Police seek work release inmate

According to Elkhart County police, community corrections offender, Jeremy Melkus, 27, left the Work Release facility, 201 N. Cottage Ave., Goshen, Monday around 12:55 p.m. and had not returned by 12:55 p.m. Tuesday.

Melkus was nowhere in the facility and considered absent without leave.

Leaving the scene reports

• Robert Shidler told Elkhart County police he was involved in a two-vehicle crash on C.R. 46, east of C.R. 7 in Nappanee at 4:28 a.m. Wednesday and the driver of the other vehicle fled the scene before the arrival of officers.

Theft/burglary reports

• A loss prevention employee at Wal-Mart, 4024 Elkhart Road, Goshen, told Goshen police a man returned clothing that he had not purchased and received a Wal-Mart gift card in return. The man then purchased items at the store with the illegally obtained card around 1 p.m. Monday.

• Michael Norton told Elkhart County police someone stole two prescription medications from his backpack while at his place of employment at 2703 C.R. 36 in Goshen sometime between noon and 4:40 p.m. Tuesday.

Disorderly conduct reports

• Two Goshen High School students were in a fight, according to Goshen police, at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. No arrests were made and the school is investigating the incident.

Vandalism/criminal mischief reports

• Marquita Flores, 2703 College Ave., Goshen, told Goshen police someone broke out the rear window of her vehicle around 5 a.m. Wednesday.

• Theresa Tirotta, 254 Oak St., Bristol, told Elkhart County police someone cut the tires on her 2000 Kia Sportage at her residence sometime between 4  p.m. Monday and noon Tuesday.

Traffic arrests

• Damian Marazita, 37, 502 W. 10th St., Mishawaka, was arrested by Goshen police during a traffic stop on a charge of false informing and on a warrant from Michigan at 9:35 a.m. Wednesday. Marazita was transported to the Elkhart County jail.

Drug/alcohol arrests

• Cosme A. Arriola, 37, Cromwell, was arrested by Goshen police on a charge of possession of marijuana during a traffic stop at the intersection of College Avenue and Lincolnway East at 7:37 p.m. Wednesday. The charge was considered a felony due to previous convictions in Texas, police said. He was incarcerated at the Elkhart County jail.

• Stephen Dekilder, 41, Middlebury, and Dalyn Perry, 23, Middlebury, were stopped by Elkhart County police for a traffic violation on C.R. 4, east of Ind. 13 at 8:03 p.m. Wednesday.

Dekilder was incarcerated on a charge of possession of marijuana and paraphernalia and Perry was incarcerated on a charge of possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.

• Cory Thompson, 20, 2421 E. Kercher Road, Goshen, was arrested by Goshen police at 5:40 a.m. Tuesday in the 1400 block of West Pike Street after police were called to the location by the resident in reference to a man passed out on the back porch. Thompson was released on a memorandum to appear in court.

OWI arrests

• Matthew Moser, 32, Nappanee, was arrested by Elkhart County police on a charge of being intoxicated while sleeping in the driver’s seat of his vehicle at the intersection of Ind. 19 and C.R. 46 in Nappanee at 12:45 a.m. Wednesday. He was incarcerated at the Elkhart County jail.