license again, he handed the officer an Indiana identification card and said he did not have his driver’s license with him.
It turned out his license was suspended with three indefinite active suspensions. He also had most recently been convicted in Allen County Superior Court 6 March 29, 2022, of driving while suspended.
During a search of the car, officers found a silver screw-top container that contained a green leafy plant material with the odor and appearance of marijuana. The officers also allegedly found a “dirty 30,” a slang term for an oxycodone hydrochloride pill that is mixed with fentanyl.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Joshua C. Causey, 33, Portland, charged with domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor. Bond continued at $5,000, surety only.
Causey reportedly battered a woman with whom he had previously had a relationship at the Bluffton residence they shared Feb. 12.
Causey reportedly has previous battery convictions in both South Carolina and Indiana.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Clint J. Dankson, 39, Bluffton, charged with operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalency of .15 percent or more, a Class A misdemeanor; operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor; and failure to change name and/or address on driver’s license. Larry Mock appointed public defender.
Bluffton police responded Sept. 18 to a Bluffton residence on a report from a woman that her ex-husband, Dankson, was trying to break into her residence. She said he then left the residence in a Chrysler 300. An officer located a vehicle matching the description southbound in the 900 block of North Main Street. The officer then stopped behind the car after it pulled into the parking lot of the North Main Street Save-On Liquor store.
The officer observed in his report to the court that Dankson appeared intoxicated, smelled of alcohol, failed field sobriety tests and blew a .17 percent alcohol concentration equivalency on a Breathalyzer test.
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Nicholas Michael Harkins, 47, Fort Wayne, violated probation by testing positive for THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, Oct. 27, 2022.
Probation terminated as unsuccessful.
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Victoriano Barajas Jr., 19, Bluffton, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalency of .08 percent or more, a Class C misdemeanor.
Sentenced to 60 days in the Wells County Jail, with all but four days suspended — credited as time served, and placed on probation for 361 days.
Ordered to pay a $200 Countermeasures fee, court costs and probation fees.
Driver’s license suspended for 30 days.
As part of a plea agreement, charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor; minor transporting an alcoholic beverage, a Class C misdemeanor; unlawful possession of tobacco, a Class C infraction; and no or improper taillights and/or license plate light, a Class C infraction, were all dismissed.
A sheriff’s deputy was behind a Toyota Camry on North Main Street at 1:20 a.m. Nov. 9, 2022, when he noticed the Camry had a taillight out. The deputy pulled the Camry over and spoke with its driver, identified as Barajas.
A second deputy arrived to assist with the traffic stop and as he approached the vehicle’s passenger side, he noticed that there was considerable damage to that side of the vehicle, including the front passenger side tire being completely off its rim. The vehicle was also leaking fluids and the deputies then observed a trail of fluid leading back south on Main Street.
Barajas reportedly denied being in a traffic accident.
He smelled of alcohol, appeared intoxicated, failed field sobriety tests and blew a .111 percent alcohol concentration equivalency on a Breathalyzer test.
An inventory of the Camry prior to it being towed reportedly turned up a 24-ounce can of Modelo Pina Picante beer and a pack of tobacco e-liquid.
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Sentence modified to time served for Joshua D. Harrison, 35, Bluffton, who was sentenced Oct. 18, 2022, on one count of auto theft, a Level 6 felony.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Todd Lee Myers, 41, Tocsin, charged with eight counts of invasion of privacy with a prior conviction for the same offense, all Level 6 felonies. Bond continued at $5,000, surety only.
Between Nov. 16, 2022, and Feb. 10, Myers reportedly contacted a protected party through social media on 12 separate occasions.
He has a previous conviction in Wells Superior Court May 26, 2022, for invasion of privacy.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Anastasia Ruth McCormack, 40, listed as homeless, charged with theft, a Class A misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct, a Class B misdemeanor. Bond continued at $2,000. Larry Mock appointed public defender.
On Feb. 21, Bluffton police responded to the South Main Street Dollar General Store on a report that a woman carrying a bag and some blankets had left the store with merchandise without paying.
A Bluffton police officer caught up with the woman across the street from the former Wells Community Hospital on Main Street and asked her for her identity. She reportedly refused to give it and reportedly when the officer asked the woman where she was from she replied, “earth.” The woman then reportedly walked away and continued northbound on Main Street where she crossed over to the west side of the street into the parking lot of the Pak-A-Sak convenience store at the corner of Main and Silver streets.
The officer caught up with her again and asked for her identification. Again she allegedly refused and shouted at the officer that he was a “pig” and a “rapist.” The officer reportedly warned her again that if she continued to be noisy he would arrest her for disorderly conduct. She allegedly continued to be noisy so he arrested her.
Allegedly in her possession she had candy, deodorant, beauty shampoo, a facial bar, Cambell’s Chunky Chili Mac, mouthwash, Palmer’s cocoa butter formula and Folgers Fench vanilla cappuccino, all of which was allegedly stolen from the Dollar General Store.
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Petition for expungement and sealing of criminal records filed by Gregory D. Lambert, 51, rural Markle.
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Petition for expungement and sealing of criminal records filed by Jamie K. Lambert, 47, rural Markle.
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Probation transferred from Huntington County to Wells County for Jeffrey A. Lockwood, 44, Bluffton, sentenced in Huntington County Superior Court on one count of attempted dealing in methamphetamine, a Level 4 felony.
Lockwood’s probation runs through Jan. 24, 2025.
Ordered not to consume any substances that contain poppy seeds, pay intrastate transfer fees and probation fees.
Infractions
Richard J. Bywater, 43, Bluffton; driving while suspended and 62 mph-45 zone, Adams Street at Western Avenue.
Sam J. Braun, 63, Bluffton; driving while suspended failure to provide vehicle registration when required, operating a motor vehicle with an expired plate, and decals, signs, posters sunscreens or other non-transparent materials on window, 100 block of East Silver Street.
Ow Wi Ka Ra Ni, 21, Fort Wayne; driving while suspended, Main Street at Commerce Drive.
Civil Cases
Marriage of Karen Almeida Kemodle and Dennis James Almeida dissolved.
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles ordered to issue a title for a 2015 Polaris 850 Sportsman All-Terrain vehicle to Matthew Jon Liby, rural Bluffton.
Writ of possession granted to Premier Flats apartments against tenant Edwin Wheeler.
Judgment and writ of possession granted to BCG Capital, Bluffton, against Apollo Coon, Bluffton.
Complaints for possession and for non-payment of rent filed by Premier Flats, Bluffton, against tenants: Summer Tierney; Joshua Suarez and Corey Lechleidner; Heather Salmon; and Dillon Hurlbut. Amounts of rent owed to be determined.
Complaint for payment of $1,275.94 filed by LVNV Funding, Greenville, S.C., against William J. Zirkelbach, Bluffton.
Complaint for payment of $1,199.73 filed by the Law Office of Tracey Rosswurm LLC, Fort Wayne, against Troy Snider, rural Ossian.
Complaints for payment filed by AAA Acceptance Corp., Fort Wayne, against Kristy Rudd, rural Markle, $1,169.53; Taylor Clouse, rural Bluffton, $3,122.83; Rhonda Wiles, Marion, $4,623.83; Hunter Shatto, Montpelier, $2,376.83; Jacob Patterson, Fort Wayne, $7,461.85; Jerrick Umminger, Hartford City, $1,613.83; Jessica and Daniel Bratcher, Indianapolis, $817.83; Jaime Cooper, Fort Wayne, $3,232.83; Nicholas Carpenter, Fort Wayne, $5,335.83.
Complaint for payment filed by Don Myers Plumbing & Heating, rural Berne, against: Heather Hale, Bluffton, $6,117.10; Kyle Burch, rural Keystone, $80.
Complaint for possession and for non-payment of rent filed by Skyline Village Apartments, Markle, against tenant Tony Nunley.
Complaints for payment filed by Snow & Sauerteig, Fort Wayne, against: Emileigh Huntley, Bluffton, $1,287.78; Brennen A. Smallman, Bluffton, $1,180.82; Christopher Kleber, Ossian, $6,534.34; Stacy M. Stookey, rural Keystone, $1,085.66.
Complaint for payment filed by Midland Credit Management Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., against Stephanie Hershberger, rural Ossian, $1,767.84.
Wells Circuit Court
Civil Cases
Complaint for payment of $12,765.74 filed by Mariner Finance LLC, Fort Wayne, against Christopher Prater and Velma Prater, Bluffton.
