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Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department officers used a recently-purchased dive boat to rescue a man near Leesburg Sunday night.

Sheriff’s officers were called to a gravel pit near Leesburg at 8:40 p.m. to locate a despondent man. Deputies found the gravel pit contained a large body of water surrounded by trees and foliage.

Using the new dive boat, which includes a portable thermal imager, officers were able to find the 40-year-old man unconscious on the bank of the pit. He was taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital in serious condition from an apparent drug overdose.

Police said the man may have died if not found Sunday night because of the large amount of suspected medication he ingested.

The sheriff’s department recently purchased the boat and equipment after receiving donations from the public. The project was initiated by a donation from the family of Raymond Leroy Barker Jr. who drowned last Aug. 7 while fishing on Wyland Lake, according to the sheriff’s department.

LaGrange man arrested on drug charges

LaGrange County Sheriff’s Department officers arrested a LaGrange man on drug charges Friday evening after receiving a call of suspicious activity at an abandoned house at 8:13 p.m.

Police went to the property south of Reed Cemetery on C.R. 950 East and saw two people at the back of the cemetery. After a short chase, police arrested Matthew W. Coney, 21, of rural LaGrange. He was arrested on a charges of possession of methamphetamine, dealing the drug and possession of the precursors for making the drug. He was booked at the LaGrange county jail.

Police said a woman who was with Coney fled, but police said there are warrants for her arrest on drug-related charges.

Passenger arrested

after traffic stop

According to Goshen police, a passenger in a car that was stopped by police at 8:30 a.m. Sunday near Lincoln Avenue and Silverwood Lane was arrested on two charges. Police charged Kyle Rock, 24, 217 S. Silverwood, with false informing and invasion of privacy. He was booked at the county jail.

Two boys nabbed

in Middlebury

According to a an Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department report, Gregory Puckett, 53, reported he caught two 14-year-old boys after they knocked loudly on his mother’s back door at 11460 C.R. 10, Middlebury, and then ran at 12:40 a.m. Friday.

The two 14-year-old boys were charged with being incorrigible and violating curfew and were released to their parents.

Motorcyclist

eludes police

According to an Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department report, an officer attempted to stop a rider on a black “cafe style” motorcycle for speeding at 7:50 a.m. Friday near Ind. 15 and C.R. 46, but the rider accelerated to more than 100 mph and the officer lost sight of the machine, ending the chase near the Goshen city limits.  

Battery reports

• Elkhart County Sheriff’s officers were called to the home of Virgil Bell, 45, 51231 Ind. 15, Bristol, at 2 a.m. Saturday after he was accused of striking two woman at the home. Bell was arrested on charges of domestic battery and battery. He was booked at the county jail. Bond was set at $25,000.

• Sheriff’s officers received a report from a 35-year-old employee of Bashor Children Home, 62226 C.R. 15, Goshen, that he was struck in the face by a 14-year-old resident at 8:45 p.m. Saturday.

Theft/burglary reports

• According to an Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department report, Vernon Bontrager, 54244 C.R. 43, Middlebury, reported Sunday afternoon that someone broke into his home Sunday and stole a safe sometime after 8:30 a.m.

• Goshen police received a report from Edna Looney, 66, 2400 College Ave., that someone stole $50 from her room at Courtyard Healthcare.

• According to Goshen police, an assistant manager of CVS pharmacy, 410 S. Main St., reported Sunday afternoon that someone stole a bottle of liquor from the store.

• Jeanne Liechty, 602 Gra-Roy Drive, reported to Goshen police her bicycle was stolen from 1300 College Drive at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

• Officials at Goshen Die Cutting, 821 Logan St., reported to Goshen police on Monday that an enclosed trailer was stolen from the firm sometime between July 15 and 19.

• A loss prevention official at Lake City Bank, 2513 S. Main St., Goshen, reported to city police that a forged check in the amount of $700 was cashed on July 16.

• Gregory Miller, Goshen, reported to city police that a red and while Mongoose 15-speed bicycle was stolen from the Goshen Boys & Girls Club, 306 Crescent St., at 5 p.m. July 18.

• Sheriff’s officers received a theft report Monday from Ginger Wade, Goshen. Wade said someone stole her purse and its contents from her 1994 Jeep Wrangler, which was parked at her home Sunday night.

• Joseph E. Pawlosky, 58371 Randy Drive, Goshen, reported to the sheriff’s department Monday that someone stole two laptop computers, a computer bag, chargers, $5 and cell phones from his home sometime Sunday night or Monday.

Vandalism reports

• Sheriff’s officers received a report Saturday from Sharon S. Porter, 14514 Ind. 120, Bristol, that as she drove her 2008 Jeep Liberty east on U.S. 20 near U.S. 33 a rock shattered the windshield of her vehicle. The incident happened at 3:45 p.m. Friday and she said she did not know who may have thrown the rock.

Traffic arrests

• According to a sheriff’s report, a blue Toyota Celica struck a 2007 Dodge Caravan driven by Cheryl Ramer, 51, at U.S. 33 and C.R. 13 at 3:50 p.m. Friday and fled the scene. Officers later located the juvenile occupants of the car and they were taken to Elkhart General Hospital for non-incapacitating hand and head pain. The 17-year-old driver was referred to the juvenile court system, charged with leaving the scene of an injury accident.

• According to Goshen police, a vehicle driven by Robin Sommers, 31, 5609 Kelso Lane, Fort Wayne, was stopped at Lincolnway East and Reynolds Street at 12:34 a.m. Tuesday. The driver was arrested on a charge of driving while her license is suspended and she was booked at the county jail.

Drug/alcohol arrests

• A sheriff’s officer stopped a vehicle driven by Ryan Miller, 20, at C.R.s 17 and 28 for failure to signal a turn 200 feet prior to the turn. Police arrested Miller on charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, along with issuing a traffic ticket. He was later released.

• According to a sheriff’s report, a vehicle driven by Benjamin Lee Ward, 26, 609 Calhoun St., Mishawaka, was stopped at C.R. 17, south of C.R. 32, at 1:40 p.m. Saturday. The driver was arrested on charges of driving while his license is suspended, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and also on an Elkhart police warrant. He was booked at the county jail.

• Sheriff’s officers said they found Joe L. Pancake, 38, and Shannon L. Pancake, 39, both of Toledo, Ohio, at the county fairgrounds at 7:10 p.m. Sunday in possession of marijuana. Both were booked at the county jail.

OWI arrests

• According to a sheriff’s department report, David L. Vanantwerp, 60, 2007 Tony Lane, Goshen, was riding a 2004 Honda Metropolitan at C.R. 31, south of C.R. 34, at 5:24 p.m. Saturday when he lost control of the vehicle, went off the road and struck a fence. He had minor scratches. But the driver reportedly failed a blood-alcohol test and was arrested on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated as a felony. He was booked at the county jail.

• Sheriff’s officers reported stopping a vehicle driven by Sarah Glick, 30, 18640 Monticello Drive, Goshen, for speeding at 7:30 p.m. at Ind. 15, north of C.R. 142, near New Paris. The driver reported failed a blood-alcohol test and was arrested on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. She was booked at the county jail.