Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Kaitlin M. Ohern, 29, Uniondale, charged with possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.
While assisting with a probationary search of O’Hern’s residence Feb. 27, sheriff’s deputies reportedly found a cylindrical container with a label that read “Holy Roller Consume Cannabis” that contained a green and brown leafy plant material with the odor and appearance of marijuana. They also allegedly found a glass and rubber smoking device.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Jason A. Trudel, 37, Fort Wayne, charged with driving while suspended with a prior conviction for the same offense, a Class A misdemeanor; possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor; speeding, a Class C infraction, and littering, a Class B infraction. Cory Spreen appointed public defender.
At 1:33 a.m. on Oct. 3, 2019, on Ind. 116 near Vera Cruz, a sheriff’s deputy spotted an oncoming vehicle with its bright lights on. Instead of the driver dimming the headlights, he turned the lights off entirely before turning them back on. That made the deputy suspicious and he turned around his patrol vehicle and started following the Pontiac. He observed in his report to the court that while following the Pontiac, the digital speedometer of his patrol vehicle showed he was driving 68 mph-55 zone.
The deputy performed a license plate check on the vehicle and discovered it was registered to Trudel, who had a suspended driver’s license. The deputy continued to follow the Pontiac northwest on Ind. 116. Near the Six Mile Church, the driver reportedly tossed something from the vehicle.
The deputy pulled over the Pontiac. Trudel allegedly admitted to the deputy that he knew his driver’s license was suspended. When the deputy asked him what he threw out his driver’s side window, Trudel reportedly told the deputy it was a pack of cigarettes. The deputy asked him twice again during the course of his conversation with Trudel what Trudel had thrown out the window. Trudel reportedly insisted both times it was just a pack of cigarettes.
However, two Bluffton police officers who arrived to assist the deputy found the items near the church. They allegedly were not a pack of cigarettes as Trudel had claimed, but were reportedly a digital scales — typically used to weigh out portions of illegal substances — and a straw that would be used to ingest illegal substances.
Trudel allegedly admitted to the deputy he threw the items out the window because he knew his license was suspended and he knew he would be pulled over.
Civil Cases
Final judgment of $4,503.22 plus court costs of $115 entered for Total Recovery Services, Fort Wayne, against Cheryl S. Hall, rural Bluffton.
File Reports
Reports of receipts and expenditures of political committees have been filed with the Wells County Clerk’s office by:
• Wells County Democratic Committee, Bluffton.’For the period beginning Oct. 15 and ending Dec. 31, 2022, the committee showed $6,057.10 in cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, received $735 in itemized contributions and receipts, $57 in unitemized contributions and receipts, spent $1,962.03 in itemized expenditures, $28.71 in unitemized expenditures, and finished the reporting period with $4,858.36 in cash on hand.
The committee owed no debt.
Itemized contributions and receipts were from: Dylan McIntosh, Markle, $100; Brian and Melanie Hollingsworth, rural Bluffton, $300; John Bodner, Ossian, $150; Larry and Teresa Sell, Bluffton, $50; Sandra Shelly, Bluffton, $30; and Joy Hann, Bluffton, $105.
Itemized expenditures were to: AT&T, Carol Stream, Ill., $131.40 for internet; Northern Indiana Public Service Company, Merrillville, $166.07 for natural gas for the Democratic headquarters building; Bluffton Utilities, $270.62 for electricity for the headquarters; Walmart Supercenter of Bluffton, $139.81 for headquarters supplies; ActBlue, Somerville, Mass., $29.13 for fees; The Cincinnati Insurance Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, $976 for property insurance for the headquarters; United States Postal Service, $74 for post office box rental and postage; and Bodner Wells Democrat, Ossian, $175 for a campaign contribution.
• Wells County Republican Central Committee, Bluffton.
For the period beginning Oct. 15 and ending Dec. 31, the committee showed $42,135.53 in cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period, $242.87 in itemized contributions and receipts, $1,177.32 in unitemized contributions and receipts, $4,250.17 in itemized expenditures, $415.52 in unitemized expenditures and finished the reporting period with $38,890.03 in cash on hand.
Itemized contributions were from: Brandon Harnish, $42.87; and Scott and Dayle Mentzer, Bluffton, $200.
Itemized expenditures were to: Northern Indiana Public Service Company, Merrillville, $316.17 for natural gas service to the headquarters; Yergy’s State Road BBQ, Bluffton, $380 for catering; Verizon Wireless, Lehigh Valley, Pa., $54.11 for utilities; Bluffton Utilities, $340.85 for electrical service to the headquarters building; Indiana Republican Party, Indianapolis, $1,000 for an event; Preston Wright, Bluffton, $352.68 as reimbursement; Auto Owners Insurance, Lansing, Mich., $986.50 for property insurance for the headquarters; Zach Rodgers, Ossian, $111.59 for reimbursement and Timber Ridge Catering, rural Bluffton, $735 for catering.
