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March 05, 2012

KISSIMMEE -- An Osceola County Fire Rescue paramedic has been arrested on charges of attacking a Polk County deputy sheriff who was protecting a psychiatric patient from the outraged firefighter, records show.

Paramedic Jarred Stroup is accused of shoving Deputy Debra Martin on Jan. 27 at Florida Hospital Kissimmee, where she had custody of a handcuffed man awaiting admission to nearby Park Place Behavioral Center, records show.

For unknown reasons, the psychiatric patient became upset with Stroup shortly after 1 a.m. and referred to him with a slur. Stroup is accused of shoving aside the deputy sheriff as he lunged at the patient, records show.

The deputy separated both men, but Stroup, 35, continued taunting the patient. Martin ordered him to leave the emergency room, but Stroup returned "and caused the situation to become hostile again."

A nurse intervened and told the paramedic, "You know better than that. He is a psych patient."

Records state Stroup responded, "I don't care. I am too. I don't take (abuse from) anyone." And then, Stroup told the patient, "I'll kill you," records state.

When Stroup was interviewed by police later that night, the paramedic claimed the patient "got the better of him" and made him upset. Stroup said he was not rude to the deputy or hospital security guards but surveillance video showed Stroup shoved past the deputy to continue arguing with the patient, records show.

Kissimmee police filed a report on the incident with the Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office, which charged Stroup with battery on a law enforcement officer, a felony, and disorderly conduct and resisting arrest without violence, both misdemeanors, records show.

Stroup surrendered this week at an undisclosed jail and was released on bond. A firefighter since 2006 who earns $37,000 a year, Stroup has been placed on paid administrative leave pending a Fire/Rescue internal investigation of what happened, according to county spokesman Larry Krause Jr.

March 05, 2012

Two Injured in Morning Crash

Ripley County: Two people were injured this morning in a crash that occurred on U.S. 50 about three miles west of Versailles.  According to Corporal David Owsley, at approximately 6:30 this morning a 1996 International UPS delivery truck was westbound on U.S. 50 just east of County Road 300 West.  The driver, 29 year old Michael Collins of Holton, IN lost control on the icy roadway and skidded left of center striking an eastbound 2012 Volvo semi tractor trailer rig driven by 50 year old Donald R. Hinkle, Jr. of Lima, OH.  Cpl. Owsley said Hinkle swerved to the right into the ditch to avoid the collision but the UPS truck struck the front corner of the trailer causing extensive damage to the UPS truck.

Collins was flown by Stat Flight helicopter to University Hospital in Cincinnati, OH with serious injuries and his condition is unknown at this time.  Hinkle was transported by Rescue 69 to Margaret-Mary Hospital in Batesville for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Cpl. Owsley was assisted at the scene by Ripley County Sheriff’s Deputies, Versailles Fire Department, Rescue 69, Stat Flight, and Ripley County EMA.  The crash remains under investigation.

March 05, 2012

Indiana tornadoes: Toddler found in field dies of her injuries

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Fifteen-month-old Angel Babcock seemed to be the miracle survivor of a deadly tornado that killed her parents and two siblings when she arrived Friday night at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Ky. Though critically injured, she was opening her eyes, and hospital workers said that was a hopeful sign.

But the New Pekin, Ind., girl's condition deteriorated Saturday as her brain swelled, chief nursing officer Cis Gruebbel said. As the day went on, Angel's eyes ceased to move, and there was no sign of brain activity. Medical staff told her family there was nothing more they could do.

Angel's death Sunday ended a hopeful tale for survivors in the Midwest and South and brought to 39 the number of people killed by the storms that devastated five states.

<<< Angel Babcock

As residents picked through the rubble and made plans to bury their dead, they also began trying to find a semblance of normalcy as officials continued to assess the damage.

The National Weather Service in Louisville, Ky., said the tornado that struck New Pekin measured an EF-3 on the enhanced Fujita scale, while another tornado that struck nearby Henryville, Ind., measured an EF-4 and packed winds of 175 mph.

Theresa McCarty, owner of Pop Top Bar in New Pekin, said her husband was with emergency workers Friday when they found the Babcock family. Their bodies had been scattered, she said.

McCarty, her friends and co-workers talked about establishing the bar as a central refuge for victims of the tornado from the immediate region, including making roughly 1,000 meals Sunday for victims and volunteers.

But when she talked about the Babcock family, she got quiet: "It was the whole family."

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels told CBS' "Face the Nation" that the twister "moved like a lawnmower though some of the most beautiful countryside, and some of the most beautiful towns that we have."

In Henryville, Ind., about 20 miles area north of Louisville, school was canceled for the week because of heavy damage to the education complex housing elementary through high school students.

Even so, small signs of normalcy slowly began to emerge.

Utility crews replaced downed poles and restrung electrical lines. Portable cell towers went up, and a truck equipped with batteries, cellphone charging stations, computers and even satellite television was headed to Henryville on Monday.

"We're going to keep living," said the Rev. Steve Schaftlein during a Sunday service at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, where about 100 people gathered under a patched-up 6-foot hole in the church's roof to worship and catch up on news of the tornado.

Many relied on word of mouth as communications continued to be difficult.

"It's horrible. It's things you take for granted that aren't there anymore," said Jack Cleveland, 50, a Census Bureau worker.

Lisa Smith, who has been Henryville's postmaster for six weeks, told people that they could pick up their mail in Scottsburg, about 10 miles north. A local insurance agent, Lyn Murphy-Carter, used paper and pen to gather handwritten claims from policyholders.

In West Liberty, Ky., about 85 miles east of Lexington, the roar of chain saws filled the air as utility workers battled chilly weather and debris to get electricity restored to the battered town. Almost 19,000 customers were without power in Kentucky, according to the state's Public Service Commission, and a few thousand more from municipal utilities and TVA, which the PSC does not track.

In Indiana, about 2,700 remained without power, down from 8,000 in the hours after the storms. But in some hard-hit areas, like Henryville, a substation and transmission lines need to be rebuilt, and that could take up to a week.

Even with life upended in so many ways, one family got a reminder that a deadly tornado can't uproot everything.

The home that Shalonda Kerr shares with her husband and Jack Russell terrier outside of Chelsea, Ind., was obliterated: The front wall was ripped clean, leaving the home looking eerily like a shaken dollhouse. An upended couch and a tipped-over fish tank lay in the rubble.

The mailbox was untouched. Its front hatch was tipped open, revealing a white piece of paper.

"Inside was a $300 IRS bill," Kerr said, laughing amid the ruins.

Schreiner reported from West Liberty, Ky. Jason Keyser contributed from Marysville, Ind.

March 05, 2012

Trooper struck while investigating interstate crash

An Ohio Highway Patrol trooper was treated at a Toledo hospital after being struck while investigating a crash on Interstate 475 in Lucas County, the highway patrol said today.

Sgt. Shane L. Johnson was investigating a one-vehicle crash on the interstate about 11 p.m. Sunday when his patrol car and the minivan involved in the crash were struck by an SUV driven by Julius A. Simmons, 28, of Toledo, the highway patrol said in a statement.

The patrol car then was struck by a car driven by Trang H. Nguyen, 21, of Parma Heights, Ohio, the statement said.

Sgt. Johnson was treated at Toledo Hospital and released, the statement said. Nguyen and Simmons refused treatment. The driver of the minivan in the original crash was not injured.

The statement said Nguyen was cited on charges of operating under the influence of alcohol and failure to maintain an assured clear distance ahead. It said Simmons was cited on charges of operating under the influence of alcohol, failure to maintain an assured clear distance ahead and failure to wear a seat belt.

© Copyright 2012 The Journal Gazette. All rights reserved. Neither this material nor its presentation may be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

March 05, 2012

An East St. Louis police officer was shot Sunday and evacuated to a hospital and his assailant fled on foot into the Orr Weathers Apartments, police said.

East St. Louis Police Chief Michael Floore identified the officer as Michael Baxton Jr., son of former East St. Louis Police Chief Michael Baxton Sr. Floore said Baxton, Jr. was in stable condition at an area hospital. Baxton was shot once in the face and is expected to survive.

At 9 p.m., some 40 or so members of a tactical response team went inside of Building D1 in the Orr Weathers housing project. A large number of police officers and S.W.A.T. were on the sixth floor of the building. Several more police were positioned outside an apartment where the suspect was believed to be hiding. They entered apartment 603 but did not find anyone inside, Floore confirmed.

Floore said that as of 10 p.m., the armed fugitive, whose identity was not released, was still on the loose. An Illinois State Police helicopter was searching the area with a spotlight.

Floore said three people were taken into custody for questioning, but the were not charged.

Elizabeth Tolliver, executive director of the East St. Louis Housing Authority, was elated over hearing news that the gunman was not in Building D1. Tolliver received a call about 2:30 p.m. from an employee telling her a policeman had been shot and police believed the gunman ran into the D1 building.

"I just hate that the residents had to be inconvenienced and away from their homes for such a long period of time. But, it's very understandable. The police wanted to make sure it was safe for the residents to return to their homes before they allowed them in the building," Tolliver said.

Earlier in the day, police radios everywhere blasted the tragic news -- an officer was shot in the line of duty.

Flashing lights from police cars lit up the area between 14th and 15th streets and Broadway. Sirens blared as police came to the area from every direction. Some ran as they jumped out of their cars. They had on camouflaged uniforms emblazoned with the word police boldly on their backs. Some had on helmets, like the one's the military use.

Everyone had on bullet-proof vests and most carried large rifles. Some had guns strapped around their thighs. Some of the officers had FBI boldly printed on their backs.

About 4:45 p.m., an unknown woman wearing purple rushed to the scene and frantically told police her daughter was inside the building. She said her daughter had just called her and requested that she get to the building. For several minutes she was in front of the building talking with police officers.

Baxton Jr. was shot about 3 p.m. Floore said East St. Louis police received a call that the suspect, who was wanted by police, was in the area and when Baxton Jr. tried to make a traffic stop, the suspect opened fire, Floore said.

Police evacuated the D1 building, and many of the residents complained they could not go back in but had nowhere else to go.

One resident said she was studying for a test at school today and would not be able to prepare properly. Others talked of being hungry and not being able to get any information from police about what was taking so long.

Tamia Jones said gunshots woke her up. When she heard the shots, she didn't think anything unusual was happening because she said people shoot in the Orr Weathers complex all of the time.

"That's every day. I have been here six years and I have seen too much," she said.

One resident said before police made her leave her apartment they showed her two different pictures of two different men. She said she didn't recognize either one.

Police officers from multiple agencies across the metro-east arrived on the scene to assist, including the FBI, Illinois State Police and the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department, Collinsville, Sauget, O'Fallon, Belleville, Washington Park, Centreville and Alorton police departments and the East St. Louis Park District police.

St. Clair County Coroner Rick Stone said the officer was taken to St. Louis University Hospital.

Michael Baxton Sr. served two stints as police chief in East St. Louis. He resigned recently and pleaded guilty to stealing four Xbox gaming consoles in connection with a federal corruption investigation in Alorton, where he was chief before returning to East St. Louis. Baxton Jr. left Alorton, where was working as a police officer after East St. Louis laid him off, to return to East St. Louis, a short time after his father returned to head up the department.

Baxton Jr. was off for a period from East St. Louis after he severely injured himself in a motorcycle accident.

© 2011 Belleville News-Democrat and news service sources. All Rights Reserved. http://www.bnd.com

March 05, 2012

A man was shot to death in his driveway in Waggaman after a domestic dispute Sunday evening, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. Authorities said the shot that killed 25-year-old Nicholas Houston in the 100 block of Daffodil Lane was fired by his estranged wife, 25-year-old Honore Estes Houston.

Honore Houston is an Orleans Parish sheriff's deputy who resides in eastern New Orleans. She has been a deputy since November 2009.

The recently separated pair had been having an argument.

Just before 6 p.m., police found Nicholas Houston lying between two cars in the driveway of the home with a single gunshot wound to the left side. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Honore Houston was at the scene when police arrived and allegedly told authorities two different stories about the incident. In the second version, she said the gun went off when she was waving it in the air during the argument, according to the Sheriff's Office.

When she was first interviewed by investigators, she said the gun was in her purse and was accidentally fired while she was swinging the purse. She then recanted that story, the JPSO said.

Houston has not been arrested at this time, according to the Sheriff's Office. She was taken from the scene for further questioning.

Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman issued a statement Sunday night saying that Honore Houston has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the criminal investigation and an internal investigation by his office.

"As we all know too well, domestic violence touches every corner of our community. Tragically, this includes law enforcement and the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office," Gusman said. "Our investigators are working alongside the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office to determine the cause of this incident. We will follow all of the procedures of this office, as this investigation continues."

© 2012 NOLA.com. All rights reserved.

March 05, 2012

ATLANTA, GEORGIA---Police are searching for a group of teens they say shot two people inside a Waffle House in South Fulton County early Sunday, according to Channel 2 Action News. One of the victims in the shooting is a police officer, Channel 2 reports.

Fulton County police identified the off-duty officer as Donald Wallace of College Park and said that he and his companion, Giovanni Jenkins of Decatur, got into an argument with a group of teens at the restaurant at Evander Holyfield Highway.

One of the teens shot the woman in the foot and Wallace in the stomach before they fled, according to Channel 2.

Police told Channel 2 that the victims' injuries were not life-threatening. Police are looking for the person who shot the victims.

March 05, 2012

Troopers, bystanders save trapped driver from burning SUV

By Cynthia Dizikes

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When State Trooper Jacqueline Del Villar arrived at a crash scene early Sunday morning, she knew the situation was dire.

The sport utility vehicle near the Bishop Ford Freeway ramp by Dolton had run head-on into a tree and its crumpled hood was engulfed in flames. The driver, who was leaning out of the front seat, was stuck, her legs pinned beneath the dashboard.

Del Villar ran to the woman and grabbed her arm, and an unidentified bystander pulled the other.

“The flames started coming in the car toward where we were,” said Del Villar, during a news conference Sunday afternoon. “(The woman) was grabbing onto my (belt), afraid that I would leave her there.”

Soon after, State Police Sgt. Henry Spight arrived at the scene to help, dousing the woman’s legs with a fire extinguisher and working with other bystanders until they finally were able to pull her free.

“Maybe another minute later, the entire vehicle was on fire, fully engulfed,” Spight said.

The driver, Tamara Jackson, 34, of Chicago, suffered several cuts, abrasions and burns and later was charged with driving under the influence, police said. A passenger, who exited the car before police arrived at about 4 a.m., refused medical attention at the scene, Spight added.

Del Villar said when she asked Jackson how the crash occurred, she couldn’t recall any details.

“She didn’t know that she was involved in a crash,” Del Villar said.

Both officers, who suffered smoke inhalation as well as minor burns and cuts, thanked the bystanders for their help Sunday. They also urged the public to not drink and drive. There has been a spate of crashes this winter linked to wrong-way driving and driving under the influence.

cdizikes@tribune.com

Copyright © 2012, Chicago Tribune

March 05, 2012

Indiana State Trooper gives account of tornado

We're getting a better look at the monster tornadoes that ripped through one town in Indiana.

A customer inside a Shell gas station caught the twisters on camera.

Officials say one of the tornadoes was an EF-4 with 175 mile per hour winds.

In total 90 tornadoes hit the Midwest Friday and Saturday, 38 people have been killed.

And stories from those who suffered the devastation are pouring out, including one from a state trooper who survived some terrifying moments.

"I've been on state police 20 years and I haven't seen anything like this."

State Trooper Shaun Hannon compares the violent damage in Henryville to a war zone. It's the place where his buddy Trooper Martin Wimp, a Marine Reservist faced an unexpected battle against the elements.

The trooper was trapped in tornado debris. No one could find him.

"He was at the top of the steps. He'd just hung up the phone with his wife, stuck his phone in his pocket at the top of the steps. Said his ears popped, real bad, and the windows blew in and he woke up in the basement. These air conditioners that are under here, he was pinned under them underneath that tree is where he ended up at."

Using his SWAT Team skills and his military training, Martin somehow self-rescued and survived. He's been released from the hospital, but has a broken shoulder and facial lacerations.

Now, troopers from around the state are helping to comb through what's left of his home for his family. About a dozen of them spent Saturday doing what they could to help.

"We were able to salvage some things and hopefully in a couple months they'll be back on their feet."

It's a scene repeated throughout Henryville this weekend, friends and neighbors helping each other recover from what they barely survived.

Copyright © 2012, WTKR-TV

March 05, 2012

McDonald’s golden arches famously proclaim “billions and billions served,” but at the restaurant’s beleaguered branch next to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park the motto might as well be “hundreds and hundreds of calls made to the police.”

In what some consider a questionable use of government resources for a private business, there were 412 calls for police assistance from this McDonald’s in the past year, according to records from the city’s Department of Emergency Management. The actual number, including calls made directly to the local police station, is probably much higher.

“In a couple of months, we must have called 300 times,” said Natalie Gonzales, the restaurant’s owner.

Most of the calls were for trespassers who were not diners, many of them homeless, resulting in few arrests. But there have also been reported fights (some with weapons), robberies, assaults and people brandishing knives.

Neighbors are not McLovin’ it.

Although the area has long been known for drug dealing and homelessness — the park’s Hippie Hill, synonymous with marijuana culture, is nearby — some residents and merchants believe the situation has gotten worse in recent months. They aired their complaints with police leaders at a public meeting Wednesday night, worried that what was once a fairly benign situation has turned increasingly dangerous.

Mark Karam, who has owned a home nearby for about a decade, said the area had become “the butt of the city.”

Some put the blame for the increase in problems here on the city’s controversial sit/lie ordinance, which bans sitting and lying on sidewalks as a way to thwart street crimes and other infractions. Enforcement of the measure, which was approved by voters in 2010, began in the Haight Street area last March, resulting in 76 warnings, 188 citations and 14 arrests so far.

The ordinance was born out of a grass-roots movement in the adjacent Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, following complaints about aggressive panhandling, drug dealing and violent behavior. Now some believe sit/lie has simply moved those problems several blocks from the Haight to the park, where sitting and lying remains perfectly legal.

It is a scenario sit/lie opponents had predicted, arguing that the ordinance would not address the root causes of the problems.

During a visit to the park last week dozens of apparently homeless young men and women, many with pit bulls, brazenly hawked marijuana, hashish and psychedelic mushrooms to passers-by. Within 30 seconds of stepping on the sidewalk outside the McDonald’s, I was offered “chronic green” — high-grade marijuana.

Ms. Gonzales, part of a family of McDonald’s franchise owners (“We have ketchup in our veins,” she said) downplayed the number of calls to police lately, noting that the volume of incidents seemed consistent with recent years. In fact, records show calls from that restaurant are up just 7 percent from the previous year. By comparison, however, at two other McDonald’s that she owns downtown, calls to police were rare, she said.

“The police have been very adamant for me to get security,” at the parkside restaurant, Ms. Gonzales said. She has resisted, saying she previously hired private security for a decade, ending seven years ago, at a cost of $90,000 annually — and neighbors complained at that time that guards harassed the homeless.

Damon Krytzer, who lives a few doors away, said neighbors were taking circuitous routes to avoid the McDonald’s block, and added that there was evidence that private security could work: a Whole Foods next door has security and is relatively problem-free.

Others would like to see more police involvement. Ted Loewenberg, president of the Haight Ashbury Improvement Association, said neighbors “feel intimidated” and that “the park is being wrecked.”

In testimony at Wednesday’s meeting, residents spoke of being threatened and assaulted by “the vagrants” who now dominate the area. Police Chief Greg Suhr promised immediate action. “We’ll take care of that before the end of the week,” he said.

Meanwhile, the calls continue. Even with the daily telephone calls, Mr. Krytzer is concerned that police do not appreciate how much the area has devolved. After a recent bike ride through the park, he said, he was repeatedly approached to buy drugs, even though police officers were present.

But instead of confronting the dealers, the police admonished Mr. Krytzer — for riding his bike on the sidewalk.

“They don’t get it,” he said.

March 05, 2012

March 05, 2012

As soon as he felt a gun barrel poke his ribs, the cop broke out his fists of fury to crack ribs, knock out teeth and fracture a thug’s skull.

Not bad for an officer well into his 80’s.

“I love to fight guys who are bigger than I am,” said Hialeah Police Lt. Leo Thalassites, 85, as he recalled fending off a robber outside a Greek restaurant in Coral Gables in 2010.

He disarmed the 6-foot-2, 250-pound “punk” and then beat him unconscious. “For more than half a century, I have taught officers to always be ready.”

Three generations of police officials were indeed ready, on Tuesday, when they crowded into City Hall to honor the brawny Thalassites, who turns 86 in April , for being America’s oldest active cop.

The International Police Association confirmed that Thalassites is indeed the oldest active law enforcement officer in the United States.

A cross between Clint Eastwood and Jackie Chan, the barrel-chested Thalassites is a mixed-martial arts dynamo who started his police career with what was then known as the Metro-Dade police department in 1956. He transferred to Hialeah Police in 1963, and state records show he has been active with the department ever since.

His current duties consist of training officers to make sure they are physically fit and ready for action.

“The history of this police department cannot be written without mentioning your name,” said Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez, a martial arts enthusiast who once trained as a police officer under Thalassites. “On behalf of the 250,000 citizens living in Hialeah, I proclaim Feb. 28 as Lt. Leo Thalassites Day.”

City officials stood to honor Thalassites shortly after he drove 300 miles to Hialeah City Hall – from Tampa – a trip he makes three times a week. He moved to Tampa in 1995 to be closer to the thriving Greek community in Tarpon Springs.

He served in World War II and Korea, and served in all five branches of the military — Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. Thalassites said he was fulfilling a personal mission.

“He’s a war hero, ” said Hialeah Police Chief Mark Overton, who handed Thalassites a plaque that read “oldest active police officer in America” that included his dates of service, a badge and a baton. “Now don’t hit anybody with that.”

Police officers shared laughs and took turns roasting Thalassites, as he just stood there, grizzled and stone-faced.

“We went to a call in Seminola, back in the 80’s, and Leo came straight from the gym nearby wearing shorts and a tank top,” said Norman Grad, a retired Hialeah police officer, who described Thalassites’ horrific shrapnel scars — from grenades – that were normally covered by long-sleeved shirts. “The bad guys begged me to keep Leo away as if he was a wild animal.”

Grad drew cheers as he read aloud a 2010 Miami Herald article about how Thalassites “beat down” a mugger after leaving a Greek restaurant near Southwest Eight Street.

Though Thalassites carries a Colt .45 that was issued to him in the Korean War, he has never had to use it on duty. Rather, he has always relied on something far more dangerous, according to Hialeah Police Lt. Carl Zogby: “fists that are weapons of mass destruction.”

Zogby added that Thalassites served in all five branches of the military, earned three Purple Hearts — two in WWII and one in Korea — and competed in the Olympics trials for the 1964 Toyko Games, representing the U.S. in Greco-Roman wrestling. Last year, he was named to the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.

Many officers joked – at a distance – and shared stories about Thalassites that included:

He never rests his hands in his pockets. Rather, he keeps them in “striking position.”

When he eats at a restaurant, he never sits near a window and always asks to meet with the chef.

He never answers the phone or makes calls. Instead, he has others relay messages back to him.

The one thing no one joked about is his unfailing belief in God. His father, George Thalassites, was a seventh-generation priest who served Miami’s Greek community in the 1940s. He also taught combat fighting to elite Greek soldiers.

The younger Thalassites couldn’t learn to write Greek well enough to be a priest in the Greek Orthodox Church, so his father gave him two tasks as he pursued an alternate path in life: Put Jesus first before anything else in life and take care of your body.

Since then, Thalassites has risen at 4 a.m. every day to pray. Then he runs a few miles, lifts weights and punches a heavy bag before eating measured portions of chicken and vegetables. He has maintained the same weight, 178 pounds, for more than 50 years.

He has 11 children and has been married twice. After divorcing his first wife, he married his second wife, Cora, 20 years ago.

The city last honored him 10 years ago when it named the police gym after him.

“I want to give all the glory to my lord and savior Jesus Christ,” said Thalassites, with friends and officials by his side as he recited passages from the Bible including John 3:16 and Psalm 23.

He showed a rare lighter side as he joked with Hernandez.

“The mayor was one of my toughest students,” Thalassites said. “I was scared of him.”

March 04, 2012

SALEM, Ind. -- A 2-year-old girl found alone in an Indiana field after Friday's massive, tornado-spawning storms has been identified and remains in critical condition at a Kentucky hospital, police said.

Cis Gruebbel, spokeswoman for Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Ky., said Saturday that the girl's mother, father, 2-month-old sister and 3-year-old brother all died Friday when the storms devastated southern Indiana.

A spokeswoman for the hospital in Salem, Ind., where the girl was first taken, said Saturday that authorities were still trying to figure out how she ended up in the field alone.

St. Vincent Salem Hospital spokeswoman Melissa Richardson said the girl was found in a field near her home.

Copyright 2012 by TheIndyChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

March 04, 2012

Off-duty cop fires at car that struck him, 3 arrested

An off-duty police officer shot at a man who tried to run him over with a vehicle after an argument in the Southwest Side Little Village neighborhood Wednesday night.

The officer, who was off-duty, was having an argument with a male at 9:40 p.m. in the 3100 block of West 26th Street, police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer said.

The officer then discharged his weapon after the male tried to strike him with a vehicle, Greer said.

The suspect fled in the vehicle but was arrested by Ogden District officers in the 3100 block of South Kedzie Avenue, Greer said.

Fraternal Order of Police spokesman Pat Camden said said he police officer was working security at a restaurant there when the incident happened. The officer had just thrown out three “rowdy” male customers when he went out to the parking lot to make sure they were leaving without any trouble.

As he walked out, the driver tried to run him down in a Nissan passenger car, Camden said. The officer jumped out of the way, but the driver came back at him and “literally pinned him against the fence of the parking lot.”

The officer was able to climb onto the hood and fired two shots through the windshield at the driver, grazing him in the head, Camden said. The driver and the two other men then fled west on 31st street, lost control about a block west of Kedzie Avenue and struck an oncoming car.

The two passengers were arrested there, and the driver was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was treated and released, Camden said. All three are now being held at the Harrison Area lockup. Charges are pending.

The driver of the other car was also treated and released at an area hospital, and the officer was treated and released at Mount Sinai hospital for bruises to the leg that had been pinned, Camden said.

March 04, 2012

Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott has cut off communication to The News-Press staff and reporters.

In an email Wednesday evening to the sheriff’s office public information officers and News-Press editors, Scott said “effective immediately the morning briefings in PIO are suspended until further notice and all media will be required to schedule appointments to review reports, etc. Strict adherence to (Florida Statute) 119 will be the rule of the day for all media outlets. All requests for interviews and/or comments will be forwarded to me, and I will provide direction on a case-by-case basis.”

<<< Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott

Media outlets in Southwest Florida typically attend briefings to learn deputy responses to such things as burglaries and drug busts, before requesting formal reports. Now that the briefings have been eliminated, WINK, NBC2, FOX TV and The News-Press will review a booking log and daily status report before requesting records. Scott’s directive would require media to make appointments to do so.

Scott’s new policy has also changed how PIOs respond to News-Press questions. During a press conference Thursday announcing the office’s arrest of more than 200 people for narcotics, prostitution and Internet sex crimes, Scott refused to answer questions from News-Press reporters. Scott asked each questioner where he or she worked, and when a News-Press videographer asked a question and a News-Press reporter asked a question, he responded by asking for the next question.

“It’s a shame that an elected public figure refused to take questions from the largest media company, with the largest voice in our area, and not inform the public of what is going on at the sheriff’s office,” said Terry Eberle, The News-Press executive editor.

The sheriff declined to talk to Eberle about resolving the issue. Instead, in an email Friday, he criticized the paper’s decision to run the aforementioned story about the sheriff’s office press conference on

“In fact, I do not want to discuss anything with you and so in addition to acknowledging your phone calls, I invite you to just email me whatever you wanted to communicate yesterday evening,” he wrote.

The issue began Wednesday evening when a News-Press reporter contacted Scott on his cellphone for a comment regarding a federal lawsuit against the sheriff’s office.

The reporter first contacted a public information officer at the sheriff’s office for Scott’s comment. More than an hour later, and without a response, the reporter contacted the sheriff’s office again and spoke with a second public information officer about her request.

The second officer replied, “You’re going to get the standard ‘we do not comment on pending litigation’ at this time.”

The reporter was not informed the PIO had spoken with Scott.

The reporter then contacted Scott on his cellphone to try to get a comment. In his email, Scott said the second officer gave a comment and that the reporter should go through the PIO, before hanging up. He sent an email less than an hour later to Eberle and The News-Press President and Publisher Mei-Mei Chan informing them that he was ordering his employees to not talk to anyone from The News-Press.

Steven Carta, a News-Press attorney, said Florida courts have held it a violation of a media member’s First Amendment rights for a government official, such as a sheriff, to take action against the media in retaliation for the way it reports or gathers the news concerning that official.

Court decisions around the country have gone both ways. A Maryland court ruled that the state’s governor had the right to exclude two Baltimore Sun reporters from access, while a court in Illinois ruled that a state prison could not shut off access to a reporter who had written an article that scrutinized questionable actions by prison officials.

Officials at WINK and NBC2 declined to comment for this story.

Eberle said the reporter was not wrong to contact Scott for his comments.

“I think it’s a misunderstanding on the side of the sheriff,” Eberle said. “The reporter talking to the PIO did not understand the comment came from the sheriff. She was doing her duty to get a comment. She was giving the sheriff an opportunity to speak.”

This isn’t the first time Scott has cut off communication with The News-Press. The sheriff and The News-Press have had a strained relationship since he was angered by a Feb. 15, 2009, headline after a deputy shot a man during an attempted fugitive arrest. The sheriff at times had stopped talking to News-Press reporters or answered only through email. In October 2010, the sheriff and the paper settled their differences and normal communication resumed.

“This really should not be an issue of The News-Press,” Eberle said. “It’s an issue of a public official reporting to the public.”

March 04, 2012

Bulletproof vest saves Chicago cop shot in Roseland

A Chicago Police officer who was shot on the Far South Side Friday afternoon was apparently saved by his bulletproof vest, authorities said.

The officer was hospitalized after being shot at 4:35 p.m. Friday in the 100 block of West 103th Place in Roseland.

Two officers had responded to that location, where shots were reported earlier. When they arrived and went to the back of a home, shots were fired at them, striking one officer in the “vest and arm,” police said in a statement. He returned fire.

The 41-year-old officer, a 7-year veteran assigned to the Calumet District, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn with non-life threatening injuries.

Detectives were interviewing “persons of interest” and multiple weapons were found inside a residence on the block, police said.

“We’ve recovered a couple of weapons at this point and we are going to bring this case to closure,” Supt. Garry McCarthy told reporters outside the hospital Friday night.

One neighbor, who didn’t want to give her name, said the officer was shot in the gangway next to her home. The woman said she was watching TV at the time.

“I heard two shots, and then I heard the policeman say, ‘Oh, s---,’” the woman said.

Contributing: Stefano Esposito

Copyright © 2012 — Sun-Times Media, LLC

March 04, 2012

Republicans in Indiana are taking self-defense too far. In a move supported by the National Rifle Association, the Indiana House passed Senate Bill 1, which allows homeowners to shoot and kill police officers they believe are unlawfully on their property or in their homes. The bill could also extend to federal law enforcement officials.

According to the Evansville Courier Press, the bill is a response to a decision made by the Indiana Supreme Court in 2011. “The court ruled that homeowners do not have the right to use force against law enforcement officials who they believe are illegally entering their homes. That decision came in the case of Richard Barnes, who filed a lawsuit against police who followed him into his house while they were responding to a domestic dispute Barnes had with his wife.”

The key word there, is ‘believe.’ People have different beliefs when it comes to the police. Most people respect the boys in blue and understand that they are just trying to do a dangerous job that doesn’t exactly pay well. Some, on the other hand, have no respect at all for police and believe them to be the enemy at all time, whether they have a warrant or not. But it’s a particularly risky situation that Republicans are putting police officers in, because in some situations police officers enter homes when they have sufficient reason to believe that a crime is taking place. For example, if a police officer is walking by a home and a woman screams because her husband is beating her mercilessly, there isn’t time to wait for a court approved warrant to enter the home. Under Senate Bill 1, which passed by a 74-24 vote, the husband could shoot and kill the officer for entering his home and get away with it. And there are many other situations where police may deem it necessary to enter a home, such as the situation in which the Indiana Court ruled.

Rep. Craig Fry, a Democrat, says the bill “is going to cause people to die and it’s too late after somebody dies for a jury to sort it out. Somebody’s going to die, whether it’s a police officer or an individual who thinks a police officer is entering their home unlawfully. People are going to die.”

Fry’s colleague, Democratic Rep. Linda Lawson, a former police captain, says the bill would create an “open season on law enforcement,” and is opposed by “1,250 state police officers and 14,000 men and women in blue, brown and green.”

Republicans claim the bill actually protects police officers, but what it really does is give paranoid gun toting anti-government nut jobs the legal ability to shoot any officer that steps in their home or on their property. It allows those who commit a crime to have a safe haven from police officers who pursue them. All a criminal needs to do is run home to legally resist arrest. Like many laws, people will more than likely misinterpret it to mean they can kill any police officer in their home as long as they think they are there illegally. And many people aren’t going to see a difference between an officer with a warrant and an officer without one. Many people believe that police have no right to exercise authority in their homes whatsoever, even if a crime may have been or is being committed, even if there is a warrant. This bill takes home defense to an entirely new level. We aren’t talking about thieves or murderers, or rapists entering homes. This bill is about police, who risk their lives on a daily basis to keep people safe. Nobody has the right to shoot and kill a police officer for doing their job. Instead of letting judges and juries sort things out, Republicans in Indiana believe more gun play is the answer to keep police in check, and such beliefs are going to result in more dead civilians and dead police.

March 04, 2012

Former Clarendon Hills cop admits taking guns from turn-in program

BY DAN ROZEK

A former Clarendon Hills police officer charged with stealing four guns collected during a turn-in program was sentenced to two years probation Friday after pleading guilty to felony official misconduct.

As part of a plea deal, DuPage County prosecutors agreed to dismiss theft charges against 49-year-old Daniel M. Ryan, a 20-year police veteran.

<<< Daniel M. Ryan

Ryan sold the handguns, which were awaiting disposal after being turned in to the police department, authorities said.

“He’s remorseful,” defense attorney Jeff Kendall said after the sentencing.

Ryan had been with aggravated possession of a stolen firearm, unlawful possession of a stolen firearm, theft and official misconduct. He resigned from the department on April 22, 2011.

In February 2011, after receiving an anonymous tip, the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office and FBI launched an investigation into the disappearance of guns from the Clarendon Hills police department’s evidence room.

In all, Ryan was accused of stealing five weapons, all in 2007: an Ithaca M1911 A1 World War II U.S. Army .45-caliber gun; a .22-caliber Short Butler; a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber Airlight Special; a Mossberg 590 12-gauge shotgun; and a Connecticut Valley Bobcat .50-caliber gun

March 04, 2012

Beck backs driver's licenses for illegal immigrants

LAPD chief advocates a change in state law, saying that licenses

would improve highway safety and allow police to identify people they encounter.

By Joel Rubin and Paloma Esquivel

Wading into a divisive, politically charged debate, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Wednesday that California should issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

The chief becomes one of the most prominent local figures to support the idea that state lawmakers have battled over repeatedly in the last 15 years. And Beck's stance is certain to further inflame critics who are already angry at the chief for his efforts to liberalize rules on how his officers impound the cars of unlicensed drivers.

"My personal belief is that they should be able to" have licenses, Beck said in response to a question during a meeting with Times' reporters and editorial writers. "The reality is that all the things that we've done — 'we' being the state of California — over the last 14, 16 years have not reduced the problem one iota, haven't reduced undocumented aliens driving without licenses. So we have to look at what we're doing. When something doesn't work over and over and over again, my view is that you should reexamine it to see if there is another way that makes more sense."

Beck said he does not believe licenses for illegal immigrants should be identical to standard licenses. Saying "it could be a provisional license, it could be a non-resident license," he acknowledged that state officials would have to find ways to address widely held concerns that giving licenses to people who are in the country illegally could make it easier for terrorists to go undetected.

Such concerns, however, were outweighed for Beck by what he said would be improved safety on California's roads and the ability of police to identify the people they encounter. "Why wouldn't you want to put people through a rigorous testing process? Why wouldn't you want to better identify people who are going to be here?" he said.

Beck, for example, said he expected the number of hit-and-run accidents would decrease if illegal immigrants were licensed, because they would not have to fear being caught without a license at accidents.

In coming out in favor of licenses for illegal immigrants, Beck echoed his predecessor, Chief William J. Bratton, who also voiced support for the idea. Beck signaled a willingness to use his sway as a respected law enforcement leader to lobby for changes in state law that prohibits illegal immigrants from receiving licenses. "I want to be able to move this issue," he said.

Asked whether he would be permitted in his capacity as police chief to, for example, testify in support of the idea at a legislative hearing, Beck said he had "to follow the lead of the city's elected officials. The mayor is pretty good with me on that. I know he would support me doing that." Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa did not respond to calls for comment.

In a brief interview, Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich joined Beck, calling it "a matter of public safety." Issuing licenses to illegal immigrants, he said, would help ensure that people on the road were capable drivers, although he added that insurance regulations would need to be tightened to combat uninsured drivers. Trutanich said he first voiced his position on licenses last year in La Opinion.

Beck's comments were embraced quickly by state Assemblyman Gilbert Cedillo (D-Los Angeles), who has been involved in repeated attempts since 1998 to pass a state law allowing licenses for illegal immigrants. The LAPD, he said, "is extraordinary … in that they have not allowed themselves to be politicized on the question of public safety vs. immigration. They truly put public safety first."

Critics of expanded rights for illegal immigrants were equally quick to condemn Beck for speaking out on the license issue. Bob Dane, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, challenged Beck's notion that allowing illegal immigrants to have licenses would improve road safety, saying the move would "represent a threat to public safety and national security." He added that issuing the licenses would be "providing a gold-plated membership card into society for people who are not here legally."

Beck's stance on the issue stems from his push in recent months to make controversial changes in the LAPD's vehicle impound rules for unlicensed drivers. Because illegal immigrants cannot receive licenses in California, they are presumed to make up a disproportionate percentage of the state's unlicensed drivers and, Beck believes, have been unfairly affected by the current impound protocols.

Under Beck's proposed changes, officers would continue to impound the cars of unlicensed drivers, but allow those who have auto insurance, a legitimate form of identification and no previous convictions for unlicensed driving to avoid a 30-day hold that carries stiff fees and fines. Drivers would also avoid having their cars impounded if a licensed driver was in the car or able to arrive "immediately."

The proposed changes set off an angry protest from police union officials and some Angelenos, who argued that the changes would reward people for breaking the law and allow potentially dangerous drivers to remain on the roads — claims that Beck rebutted. The department is delaying the new changes until city officials can review a recent legal opinion from state lawyers that questioned the legality of the moves.

The current battle over licenses for illegal immigrants dates to the late 1990s, when Cedillo and others picked up the issue. In 2003, then-Gov. Gray Davis signed a bill that gave illegal immigrants the right to licenses, but the move was so unpopular that it helped spur the campaign to recall Davis. With Davis ousted and opponents threatening a statewide referendum to repeal the law, Cedillo said he and other supporters agreed to repeal the license law. Incoming Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vowed to support a new law that included tighter restrictions and identification requirements, but went on to veto those laws multiple times, according to Cedillo.

Cedillo said he plans to introduce legislation again before he is termed out of office at the end of the year. Gov. Jerry Brown has expressed opposition to such a law.

joel.rubin@latimes.com

paloma.esquivel@latimes.com

Times staff writer Robert Faturechi contributed to this report.

March 04, 2012

Man Shows up Naked to Job Interview, Gets in Fight with Police

Ian McDonald and Kimberly Rankin

VIDEO

Copyright © 2012, KTXL-TV

March 04, 2012

March 03, 2012

March 03, 2012

13 hurt in shooting at Ariz. club

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) – An altercation outside a night club in suburban Phoenix erupted in shooting, leaving 13 people wounded including two in serious condition, police said Saturday.

Police are looking for two young men as possible suspects. Tempe Sgt. Steve Carbajal said they fled after the shooting, which occurred shortly before midnight Friday in the parking lot of The Clubhouse Music Venue.

At least two of the injured were hospitalized in serious condition, while the others were treated for wounds that appeared less severe, Carbajal said.

He said some of the injured drove themselves to the various hospitals so police aren't sure if there were other victims besides the 13.

Carbajal described the shooting as the result of "some sort of altercation" at the club, where a rap music concert was going on.

Police didn't have immediate details on the disturbance, if both of the men were suspected of firing weapons, or about the type of firearm used.

The two being sought were described as black men wearing dark clothing who fled on foot from the club on East Broadway Road, located about 7 miles east of downtown Phoenix.

Four hours after the shooting, the parking lot was virtually empty with only police activity apparent. All entrances to the club's parking lot were cordoned off with tape and squad cars were posted around the area.

The website for the business — located in a strip mall within two miles of Arizona State University's main campus in Tempe — says it's been in operation for six years hosting music shows nightly for all age groups.

Calls to the club went unanswered early Saturday.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

March 03, 2012

Tavone A. Dobson, 22, shot multiple times out windows at police officers from the inside of a residence

CAMBRIDGE, Md. — The following information was released by the Maryland State Police:

A deputy sheriff is recovering from a gunshot wound and a suspect wanted on multiple arrest warrants is in custody and facing more charges tonight as Maryland State Police continue the investigation into

the attempted murder of a police officer this morning in Dorchester County.

The suspect is identified as Tavone A. Dobson, 22, of no fixed address in Cambridge, Md. Dobson is currently being held in the Dorchester County Detention Center. In addition to the warrants that had already been issued for him, Dobson is facing charges in connection with the shooting of a deputy sheriff today who is a member of a warrant task force attempting to arrest him.

The deputy is identified as Deputy First Class Thomas Funk, 29, of the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office. He is a member of the United States Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. The task force includes members of municipal, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies who work together to identify and apprehend wanted fugitives.

The warrant task force was in Cambridge this morning attempting to locate and arrest Dobson. Dobson is wanted on two warrants from the Cambridge Police Department for first and second degree assault, theft, and forgery, a parole retake warrant for second degree assault and possession of a firearm, and a violation of probation warrant and a failure to appear warrant both from Dorchester Copunty. Dobson is also wanted by Delaware State Police on warrants for burglary and violation of probation on charges of unlawful third degree sexual intercourse.

Members of the warrant task force went to a residence in the 800-block of Hubbard Street, Cambridge, at about 9:30 a.m. today after learning Dobson was at the address. Police officers on the scene were from the U.S. Marshals Service, the Cambridge Police Department, the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office, the Maryland State Police, and the Salisbury Police Department.

The preliminary investigation by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit indicates DFC Funk was one of the task force members who entered the residence after being admitted entrance by a female inside. Other members of the task force had formed a perimeter around the exterior of the building.

The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect shot at DFC Funk while he was inside the residence. DFC Funk was wounded once in the arm. He returned fire, but did not strike the suspect. He was able to break out a window in the second floor of the home and escape onto a roof before jumping to the ground. Other officers came to his aid and assisted him to EMS care nearby before he was transported to the hospital.

The investigation indicates Dobson also moved throughout the house and shot multiple times out windows at police officers on the perimeter outside. The preliminary investigation indicates several officers outside the residence returned fire, but the suspect was not hit. Those officers were from the Cambridge Police Department, the Maryland State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service.

A U.S. Marshals Service vehicle was struck, but no officers other than DFC Funk were hit by gunfire. While shots were still being fired, backup officers from the Cambridge Police Department responded, including the Cambridge and Dorchester County SWAT teams. The Maryland State Police STATE Team also responded, but was not deployed at the scene.

Police on the scene initiated a dialog with Dobson, which continued until shortly after 1:00 p.m. when he surrendered. Prior to surrendering, Dobson threw two semi-automatic pistols out a window to the front porch. He was taken into custody without further incident.

Cambridge Police Chief Kenneth Malik requested the police involved shooting investigation be conducted by the Maryland State Police. The State Police Homicide Unit responded and is continuing the investigation with assistance from investigators from state and local police.

State Police investigators obtained a search warrant for the residence and are remain on the scene this evening. State Police crime scene technicians are processing the scene for evidence. Assistance with documenting the scene is also being provided by members of the State Police CRASH Team equipped with laser measuring equipment.

 Copyright 2012 States News Service

March 03, 2012

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana's NewsCenter) -- Two fires kept the Fort Wayne Fire Department so busy Saturday morning that the city put Fort Wayne's volunteer firefighters on standby.

The first fire was noticed around 6 a.m. when neighbors saw thick smoke billowing from the Glorious Church on E. Jefferson Blvd.

Forty firefighters were sent to battle the fire and block off Jefferson to all traffic east of Clinton St. At this point the fire is under control, and no one was hurt.

The other fire started in a home at 2327 Deerwood Drive. The fire is currently under control, but fire crews are cutting holes in the floor to extract the smoldering insulation. We do not know much more on this fire. When we have more details, we will pass them along.

March 03, 2012

BLOOMSBURG - Bath salts were a contributing factor in the death of Trooper David Alan Lynch, whose body was found more than a year ago in the Roaring Creek Tract of Weiser State Forest.

Columbia County Coroner Lori Masteller said Lynch, 34, died from hypothermia due to multiple contributing factors, including the use of bath salts. The cause was listed on Lynch's death certificate issued several months after his death.

In June, state police at Bloomsburg said toxicology reports were complete in the case, but experts needed to be consulted to determine what the results meant. State police previously said there was no indication of foul play and that Lynch, a resident of Locust Township, Columbia County, likely froze to death.

<<< Trooper David Alan Lynch

On Friday morning, state police at Bloomsburg referred an inquiry by The News-Item about the results of the toxicology tests to Masteller.

In a letter to the editor last year, Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Rosini had referenced the possibility that, at the time of his disappearance, Lynch had been using bath salts, a so-called designer drug that has dangerous effects on users but at the time was available legally. Investigators, however, had never confirmed the information, but the coroner's report does cite it as a contributing factor.

A state law banning the sale of bath salts and other synthetic drugs and adding them to the list of controlled substances took effect in August.

Lynch's body was discovered about 5 p.m. Feb. 2, 2011, on forest property in Conyngham Township, Columbia County. Lynch's pickup truck was discovered in the area two days earlier.

Lynch had been a state trooper since 2006, but he ran afoul of the law and had been scheduled to go to trial on various charges, including resisting arrest and driving under the influence relating to a domestic disturbance in 2009. Court documents revealed Lynch had threatened to kill himself. Another trial involving a DUI from March 2009 also was scheduled.

Lynch, an All-State football player at Mahanoy Area High School, earned a Division I scholarship to play football at Duke University, where he graduated with a degree in history.

March 03, 2012

RAM Mounts Introduces Chevrolet Caprice PPV Tough-Box Console

RAM Mounts' Tough-Box console for the Chevrolet Caprice PPV will be available March 13, according to the company.

The console, which fits the 2011 and 2012 model years, uses molded composite and stamped steel that are melded to improve ergonomics, performance, and safety.

Molded face plates incorporate tongue-and-groove details to prevent contamination of electronics from dust and dirt falling through the cracks. This also integrates the combined face plates together as a unit to provide more strength and prevent lost cards, licenses and paperwork.

The console's modular and adaptable design allows for customizable configurations. Several knockout panels on each side accommodate 12-volt connectors or cigarette adaptors. A microphone hole and slot pattern is available on the passenger and driver side of the console.

Molded and stamped mounting holes allow for extreme ease of assembly and installation. This RAM console allows for installation of a full-size radio such as the Motorola Astro XTL 2500.

The new RAM Twist-Lock feature allows for quick access to radios or switches. An integrated cooling fan keeps electronics from overheating.

COPYRIGHT © 2012 POLICE Magazine. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 03, 2012

Deputy U.S. Marshal Leads Texas Authorities On Chase

Reporter: Daniel Armbruster

A Deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service, driving an unmarked vehicle, is accused of taking local law enforcement on a chase Thursday night that spanned three counties and allegedly reached speeds of up to 100 MPH. Grimes County Sheriff’s Deputies say the Deputy U.S. Marshal refused to pull over and could only be stopped with a road block.

Just before 10:30 p.m., Thursday, Magnolia Police began chasing a Deputy U.S. Marshal in an unmarked vehicle. The chase started in Magnolia and traveled north on F.M. 1774 through Waller County and then ended in Grimes County, near Plantersville. The pursuit involved Magnolia Police and Montgomery County Deputies and was stopped by a roadblock created by Grimes County Deputies.

According to Grimes County reports, at least three Magnolia Police officers pursued a suspect, who turned out to be a U.S. Marshals Deputy in an unmarked Chevrolet pickup. Police say they followed the Deputy U.S. Marshal with their lights activated, but he did not pull over. The chase ended at the intersection of F.M. 1774 and State Highway 105. Grimes County Deputy reports indicate that the Deputy Marshal was turned over to Magnolia Police, who told them he was responding to a call in Bryan. The Deputy Marshal’s story was reportedly verified by Magnolia Police and then released.

"I'm not concerned about what his resume is. I'm concerned about why that individual didn't pull over,” said Grimes County Sheriff, Don Sowell.

According to reports, the chase reached speeds of 100 MPH on the two-lane highway.

"You cannot place the public in that kind of danger and then you have several units pursuing you. You're required to pull over,” said Sowell.

Sheriff Sowell says even though his department was called in to assist and the chase ended in Grimes County, he has yet to hear from the U.S. Marshals Service as to why the agent allegedly refused to pull over.

Sowell: "I think the U.S. Marshal's Service certainly needs to justify to the agencies that initiated pursuit and all of them as to what justified this."

Daniel: “Have you heard from the U.S. Marshals?”

Sowell: "No I have not."

Grimes County Deputies were able to safely close down State Highway 105 before the chase reached that busy intersection. No one was injured.

An employee with Magnolia Police told KBTX to contact the U.S. Marshals Service for information about the incident. A spokesperson for the Marshals Service told KBTX the incident is under investigation and he would not release the Deputy Marshals’ name. KBTX also contacted Bryan Police to see if the Marshal was responding to an incident in Bryan, but police refused to comment.

It remains unknown why Magnolia Police began to pursue the pickup truck. The Deputy U.S. Marshal is reportedly based out of the Houston area.

March 03, 2012

State Police Detectives Arrest Spencer County Man for Criminal Recklessness

Spencer County – Indiana State Police arrested a Spencer County man Friday evening after he allegedly battered his 19-year-old daughter, then used a rifle and shot toward a vehicle containing his daughter, her boyfriend and his mother.

Preliminary investigation revealed at approximately 2:15 p.m., Elvis Roach, 19, and his mother, Angelia Roach, drove their pickup truck to Gerald Kline’s residence located at 7386 East C.R. 1400 North, near Lamar, to pick up Lorene Kline, 19.  Roach is Lorene Kline’s boyfriend.  After waiting outside a few minutes, Roach used his cell phone and called his girlfriend to let her know they were outside waiting. When she answered the phone she was screaming for help.  Angelia Roach was still in the pickup truck and used a handgun she had in her possession to fire several rounds into the air. Lorene was able to escape the residence and got into Roach’s truck. Gerald Kline exited his residence with a rifle and allegedly fired two rounds toward the truck as it was leaving.  One of the bullets traveled through the cab before exiting through the driver’s seat and striking Roach in the back.  He immediately drove to Lincoln Trail Elementary School and reported the incident to off-duty detective Rob Gardner, who was at the school picking up his children.  Roach was taken to Jasper Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released.  The bullet did not penetrate his back.  Further investigation revealed Gerald Kline had strangled and prevented his daughter from leaving the residence when Roach arrived to pick her up.  Kline was arrested and is currently being held without bond in the Spencer County Jail.

March 03, 2012

In a unanimous ruling this year, the Supreme Court decided that GPS tracking of criminal subjects by law enforcement required a warrant. With that decision, the Federal Bureau of Investigation had to turn off its 3,000 devices in use but it still wants them back. See the problem here?

(Related: Supreme Court rules GPS tracking requires a warrant)

The Wall Street Journal reports, FBI General Counsel Andrew Weissmann saying at a “Big Brother in the 21st Century” conference last week that the ruling has been a “sea change” within the agency. The FBI has had to apply via court order to temporarily turn on the devices, many of which are located under cars, in order to find them for retrieval.

According to WSJ, the ruling has caused the agency to review its GPS policy and other practices as well:

For instance, [Weissmann] said, agency is now “wrestling” with the legality of whether agents can lift up the lid of a trash can without committing trespass. The majority opinion in U.S. v. Jones held that the agents had trespassed when placing the GPS device on a car without warrant.

He said the agency is also considering the implications of the concurring justices – whose arguments were largely based on the idea that a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy in the totality of their movements, even if those movements are in public.

The Supreme Court’s precedent-setting ruling in U.S. v Jones lead Greg Nojeim, director of the Center for Democracy and Technology’s project on freedom, security and technology, to tell the Blaze at the time that he believed this “signals their willingness to protect privacy in the face of advancing technology.”

March 02, 2012

ANGOLA — An Angola man was convicted of possession of methamphetamine by a Steuben County jury on Thursday.

J. Tucker Harman, 23, was convicted of a Class D felony and will be held in Steuben County Jail until his sentencing April 30 in Steuben Superior Court. It is punishable by up to three years in prison.

Harman has been charged with multiple crimes in Steuben and DeKalb counties.

Last June, he was charged with possession of a cellular telephone or device while incarcerated at Steuben County Jail. He has been at an Indiana prison for safe keeping, according to court documents.

The meth charge was filed April 15, 2011.

He has six more pending charges in Steuben County. They range from misdemeanor purchase of precursors to manufacture methamphetamine to resisting law enforcement

March 02, 2012

Sheriff Joe: Obama's Birth Certificate Is Fake

Sheriff Joe Arpaio

Maricopa County (Ariz.) Sheriff Joe Arpaio said his investigators have uncovered evidence that President Obama's long-form birth certificate is a forgery during a press conference Thursday, reports Fox News.

Sheriff Arpaio said he "cold case posse" also believes that Obama's selective service card filed in Hawaii is a fake. Arpaio's announcement puts him in the "birthers" group who believe Obama was born in Kenya and shouldn't be eligible to be president.

"Based on all of the evidence, I cannot in good faith report to you these documents are authentic," Arpaio said at a press conference in Phoenix, adding that his "investigators believe that the long form birth certificate was manufactured electronically and that it did not originate in the paper format as presented by the White House."

March 02, 2012

Former Indiana fire chief arrested

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The former fire chief of the Geneva Township Fire Department in Indiana turned himself in to state police Friday after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

According to a news release from Indiana State Police, detectives began investigating 35-year-old Shane T. Blackburn of Jennings County after the Ellis Gas and Oil Company in North Vernon claimed Blackburn was stealing from the company.

As the investigation unfolded, it was also alleged that Blackburn was stealing money from the Geneva Township Fire Department where he served as fire chief. According to investigators, Blackburn allegedly stole an undisclosed amount money from Ellis Gas and Oil and the Geneva Township Fire Department over a period of time between June of 2011 and January 2012.

Since the investigation started, Blackburn stepped down from his position as fire chief. Blackburn is now facing charges of forgery, attempted theft and theft.

Blackburn surrendered around 5 p.m. Thursday. He was being held at the Jennings County Jail.

Copyright 2012 WDRB News. All Rights Reserved.

March 01, 2012

March 01, 2012

Amanda Smith, the Johnson County woman accused of drowning her 3-year-old son, attacked a jail guard Wednesday, Johnson County Sheriff Doug Cox said.

Cox said Smith assaulted the jail guard just before 11:30 a.m. when he was checking on her. Mike Chaney was about the leave her padded cell when Smith rushed toward him and knocked him to the ground.

Cox declined to give further details about Chaney's injury but said he was complaining about head and neck pain and had cuts. The corrections officer was sent to Johnson Memorial Hospital.

Smith, 33, is facing a preliminary murder charge in the death of son Jacob Smith and an attempted murder charge for allegedly attacking police officers with an ax. She will now face an additional battery charge.

According to the office of Johnson County Prosecutor Bradley Cooper, it has until Monday to officially file charges against Smith. It is waiting for reports from the sheriff's office about the assault against the Chaney.

Cox said his office will send the reports as soon as they're completed.

Around 9:40 p.m. Monday, police responded to a 911 call from Smith and found the boy's body in a bed in her Trafalgar apartment. Police said after the body was removed, Smith came at officers with an ax.

Police said Smith, who is unemployed, has a history of mental instability and frequent calls to police. Jacob was in the custody of his grandmother, but Smith was allowed one night visitation every week.

Jacob's private funeral is scheduled at 2 p.m. Friday at Jessen Funeral Home's Franklin Chapel, 197 E. Jefferson St. (The website contains an online sympathy card.) He will be buried at Friendship Cemetery near Trafalgar.

March 01, 2012

Troopers Arrest Evansville Man after Early Morning Theft

Posey County – Early this morning, March 1, at approximately 1:13, Indiana State Police and Posey County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to 3201 Conservation Drive, Evansville, after receiving a 911 call from a homeowner that noticed someone inside his 2009 Dodge Ram pickup truck parked outside his residence. 

Preliminary investigation revealed the homeowner was in his bedroom when he heard a vehicle stop in front of his house. He looked out his window and noticed a male had turned on the dome light inside his pickup truck and was looking around inside.  He immediately called 911 before the male left the area driving a silver 2001 Saturn.  It was later determined that nearly 20 gold dollar coins and five $2 bills were missing from the homeowner’s vehicle. 

Posey County Sheriff’s Deputies later stopped the 2001 Saturn on St. Phillips Road near Upper Mt. Vernon Road.  The driver was identified as Eric Curry, 39, of Evansville.  When troopers searched the vehicle they found five $2 bills and gold coins.  Curry was arrested and taken to the Posey County Jail where he is currently being held on a $550 bond.  Troopers returned the stolen property to the homeowner.

ARRESTED AND CHARGE:

·         Eric L. Curry, 39, Evansville, IN

1.       Theft, Class D Felony

Arresting Officer: Trooper Korey Mauck, Indiana State Police

Assisting Officers: Trooper Seth Rainey, Indiana State Police 

Deputy Beth Lavey, Posey County Sheriff’s Office 

Deputy Dustin Seitz, Posey County Sheriff’s Office               

March 01, 2012

Indy Officer Hurt in Crash With Unlicensed Driver

INDIANAPOLIS---An Indianapolis metro police officer was injured in a car crash with an unlicensed driver Wednesday evening, officials said.

Officials said the crash happened about 8 p.m. when an on-duty IMPD officer collided with a gray Ford Grand Marquis at the intersection of North Rural and East New York streets on the city?s east side.

IMPD Spokesman Kendale Adams said the officer was taken to Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Police said the driver of the Grand Marquis, Fredrick Gibson, 25, of Indianapolis, had an outstanding warrant and was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of driving without a license.

The injured officer has been employed with the IMPD East District and was given a blood alcohol test as part of standard procedure.

Officials said the officer?s blood alcohol level was 0.00.

March 01, 2012

Sheriff Deputy Found Dead

Chris Romero

BILLINGS - A Yellowstone County Sheriff's Deputy who served in the department for close to eight years was found dead.

The family of Chris Romero, 38, says he died of natural causes. He leaves behind a wife, two 10-year-old twin girls, and an eight-year-old son.

Romero and two other deputies won a discrimination lawsuit against the sheriff's department in 2010. He was still with the department when he died. His family says he had about 15 years experience in law enforcement in Billings, Laurel, and Hardin.

Funeral services will be held Saturday.

March 01, 2012

ANGOLA — Police are trying to track down a man who allegedly was transporting a pound of crystal methamphetamine and over 2 pounds of heroin.

Thursday around noon, a Steuben County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on I-69 near the Pokagon exit at the 154 mile marker for an alleged traffic violation. The vehicle involved was believed to be involved in drug trafficking and involved in a joint investigation of the multi-county IMAGE Drug Task Force, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and Fort Wayne Vice/Narcotics, said a news release from the sheriff’s department.

Deputy Brad Kline’s K-9 Kash alerted on the vehicle, said chief deputy John Gonya.

“The dog could get us to the general vicinity,” said Gonya. “Immediately, the drugs couldn’t be found.”

The dog’s alert was enough to obtain a search warrant for the vehicle. However, because there was no evidence at the scene, the suspect was released and not charged.

Gonya said it was better and safer to search the vehicle in impound than along the highway, allowing more time and more careful inventory of the vehicle’s contents. A thorough search of the vehicle and its components yielded hidden drugs. Gonya did not reveal the hiding spot.

An arrest warrant has now been issued for the driver of the vehicle, Rene Rivera, 43, of Hamilton, for Class A felony dealing meth and Class B felony dealing a controlled substance. A Class A felony carries up to a 50-year prison sentence and a Class B felony is punishable by up to 20 years.

Rivera does not have a significant criminal record, with an infraction and misdemeanor case filed in the late 1990s in Steuben County courts.

Rivera is a Hispanic male, 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds. Anyone with information of Rivera’s whereabouts should call a police agency or Crime Stoppers at 800-600-HALT.

March 01, 2012

TWO ARRESTED IN OBSCENE MATTER CASE

Dexter “Dale” Gray

Putnam County—Indiana State Police Detectives from the Putnamville Post have been working an investigation into obscene matter being provided to minors and a related complaint of battery since February 21, 2012. The investigation has resulted in the arrest of an adult male and a juvenile female, both from Putnam County.

Ellis Dexter “Dale” Gray, age 44, of Bainbridge, IN., was arrested during the evening of February 21^st and incarcerated in the Putnam County Jail. Gray was preliminarily charged with (1) count of Providing Obscene Matter and Performances before Minors, a Class D felony. Gray has since bonded out.

A 15-year-old female from rural Bainbridge, IN., was arrested on February 27^th, 2012 for (1) count of Obstruction of Justice, D felony; (1) count of Battery, A misdemeanor; and (1) count of Juvenile Delinquency. The female was arrested at the North Putnam High School and transported to the Cedarbridge Treatment Center in Muncie, Indiana. She is tentatively scheduled to remain there for 20 days.

The case originated on February 21^st when the Putnamville Post was contacted by the Indiana Department of Child Services of Putnam County requesting assistance with a Sexual Misconduct investigation. As the investigation progressed, state police detectives were able to develop information that Ellis D. “Dale” Gray allegedly provided sexual explicit material and pictures to three 15-year-old females from Putnam County. Once Gray was arrested, one of the three juvenile females allegedly battered one of the remaining two juvenile females during school hours at North Putnam High School. The injured female received abrasions and contusions about her head and body and was treated at a local hospital. She was later released. The arrested juvenile’s mother is the fiancée of Ellis Gray. The other two juvenile females were friends of the family. A Putnam County search was executed at the rural Putnam County home on February 21^st and items of suspected evidence was collected.

The case was investigated by ISP Detective Deanna Jones. Assisting were ISP Detectives Jim Dungan and Chris Carter, ISP Crime Scene Investigator Sergeant Jim Cody, and the Department of Child Services-Putnam County.

Direct any questions to ISP Sergeant Joe Watts.

March 01, 2012

Gary Man Wanted on Eleven Felonies

Incest, Criminal Deviate Conduct, Child Molesting, Confinement and Intimidation

David Urbaszewski

Gary, Lake County-Yesterday, Tuesday, February 28^th, Lake County Prosecutor charged David Urbaszewski, 33 of Gary, with eleven felonies.

Indiana State Police Detective Chris Campione initiated a criminal investigation on February 14^th after receiving information from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department about a possible child molesting and other related charges involving two girls, ages twelve and thirteen years old. During the course of his investigation, Detective Campione discovered the above allegations occurred during the period of February 1, 2011 through January 31, 2012 at a home in Gary.  The girls after relocating to Sullivan County at the end of January, 2012 disclosed the abuses to a family member.

Urbaszewki is charges with two counts of Incest, Class B Felonies, and four counts of Child Molesting, Class B Felonies, and two counts of Confinement, Class C Felonies, and two counts of Intimidation, Class D Felonies and one count of Criminal Deviate Conduct, Class B Felony.

Anyone with any information to the whereabouts of David Urbaszewski can call the United States Marshall tip line at 888-805-6119 or text your tip to 219-847-4111 all information is confidential.