Goshen man pleads guilty to Nappanee shootings

Local News

September 3, 2010

By SCOTT WEISSER THE GOSHEN NEWS The Goshen News Fri Sep 03, 2010, 08:55 AM EDT

GOSHEN — A Goshen man pleaded guilty Thursday to charges stemming from a Nappanee shooting that left two men injured.

Bobby Ragsdale, 22, 20119 C.R. 19, pleaded guilty in Elkhart Circuit Court to three Class C felony counts of criminal recklessness. Prior to the plea deal, he’d also faced an attempted murder charge.

The shooting occurred Sept. 19, 2009, at North Manor Apartments. Stacy Wise, 38, Elkhart, was shot in the chest and Anthony Hirsch, 20, Goshen, was shot in the arm.

Judge Terry Shewmaker set Ragsdale’s sentencing for Sept. 30.

In other Circuit Court proceedings Thursday:

• Jovan Pringle, 23, Elkhart, was sentenced to 36 years in the Department of Corrections and nine years probation on two counts of armed robbery and one count of attempted armed robbery. He was given credit for time served.

• Shannon Hohenstein, 34, Rome City, was sentenced to two years probation on a Class D felony count of dealing methamphetamine. She was also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service.

Referencing the 145 days she’s already served, Shewmaker told Hohenstein that the hard part starts now.

“It’s pretty easy not to use meth when you’re locked up,” he said.

Defense attorney Jim Stevens said Hohenstein was headed down a path that — had she not stopped — would have eventually killed her.

“I believe that Shannon will come out of this a much better person, ready to deal with life on life’s terms,” Stevens said.

• Oscar Calderon, 20, Goshen, entered guilty pleas to two counts of delivery of cocaine and one count of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. All three offenses, Class A felonies, occurred in June. Sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 30.

• Shane Blake, 32, 1847 Garden St. Lot 25, Elkhart, appeared for an initial hearing on a charge of attempted murder. Shewmaker entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Police say Blake shot John Derry Jr. near 705 Marion St. in Elkhart last month. Blake, incarcerated on a $500,000 bond, said Thursday he plans to hire his own attorney.

Blake faces up to 50 years behind bars if convicted of the Class A felony.

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According to teacher Jeff McClure, this is different from other years.
“Normally we build a house every year, but in this case, we didn’t have a house to build this year, due to the economy and all,” he said.
So instead the school gave the class the press box project.
According to principal Ben Tonagel, the project is a “win-win” for both the school and the students.
“Our students get to learn and contribute something to the school corporation,” he said.
Tonagel said that community fundraising and donations of building supplies also helped and has allowed the school to replace it’s old, aging press box.
Students work on the project daily, in two shifts, in the morning and in the afternoon.
For students it is not only a learning opportunity, but a chance to get real world experience, as well as give back to their school.
“This is pretty much just what is going to happen on a construction site, if they get out there and it’s hands on, they like that, they get to do, rather than just learn from a book or video,” McClure said,
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Junior Travis Eicker agrees.
“Building something on school property, [that] you’ll be able to point out that you built it, that’s a pretty cool experience,” he said.
For the students, they may get more benefits, other than just bragging about being a part of the construtction.
“Maybe they’ll let me sit in it a couple times during football games,” Bontrager said, “[But] I don’t know if they’ll let me.”

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Goshen man pleads guilty to Nappanee shootings

The Goshen Housing Authority has a $571,050 shortfall. Should the Goshen City Council use money from its $4.7-million “rainy day” fund to pay the debt and maintain the current level of service provided by the voucher program?

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