Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Michael Lynn Oliver Jr., 42, Bluffton, charged with two counts of harassment by means of a telephone call, both Class B misdemeanors. Larry Mock appointed public defender.
Oliver is charged with calling the downtown Dollar General Store four times on Feb. 24 and three times on March 4 and making sexually explicit threats to females who work at the store.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Bo Bo Chit, 23, Fort Wayne, charged with false informing, a Class B misdemeanor; knowingly or intentionally operating a motor vehicle while never having been issued a driver’s license, a Class C misdemeanor; and speeding, a Class C infraction. Released on his own recognizance. Patrick Miller appointed public defender.
While patrolling south on 100E near 200N March 4 a sheriff’s deputy clocked a 2013 Chrysler 300 Chit was driving at 80 mph-55 zone and pulled it over.
Chit allegedly first identified himself to the deputy as Shwe Htoo and told the deputy he did not have a driver’s license. The deputy could find no Bureau of Motor Vehicle records for someone named Shwe Htoo, so he placed Chit under arrest on the charge of knowingly or intentionally operating a vehicle without ever having been issued a driver’s license.
However, after Chit was booked into the Wells County Jail under the Htoo name, the jail received a call from a member of Chit’s family inquiring about Chit’s bond. That’s when Chit allegedly told the a jailer that he was not Shwe Htoo but rather was named Bo Bo Chit. He allegedly claimed to have lied about his identity because he thought he had an active warrant for his arrest out of Allen County.
He did have an active warrant, but there was no extradition attached to it.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Shawn Gehrett, 41, Bluffton, charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor; operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalency of .15 percent or greater; driving left of center and open alcoholic beverage container during operation of a motor vehicle, both Class C infractions.
At 7:22 p.m. March 4, sheriff’s deputies received a report of a Chrysler minivan southbound on 300W from 1100N that was weaving all over the road. A sheriff’s deputy arrived at 300W and 700N in time to see a minivan matching the description headed southbound pass by him. He clocked its speed at 47 mph-55 zone. At U.S. 224, the van reportedly came to a stop well into the intersection and then proceeded south, crossing the center line and then swerving back into its own lane, only to veer off the road completely and into the ditch where it came to a stop. The deputy pulled in behind it.
While the deputy noted in his report that Gehrett smelled of alcohol and appeared to be intoxicated, he asked Gehrett anyway why he was swerving all over the road. Gehrett allegedly replied that he had dropped his cellphone.
The deputy had Gehrett exit his vehicle. He allegedly struggled to do so, had trouble following basic instructions, 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.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Trever A. Sebring, 29, Ossian, charged with possession of methamphetamine, unlawful possession or use of a legend drug, and possession of marijuana with a prior conviction for the same offense, all Level 6 felonies; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class B misdemeanor. Bond set at $15,500. Larry Mock appointed public defender.
Ossian police, Wells County EMS and Ossian Fire Department First Responders were dispatched to Sebring’s Brookridge residence in Ossian Jan. 27 on a report that Sebring had possibly overdosed on illegal substances.
Because Sebring lived with relatives (who were not home at the time) and because deputies needed to know what Sebring had potentially overdosed on — since the person Sebring was with at the time allegedly was not very forthcoming with that information — the investigating deputy contacted one of the relatives by phone and received permission to search the house.
While searching Sebring’s room, the deputy and other law enforcement officers on scene to assist, allegedly found methamphetamine and a prescription anti-anxiety medication similar to Xanax for which Sebring allegedly did not have a prescription.
Sebring’s companion in the house with him at the time of the alleged overdose — Ian Sinclair York, 29, Fort Wayne — has previously been arraigned on charges of dealing marijuana and possession of marijuana with a prior conviction for the same offense, both Level 6 felonies.
York, who reportedly had a large amount of marijuana in his possession, allegedly admitted to the deputy he had met Sebring in the Allen County Jail and came to Sebring’s house to smoke marijuana.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Jody R. Ogle, 54, rural Bluffton, charged with failure to remain at the scene of an accident wherein the defendant had initially stopped at the scene but did not wait until the arrival of law enforcement personnel, a Class B misdemeanor.
On Feb. 17 at 5:32 p.m., Bluffton police received a report that a 2020 Chevrolet Express work van registered to Collier’s Comfort Services in Ossian had struck another vehicle parked behind the Bluffton Post Office. The driver of the van allegedly told the owner of the car that he had hit that he had been drinking beer at The Elks Lodge and was afraid he would lose his job if his employer discovered he had been drinking. The van driver allegedly offered the car owner $2,000 for repairs.
The car owner said she planned to call police anyway. The van driver then reportedly told the car owner he had to use the restroom and went back into The Elks — but never came back out.
The investigating officer went into The Elks to see if the van driver was in the restroom. He was not. He then asked if there had been anyone in the Elks who worked at Collier’s. The patrons allegedly told him that Jody Ogle had been in the establishment but had left.
The officer then contacted Collier’s and an employee there confirmed that Ogle worked at Collier’s.
Ogle reportedly contacted the officer later and explained that he had been suffering from a stomach virus and that was why he had left the scene. He also reportedly told the officer that he saw a friend and had asked him to take him home. He allegedly told the officer that he thought he would be OK in leaving because the van was marked with the company name and a phone number on the side.
The officer, however, observed in his report to the court that the actions of Ogle combined with the officer’s observation that people who have been drinking will sometimes leave the scene of an accident to avoid further trouble, led him to believe that Ogle was actually trying to avoid a potential charge of driving while intoxicated.
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Donald R. Waters Jr., 42, Bluffton, pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana by growing or cultivating it, with a prior conviction for the same offense, a Level 6 felony.
Sentencing set for 9 a.m. May 11.
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Jules Omar Buffington III, 18, rural Peru, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor.
Sentenced to 60 days in the Wells County Jail, with all but four days suspended, and placed on probation for 361 days.
Ordered to pay a $200 Countermeasures fee, court costs and probation fees.
As part of a plea agreement, charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A 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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Jared L. Janing, 28, Three Rivers, Mich., pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor, and in a separate case, operating a vehicle while intoxicated with an alcohol concentration equivalency of .15 percent or more, a Class A misdemeanor.
Sentenced to 180 days in the Wells County Jail on each of the charges with all but 10 days of each suspended. Credited for a total of six days spent in confinement awaiting disposition of his case. Placed on probation for a total of 360 days.
Ordered to undergo substance abuse counseling, pay for all costs associated with his blood test, a $200 Countermeasures fee, court costs and probation fees.
Janing was driving on Ind. 218 near Mount Zion shortly after 3 p.m. Sept. 4, 2022, when he decided to try and turn around the 2010 Dodge Charger he was driving and the car became stuck halfway in the ditch and halfway on the road. A sheriff’s deputy arrived and observed the predicament — and Janing behind the steering wheel.
The deputy noted in his report to the court that Janing appeared to be intoxicated and smelled of alcohol. Lying near the car was an empty bottle of Bud Lite Platinum beer.
The deputy observed in his report that Janing was having trouble following the deputy’s instructions and at one point, lit a cigarette, dropped it onto the passenger seat of the car and when the sheriff’s deputy told him he needed to put the cigarette out before it caught the seat on fire, just stared at it before eventually putting the cigarette back into his mouth. Janing reportedly also reached into the back seat of the Charger, pulled out an unopened bottle of Bud Lite Platinum and opened it in front of the deputy. When the deputy took the beer away, Janing reportedly became angry and reached back for another one.
The deputy initiated field sobriety tests but then decided against performing them because Janing was having trouble maintaining his balance. He allegedly blew a .253 percent alcohol concentration on a certified breath test conducted at the jail. In the separate case, on Sept. 2, 2022, Janing was backing his Dodge Charger out of a parking space on Market Street when he reportedly backed out in front a Bluffton police officer patrolling west on Market. The officer reported she had to slam on her brakes to avoid a crash. The Charger then pulled back into the parking space it was attempting to back from.
The officer continued westbound on Market Street and turned her cruiser around in the parking lot of PNC bank. She then saw the Charger eastbound on Market Street and then turn left from Market Street onto Main Street — against a red light.
The officer followed the Charger north on Main Street and witnessed it pull into the Airplane convenience store parking lot without signalling its turn. She spoke with the driver, identified as Janing, and he allegedly admitted to having ran the red light.
The officer observed in her report to the court that Janing appeared intoxicated and smelled of alcohol. He reportedly failed field sobriety tests and blew a .14 percent alcohol concentration equivalency on a portable Breathalyzer test.
Officers searched the vehicle after Janing allegedly admitted there might be marijuana inside, since he was from Michigan where recreational marijuana use is legal. They found none but did find a small empty bottle of Fireball whisky.
Civil Cases
Because the plaintiff failed to appear for a hearing on the matter, a complaint for recovery of personnel property was dismissed in the matter of Alfredo Vern Mendez, Ossian, against Shelbie Reuille, Ossian.
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles ordered to issue a replacement title for a 2006 Chevrolet Aveo LS 4H to Nicholas Wayne Reinhard, rural Ossian.
Wells Circuit Court
Criminal Cases
Jason Andrew Dillard, 46, Albany, charged with operating a motor vehicle after forfeiture of driver’s license for life, a Level 5 felony, and speeding, a Class C infraction.
The duration of the contract is 12 months. Upon his successful compliance with the terms of the agreement, the charges against him will be dismissed.
Ordered to pay court costs and fees.
On Sept. 29, a sheriff’s deputy was monitoring traffic on Main Street (300W) in Liberty Center when he clocked a northbound 2016 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at 50 mph-30 zone and pulled it over.
The driver, identified as Dillard, told the deputy he was running late for work at Inteva. Dillard reportedly explained to the deputy that he new he was an habitual traffic violator but that he had court-ordered specialized driving privileges. A cursory review of Dillard’s paperwork by the deputy made it appear that Dillard was in compliance with the privileges.
However, upon further inspection, the deputy discovered that the privileges had expired at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 3, 2021.
Dillard reportedly has been suspended from driving for life.
