Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Austin J. Blaising, 20, rural Roanoke, charged with possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor. Bond continued at $1,000.
A report of motorcycles racing in the area of Roush Park brought a response from Bluffton police officers Aug. 14. An officer located three motorcycles parked in the parking lot next to the park’s pavilion, pulled into the lot and spoke with the riders.
The officer wrote in his report to the court that he could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the area where the riders of the three cycles were gathered. A second officer also reported that he too could smell marijuana and asked the riders about it. Reportedly one of them, later identified as Blaising, admitted he had some marijuana stashed in the cheek padding of his helmet. He then allegedly pulled a “joint” — a slang term for a marijuana cigarette — out of his helmet padding and handed it to one of the officers. No other marijuana was found.
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One-day jury trial set for 9 a.m. Dec. 9, for Elizabeth Hernandez, 29, Huntertown, charged with battery resulting in bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Atshawntila S. Walker, 38, Muncie, charged with operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance or its metabolite in her body, possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor; and speeding. Released on her own recognizance. Larry Mock appointed public defender.
Walker was driving a 2018 GMC south on Main Street near Arnold Street at 6:15 a.m. Aug. 25 when a Bluffton police officer clocked the vehicle at 42 mph-30 zone.
After pulling the vehicle over, the officer noted in his report to the court that he could smell a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the interior of the vehicle. Walker reportedly denied the presence of marijuana in the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle reportedly turned up two “blunts” — a slang term for a hallowed out cigar filled with marijuana. Officers also reportedly located a Mason jar with a green leafy substance inside with the odor and appearance of marijuana. She reportedly admitted to having smoked marijuana around 10 p.m. the previous night.
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Valerie B. Sager, 43, Bluffton, pleaded guilty to driving while suspended with a prior conviction for the same offense, 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 363 days.
Ordered to serve 60 days of home detention and pay court costs and probation fees.
On Aug. 25, a sheriff’s deputy checked the license plate of a vehicle in front of him on Main Street and noted that the registered owner, Sager, had a suspended driver’s license. He pulled over the 2017 Dodge Journey and noted that Sager had three prior convictions for driving while suspended in the past 10 years, the most recent Sept. 5, 2019.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Ryan Joshua King, 45, Bluffton, charged with possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor. Bond continued at $5,500. Allison Sprunger appointed public defender.
On Aug. 24, a sheriff’s deputy as well as officers assisted King’s parole officer in a search of King’s residence in the 200 block of North Williams Street.
During the course of the search of the residence, officers reportedly found five “boats” — a slang drug term for a piece of metal foil upon which illegal substances are melted and then ingested — that allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine, as well as a small jeweler’s bag containing a crystalline substance, a pen tube and a bottle cap that also allegedly contained evidence of methamphetamine usage.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Dustin Lee Joseph Weimer, 34, Markle, charged with intimidation of a law enforcement officer, a Level 6 felony, and resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor. Bond set at $15,500. Larry Mock appointed public defender.
A Markle police officer and sheriff’s deputies responded to a Markle residence on a report of a domestic disturbance. Allegedly upon arrival of law enforcement, Weimer was belligerent with the Markle officer and became aggressive. He reportedly resisted attempts by officers to place him into handcuffs. Weimer also allegedly told the investigating officer that if other officers arrived on scene, that things would “get worse” for the officer.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Jennifer Jordan, 50, Ossian, charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor; operating a motor vehicle without insurance, a Class A infraction; open alcoholic beverage container during operation of a motor vehicle, a Class C infraction; and refusal to submit to a breath and/or chemical test, a Class C infraction. Bond continued at $500. Jeffrey Stineburg appointed public defender.
An Ossian police officer spotted a Chevrolet Impala southbound on Jefferson Street near Maplewood Drive that had only one functioning headlight and pulled the car over on West LaFever Street. The officer observed in his report that when the car did pull over, it drove up over the curb on LaFever.
Jordan allegedly was unable to provide current proof of insurance, smelled of alcohol and appeared intoxicated.
Jordan also allegedly refused to provide the officer a usable sample on his Breathalyzer test and requested he seek a warrant to take a blood sample. A warrant was sought and her blood was taken.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Alfredo Vern Mendez, 29, Fort Wayne, charged with criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, a Level 6 felony, and criminal mischief, a Class B misdemeanor. Bond continued at $5,500. Larry Mock appointed public defender.
Mendez is charged with discharging five rounds from a firearm at a Silo Farms mobile home park residence during an argument with a female at the mobile home Aug. 14. The woman reported that Mendez became increasingly angry with her while she was speaking with a male friend on her cellphone. He also reportedly punched a window out of her mobile home.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Marshall C. Scott, 65, Ossian, charged with theft, a Class A misdemeanor. Bond continued at $1,500.
Scott is charged with bouncing a check for $84.16 at Ossian’s BP Food Express March 7.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Rosanna A. Wright, 35, Bluffton, charged with theft, a Class A misdemeanor. Bond continued at $1,500. Allison Sprunger appointed public defender.
Wright reportedly failed to ring up a coffee maker, a six-pack of Dr. Pepper and an 18-pack of Propel at a self-checkout aisle at the Bluffton Walmart Supercenter Aug. 8.
Petitions Filed
Petitions of nomination and consent for school board office elected in 2022 have been filed with the Wells County Clerk’s office by:
• Andrew Pursifull, rural Poneto, seeking election to the Chester Township position on the Southern Wells Community Schools Board of Trustees.
• Jeffrey R. Kyle, Bluffton, seeking election to the Second District seat on the Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan Schools Board of Trustees.
Statement Filed
A candidate’s statement of organization of principal committee or exploratory committee has been filed with the Wells County Clerk’s office by Stephanie Anne Tucker, Ossian, seeking election to the at-large position on the Ossian Town Council. The name of the committee is Stephanie Tucker for Town Council. The depository for campaign funds is the Ossian branch of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank. Tucker is serving as her own treasurer.
Marriage Licenses
Erica Avis Yaste, 34, Bluffton, and Nicholas Sylvester DeBruler, 32, Bluffton.
Enrique Macia Guadarrama, 24, Bluffton, and Emily D. L. Eicher, 23, Bluffton.
Jennifer Marie Smith, 39, Ossian, and Scott Alan Gaskill, 33, Ossian.
Victoria Ann Roberts, 26, Butler, and Jonah Ryan Baumgartner, 26, Bluffton.
Randy Joe Harnish, 74, Bluffton, and Susan Celeste Ellison, 74, Bluffton.
