Fire investigators need help in solving house arsons

The Goshen Fire Department is asking for the public’s help with any information regarding a fire Sunday at 425 N. Fifth St. Upon the department’s arrival at 5:09 a.m., fire was observed involving the entire home and had spread to the adjoining house at 427 N. Fifth St. The fire was brought under control with damage to the two houses estimated at $40,000. No one was injured in this incident and the cause is under investigation.

The Fire Department’s investigators may be contacted at (574) 875-4315, Goshen police (574) 533-8661 or the Arson Hot Line at 1-800-382-4628. Information leading to the arrest of person(s) responsible for this fire may be eligible for rewards of up to $5,000.

11 minors cited for underage drinking

Eleven people under the age of 21 were cited and released after the limousine they were riding in was stopped by Elkhart County police shortly before midnight Nov. 21.

According to police, a Goshen resident reported to Elkhart County police there was a limousine full of teenagers who appeared to be drinking and exposing themselves at the corner of Ind. 15 and U.S. 20 at 11:59 p.m. Nov. 21.  

The vehicle was stopped by officers on Ind. 15, just north of Goshen. Officers from the Sheriff’s Teenage Alcohol Reduction (STAR) team assisted at the scene.

Police said they found 11 people in the vehicle who were younger than 21 and drinking alcohol. Six of the people were under the age of 18. All of the people under the age of 21 who had been drinking were cited into court for illegal consumption of an alcoholic beverage. The juveniles were released to the custody of their parents and were cited into court.

Man accused of

resisting arrest, escape

A Leesburg man faces numerous charges after reportedly fleeing from Indiana Conservation officers approximately 5 p.m. Saturday.

Charles Norris, 29, was reportedly seen coming out of the woods by an Indiana Conservation officer on patrol. The officer had seen a vehicle near Durham Lake.

The officer said he discovered there was a felony warrant issued out of Whitley County for Norris. The officer requested assistance before attempting to put Norris in custody. Norris fled from the officers prior to being handcuffed, officers reported. After a short foot pursuit, Norris reportedly continued to resist officers as they attempted to put him in handcuffs.

Norris was transported by a North Webster ambulance to Kosciusko Community Hospital for medical examination and then transported to the Kosciusko County Jail.

Officers reported that upon his arrival at the jail, Norris attempted to escape by jumping from the slowly moving police vehicle and ran away on foot with his hands handcuffed behind his back.

He was chased down a second time by conservation officers and escorted back to the jail. During the booking process, police said that Norris claimed to have ingested balloons containing methamphetamines earlier in the day so he was transported back to Kosciusko Community Hospital for additional medical examination.

He was cleared and incarcerated at Kosciusko County Jail on charges of resisting law enforcement, escaping law enforcement, possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and failure to procure a hunting license.

Chain reaction crash Sunday evening

Donovan Orth, 19, was traveling north on Ash Road, north of C.R. 12 in Elkhart County at 5:36 p.m. Sunday. Orth was driving a 2000 Ford SE when it struck the rear of a 2002 Ford Explorer driven by Sandra Yoder, 48, who was traveling in the same direction.

According to Elkhart County police, the Explorer then struck the rear of a 1989 Oldsmobile Regency driven by Kathleen Stover, 65. Stover was stopped in traffic waiting to make a turn into a private drive.

Orth’s vehicle had extensive front end damage and was towed due to disabling damage. The other two vehicles had minor damage from the crashes. Orth was transported to the hospital for chest pain and issued a citation for unsafe speed to avoid a vehicle crash.

Battery reports

•  Ricky Stevens, 51, 206 Ninth St., Goshen, was arrested by Goshen police at 2:30 a.m. Monday on charges of strangulation and domestic battery. Officers were called to the residence for a domestic disturbance and found injuries to the victim. Stevens was jailed.

•  A staff member at Bashor Home, 62226 C.R. 15, Goshen, told Goshen police a 16-year-old student pushed him and another staff member during an incident at approximately 7:08 p.m. Saturday.

• A staffer at Bashor Home, 62226 C.R. 15, Goshen, reported to Goshen police of being battered by a 11-year-old male student at approximately 10:30 a.m. Monday. The staffer was not injured.

Theft/burglary reports

•  Dennis Pepper of Goshen reported to Goshen police someone stole his debit card at approximately noon Nov. 19 and it was possibly used Sunday.

•  Manuel Torres, 113 N. Sixth St., Goshen, told Goshen police someone stole his mother’s car outside his residence as it sat idling with the driver’s door unlocked at 7:45 a.m. Monday. The vehicle was later recovered by the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department and two juveniles were taken into custody.

•  A westside Goshen resident reported he was battered by two people he found in his Balsam Fir Lane home at 8:50 p.m. Monday. The man said when he arrived home, two people were there who did not belong — one was an acquaintance. After the battery, the two people fled.

•  A Goshen police officers located a vehicle in the 200 block of E. Jefferson St. with its emergency lights on at approximately 12:27 a.m. Tuesday. After the officer made contact with the vehicle’s owner, it was found that the vehicle was left unlocked and an unknown person had taken a global positions system unit from the car.

• John Bowers, 66510 Ash Road, Wakarusa, told Goshen police someone stole a wallet, chainsaw, fuel can an other items of value from three vehicles on his property between 1:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

Vandalism reports

•  Martha Hamilton, 715 S. Main St., Goshen, told Goshen police someone vandalized her 2000 Ford Taurus at approximately 2:30 a.m. Monday.

•  An employee of the Goshen Parks Department reported to Goshen police Monday the Walnut Park pavilion was spray painted with gang graffiti sometime over the weekend.

•  Daniel Weaver,  412 Oatfield Lane, Goshen, reported to Goshen police someone flattened the tires on his vehicle which was parked in his drive at approximately 4:26 a.m. Tuesday.

Traffic arrests

•  Benjamin Cooper Jr., 58904 Huntley Ct., Goshen, was arrested by Goshen police on a charge of being a habitual traffic violator after being stopped in the 2100 block of West Wilden Avenue for speeding at 12:23 a.m. Tuesday. He was jailed.

•  Two boys, ages 17 and 16, were stopped in a vehicle by Goshen police on Corwin Street, north of Old U.S. 20 in Elkhart at 9:43 a.m. Monday. The vehicle had been reported stolen through Goshen Police Department at 8:52 a.m. The 17-year-old was arrested on charges of possession of stolen property, resisting arrest and never receiving a license. The 17-year-old was incarcerated at Juvenile Detention Center. The 16-year-old was arrested on a charge of criminal trespass and released to his parents