INCIDENTS
City:
Friday, 2:26 p.m., WEG, 410 E. Spring St., report of a 40-year-old male employee suffering from a medical problem. Wells County EMS, Bluffton Fire Department first responders and Bluffton police dispatched.
Friday, 3:25 p.m., South Street at Merchant Street. Report of a student aboard a Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District bus having difficulty breathing. Wells County EMS, Blufton Fire Department first responders and Bluffton police dispatched.
Friday, 4 p.m., 100 block of North Main Street. Plywood in the roadway creating a traffic hazard. Bluffton police officer removed the wood from the roadway.
Friday, 4:35 p.m., Main Street at Jackson Street. Report of an electrical pole arcing. Officer checked the area but did not see any arcing occurring.
Friday, 4:37 p.m., Bluffton Wesleyan Chapel, 1309 W. Washington St. Burglar alarm. Officers dispatched. Wind likely triggered the alarm.
Friday, 6:31 p.m., 200S east of 100E. Report of a man walking on 100E appeared dazed and confused trying to find Poneto. Officer dispatched but saw no one matching the description.
Friday, 9:27 p.m., Family Farm and Home, 990 N. Main St. Burglar alarm. Officers dispatched. Alarm tripped accidentally.
Friday, 10:34 p.m., 10 Pine Grove in the Pine Grove apartment complex. Burglar alarm. Officers dispatched. No sign of foul play found.
Friday, 11:12 p.m., Praxis substance abuse treatment facility, 1529 W. Lancaster St. Male patient threatening to stab another male patient with a pencil. Officers dispatched. James Sears, Fort Wayne, arrested on a warrant out of Kosciusko County for failing to appear for an initial hearing in Koscuisko County Superior Court for one count of criminal trespass, a Class A misdemeanor, and public intoxication, a Class B misdemeanor.
Saturday, 4:46 a.m., apartment in the 200 block of East Washington Street. Caller reported someone broke into his apartment and “trashed the place.” Information taken for a report.
Saturday, 12:01 p.m., Dollar General Store, 123 W. Market St. Man kept calling the store and threatening the employees. Suspect identified. Michael Lynn Oliver Jr., 42, Bluffton, charged with one count of intimidation, a Level 5 felony, and one count of communication harassment, a Class B misdemeanor. Bond set at $12,000.
Saturday, 12:30 p.m., Wiley Avenue at Mulberry Street. Semi attempting to turn from Mulberry onto Wiley rubbed an Bluffton Utilities electric pole, causing it to lean slightly. Information taken for a report.
Saturday, 6:39 p.m., residence in the 500 block of West Market Street. Someone left a bag of clothing by the caller’s dumpster.
Sunday, Sun ‘N’ Suds, 2190 Commerce Drive. Two men screaming at each other. Officers dispatched but the screamfest broke up before they arrived.
Sunday, 12:42 p.m., Walmart Supercenter, 2100 N. Main St. Store security reported a customer skip scanned a bag of salty snacks.
Sunday, 4:33 p.m., Kathryn Circle. Report of a person passed out in a vehicle. Officer located the teen who reportedly resisted being detained. A Breathalyzer test reportedly showed the 17-year-old boy’s alcohol concentration equivalency to be .197 percent, or more than twice Indiana’s legal limit for intoxication of .08 percent. Parent contacted. Information taken for a report.
Monday, 12:33 a.m., residence in the 600 block of West Cherry Street. Caller reported a man was outside of her door kicking it. Officer checked the area but the man was gone. Officers returned to the area at 1:37 a.m., on a report that the man may have returned, however that was not the case. This time the man standing near the residence was actually an employee of Norfolk Southern monitoring a train as it passed by.
County:
Friday, 3:16 p.m., 200S at 300W. Tree blown down by storm blocking the road. Wells County Highway Department contacted.
Friday, 3:55 p.m., 800N east of 200E. Winds caused a power line to hang low.
Friday, 4:14 p.m., Main Street at Hendricks Street, Uniondale. High winds caused a power pole to lean severely.
Friday, 4:25 p.m., 200S between Hoosier Highway and 100E. Power line down in the road.
Friday, 4:33 p.m., U.S. 224 at Ind. 1. Traffic lights out.
Friday, 4:41 p.m., 200W near 1000S. Power line hanging low.
Friday, 4:45 p.m., 350N near Ind. 1. Tree blown down blocking the roadway.
Friday, 4:50 p.m., residence on 700S about a half mile west of Meridian Road. Burglar alarm. Sheriff’s deputies responded. Wind triggered the alarm.
Friday, 5:06 p.m., 800N west of Ind. 1. Wind blew low a power line.
Friday, 5:06 p.m., 100W at 1100S. Yield sign missing.
Friday, 5:17 p.m., 450E north of 100N. Tree blown down in the roadway.
Friday, 5:23 p.m., 350N east of Washington Street in Murray. Tree blown down across the road.
Saturday, 1:07 a.m., Tower Life Center, 11811 N. Wayne St., Zanesville. Burglar alarm and fire alarm. Deputies and Southwest Allen County Fire Department responded. A power outage tripped the alarm.
Saturday, 11:44 a.m., Temp Masters, 5975N-300W. Burglar alarm. Deputies responded. Alarm accidentally tripped.
Saturday, 2:12 p.m., 450E north of 400N. Sheriff’s deputy assisted a motorist whose vehicle had a flat tire.
Saturday, 3:06 p.m., 100E near 200N. Sheriff’s deputy pulled over a 2013 Chrysler 300 for driving 80 mph-55 zone and ended up arresting the driver, Bo Bo Chit, 23, Fort Wayne, for identity deception, a Level 6 felony; operating a motor vehicle while never having been issued a driver’s license, a Class C misdemeanor; and 80 mph-55 zone, a Class C infraction. Bond set at $6,500. When the deputy first asked Chit his name, Chit allegedly told the deputy he was Shwe Htoo and Shwe Htoo was the name under which Chit was arrested. However, several hours later one of Chit’s relative’s called the Wells County Jail and inquired about bond for Chit. That’s when Chit allegedly reportedly revealed his true identity and allegedly told the jail staff he had lied about his identity because he thought he had a warrant for his arrest out of Allen County and he did not want to go to jail. Chit reportedly does have an active arrest warrant out of Allen County but there was no provision for extradition.
Saturday, 7:23 p.m., 300W southbound from 1100N. Report of a Chrysler minivan swerving all over the road. Deputy pulled in behind the vehicle at 700N and tracked it southbound. When it stopped for U.S. 224, it reportedly came to a stop in the middle of the westbound lane of U.S. 224. It then continued southbound and drove off the road completely. The deputy pulled up behind the vehicle and asked the driver, Shaun M. Gehrett, 41, Bluffton, why he was weaving all over the road. Gehrett allegedly replied he had dropped his cellphone. The deputy had Gehrett exit the vehicle and observed that Gehrett appeared to be intoxicated, smelled of alcohol and was struggling with simple manual dexterity. He allegedly failed field sobriety tests and blew a .245 percent alcohol concentration equivalency on a Breathalyzer test. That is more than three times Indiana’s legal limit for intoxication of .08 percent. Allegedly multiple open beer containers were found inside the van by additional law enforcement personnel who arrived at the scene to assist in a vehicle inventory. Gehrett was charged with operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalency of .15 percent or more, a Class A misdemeanor; operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor; driving left of center and open alcoholic beverage container during operation of a motor vehicle, both Class C infractions. Bond set at $1,500.
Saturday, 10:43 p.m., Ind. 1 north of 700S. Deputy assisted a man whose wheelchair became stuck in the mud.
Sunday, 7:57 p.m., U.S. 224 east of 100E. Pickup truck towing a trailer lost a rear wheel on the truck. Sheriff’s deputy stood by and provided traffic control until the vehicle could be moved off the road. Then, at 10:35 p.m. Sunday, when the owner of the truck was attempting retrieve the truck using a skid steer loader, a passing vehicle reportedly struck the loader. No one was injured however the Toyota Camry that hit the loader reportedly sustained heavy front end damage.
Sunday, 10:09 p.m., Ind. 1 at 1100N. Sheriff’s deputy assisted a male motorist who reportedly seemed confused and was having difficulty breathing. Wells County EMS was also summoned to the scene.
Monday, 4:44 p.m., Ind. 1 south of U.S. 224. Passerby reported a blue car pulled over to the side of the road with its driver slumped over the steering wheel. Sheriff’s deputies, Wells County EMS and Bluffton Fire Department first responders dispatched. The vehicle was not occupied and had reportedly been sitting by the side of the road for several hours prior to the call. All emergency units were advised to disregard.
Ossian:
Saturday, 7:37 p.m., residence in the 800 block of North Jefferson Street. Home title stolen.
ACCIDENTS
City:
Friday, 6:28 p.m., Walmart Supercenter parking lot, 2100 N. Main St. Pearl E. Taylor, 84, Bluffton, backed a 2009 Chevrolet Impala into a stopped 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by Shannon Musco, 40, Bluffton, causing more than $1,000 damage. Taylor then reportedly left the scene of the crash but was located by law enforcement later and admitted she did not know she had hit another vehicle.
Saturday, 7:10 p.m., parking lot for Maurices women’s fashions, 1980 N. Main St. A parked 2017 Chevrolet Trailblazer, registered to Kassandra Kessler, Ossian, was hit by a hit-and-run driver in a blue Ford F-150 pickup truck. Damage to the Trailblazer exceeded $1,000.
County:
Friday, 8:25 p.m., entrance to the Ossian Conservation Club, 9950N-100E. Lowell Tillman, 84, rural Ossian, was exiting the club’s driveway and because of the heavy sleet and snow he couldn’t see. He drove his 2011 Buick LaCrosse across 100E and into a ditch on the opposite side of the driveway entrance. Damage to the car exceeded $2,500.
Sunday, 4:08 a.m., U.S. 224 at Main Street in Tocsin. Gabriel S. Chidester, 45, Fort Wayne, was driving a 2010 Chevrolet Express van west on U.S. 224 when the van veered off the right side of the road and hit a stop sign for Main Street. Damage exceeded $1,000. A Breathalyzer test reportedly showed Chidester’s alcohol concentration equivalency to be .299 percent, or more than three times Indiana’s legal limit for intoxication of .08 percent. Chidester was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor; leaving the scene of a property damage crash, a Class B misdemeanor; possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor; resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor; and open alcoholic beverage container during operation of a motor vehicle, a Class C infraction. Bond set at $5,000. Reportedly in plain sight the investigating deputy could see two empty bottles of vodka. Chidester also allegedly refused commands by the deputy and an excise officer to exit the vehicle. The deputy and the officer then reportedly had to physically remove Chidester from the crash and he allegedly fell into a large puddle of water in the process. He then reportedly had to be dragged out of the water puddle because he continued to resist arrest. Reportedly just before the accident, the sheriff’s department had received a report that the van had been weaving all over the roadway while southbound on 600E. An inventory of the van prior to towing reportedly turned up a pack of THC infused gummies that Chidester allegedly admitted he had purchased in Michigan. THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
FIRE RUNS
Friday, 3:06 p.m., Lancaster Street at Baldwin Street. Electrical wires blown down. Bluffton Fire Department dispatched for standby until a crew from Bluffton Electric Utilities could arrive and repair the problem.
Friday, 4:25 p.m., 200S at Hoosier Highway. Electrical lines down. Bluffton Fire Department dispatched for standby until a repair crew could make the scene.
Friday, 4:32 p.m., 2468E-700N. Electricity arcing at the American Electric Power substation. Ossian Fire Department dispatched. AEP contacted.
Friday, 4:35 p.m., Premier Flats, 200 Premier Avenue. Fire alarm. Bluffton Fire Department dispatched. No fire. Alarm triggered by a power outage.
Friday, 4:36 p.m., 1121 Wildwood Lane. Sharon Kay and Rickey J. Morgan residence. Tree blown down into power lines. Bluffton Fire Department dispatched and stood by until a Bluffton Electric Utilities crew could stabilize the scene.
Friday, 4:37 p.m., Utz Quality Foods, 705 W. Dustman Rd. Fire alarm. Bluffton Fire Department dispatched. No fire. Alarm triggered by a power outage.
Friday, 5:09 p.m., 1104 W. Washington St. residence of Donald Shaver. Tree blown down into the electrical service in the backyard of the residence. Bluffton Fire Department dispatched and stood by until a crew from Bluffton Electric Utilities arrived to make repairs.
Friday, 7:37 p.m., 200W south of 800S. Electrical Pole on fire. Chester and Liberty township fire departments dispatched. Source of the fire appeared to be a cracked insulator making the pole live. Firefighters stood by until a crew from AEP could arrive and make repairs.
Friday, 8:59 p.m., 1191 W. Hancock St. residence of Seth and Cari Whicker. Carbon monoxide detector alarm. Uniondale Fire Department dispatched. Alarm triggered by a power outage.
Saturday, 10:30 a.m., Tower Life Center, 11811 N. Wayne St. Fire alarm. Southwest Allen County Fire Department dispatched. No fire. Alarm triggered by a mechanical issue at the church.
Sunday, 12:27 p.m., playground at Silo Farms, 11080N-Ind. 1. Wells County EMS, Ossian Fire Department first responders and sheriff’s deputies dispatched on a report of an 18-year-old female suffering from dehydration from vomiting profusely.
Sunday, 3:06 p.m., 1020 N. Washington St., Murray. House deeded to the Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs, Nashville, Tenn. Bon fire in the backyard. Bluffton Fire Department dispatched and doused the small fire.
Sunday, 5:08 p.m., 0040W-200N. Shed on fire. Bluffton Fire Department dispatched. Mutual aid requested from Uniondale Fire Department. Fire burned the 12’ x 16’ yard barn to the ground
ARRESTS
Trevor Andrew Sebring, 29, Ossian; possession of a legend drug or precursor, possession of marijuana with a prior conviction for the same offense, possession of methamphetamine, all Level 6 felonies, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.
Jody Robert Ogle, 54, rural Bluffton; leaving the scene of a property damage accident, a Class B misdemeanor. Bond set at $1,000. Bonded.
