By SYDNEY KENT
One adult and four juveniles are in custody after a 16-year-old was shot in southern Wells County last Sunday.
Dustin Sanders, 19, Ossian, was charged with battery by means of a deadly weapon (attempt to commit), a Level 5 felony, and criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, a Level 6 felony.
Because the three additional suspects in this case are juveniles, identifying information is not available. For clarification purposes, the juveniles will be referred to as: Teen A, Teen B, Teen C and Teen D.
All four teens were referred to Wells County Juvenile Probation for charges involving aggravated battery and/or dangerous possession of a firearm by a juvenile.
According to a probable cause affidavit, police were dispatched to 1000 South, east of 200 West in Keystone around 1:30 p.m. on May 26. The caller reported that their 16-year-old son, Teen A, was driving home after sustaining a gunshot wound. They then reported that he crashed his car.
Upon arrival, police located Teen A with the gunshot wound in his upper chest and shoulder area. There was reportedly not an exit wound. The teen was alert and able to give details about the shooting.
He advised that he and a 15-year-old, Teen B, met with three people at the Petroleum United Methodist Church parking lot to sell a gun. However, he said the subjects took the gun without paying and sped off. Teen A said that he and the other juvenile chased after the trio in their vehicle.
Teen A stated that during the chase, the subjects began firing a shotgun from the window of a small blue Mazda. One bullet traveled through the windshield, causing a wound to the upper torso.
Police located the Mazda and spoke with the registered owner, who advised her daughter’s friend had borrowed the car during the time of the crime. She gave consent to search the vehicle as well as an address and name of the friend.
Teen C was taken into custody for questioning. He confirmed that he was with Teen D and Sanders. He then advised that he drove the Mazda away after failing to pay for the gun and the pair began to chase after them.
Teen C reported that Sanders and the additional subject began firing their guns from the windows of the car. He denied ever firing a gun. However, officers noted that the two guns believed to be used in the incident were found hidden under Teen C’s bed the next day.
Between the three individual crime scenes — the church parking lot, the crash site and the Mazda — officers found many bullet casings from multiple types of guns, a Glock handgun case, a Glock magazine with 9 mm rounds, and other various Glock gun parts.
Sanders was located at his residence and taken in for questioning. He initially denied any involvement in the incident. However, Sanders eventually corroborated the events detailed by the other teens.
Sanders pled not guilty to the charges during his initial hearing last week. He is scheduled for a pretrial conference in the matter at 9 a.m. July 17 in the Wells Circuit Court.
sydney@news-banner.com
