Latest news with #GoshenPoliceDepartment
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Yahoo
CIRCUIT COURT: Woman charged with OWI death has first day in court
GOSHEN — A Goshen woman is being charged in the death of a 17-year-old following a crash on Feb. 25. Jodi Nagle, 54, of Goshen, was arrested on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death, because police say she was under the influence of cannabis at the time of the crash. According to a report from the Elkhart County Sheriff's Office, a 2006 Ford Mustang driven by Nagle was pulling out of a private driveway at the intersection to head west and failed to yield the right of way. A 2014 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle, which was northbound on Ind. 15, struck the rear driver's side of the Mustang and the 17-year-old female driver, Amelia Sneddon, Goshen, was ejected from the motorcycle, police reported. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Nagle was uninjured. During her initial hearing on Thursday, Nagle brought with her hired attorney Nick Wallace, who earlier filed a motion to reduce the bond. Nagle's pretrial conference is scheduled for March 27, trial status conference for May 22 and scheduled for June 16. HECTOR DURAN GOMEZ A man accused of murdering a woman in Goshen on Oct. 13 saw his jury trial continued in Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday. Hector Duran Gomez, 45, is accused of using a zip tie to asphyxiate Alma Bermeo, 45, at their 810 S. Indiana Ave. home. According to the probable cause affidavit, Duran Gomez, despite having a no-contact order connected to a current domestic battery charge against Bermeo was at their home the night prior. Police said in the probable cause affidavit that Bermeo left her home after a dinner with Duran Gomez and other family members the night prior but texted her daughter that he was following her and later followed her back to the house. Having not heard from her for much of Oct. 13, Bermeo's friend contacted the police for a welfare check on her as she wasn't answering her phone. Police, along with Bermeo's father, found Bermeo's body in an oversized garage on the property. The garage was used by the father and Duran Gomez to work on cars together and the father noted the lock had been changed sometime overnight and he and the police forced entry into it. Surveillance cameras on the outside of the home also were 'moved and broken from the area in which they were supposed to be pointing,' the affidavit reads. They found Bermeo in the corner deceased with a zip tie around her neck, according to the affidavit. Police located Duran Gomez in a parking lot in the 500 block of Lincolnway East and he agreed to drive to the police station to provide a statement. Duran Gomez was taken into custody by the Goshen Police Department and charged with violating the no-contact order between himself and Bermeo. While under arrest, police officers said they noticed scratch marks on Duran Gomez's left forearm, the affidavit reads. An autopsy on Oct. 15 showed that Bermeo's manner of death was preliminarily determined to be homicide by asphyxiation. During Thursday's court proceedings, Defense Attorney Brigette Faulkner asked for a continuance that the state objected to, stating they were ready to go and discovery had already been completed. Faulkner noted that she didn't have time yet to review late-received discovery information. Christofeno told prosecution and defense that all exhibits needed to be provided to each other 60 days prior to the trial and agreed to reschedule the trial. Faulkner explained to the judge that negotiating her schedule and the translator's schedule to speak to Duran Gomez has been difficult, and necessary, as Duran Gomez she said speaks no English. Christofeno said they'd just have to use a different translator because he wants to get through the numerous murder cases that are pending in Circuit Court. Christofeno rescheduled the jury trial from March 31 to July 7, with trial status conference May 1. Christofeno also told counsel that right now, the case is the only one set for trial on July 7, making it the first setting. ALAURAEVE A. ALLEN A woman charged with killing her own baby is expected to stand trial in Elkhart County Circuit Court this month. Arrangements continue to be made for the trial of Alauraeve Allen, 24, Elkhart, scheduled for March 17. On July 7, 2023, at approximately 7:46 p.m., the Elkhart police and Elkhart fire departments were dispatched to an apartment at 324 Middlebury St., Elkhart, concerning a 6-month-old baby unconscious and not breathing. Upon their arrival, police and firefighters rendered aid to the baby. The baby was transported to Elkhart General Hospital, and subsequently to South Bend Memorial Hospital, where she died July 8. Investigators of the Elkhart County Homicide Unit said they observed numerous visible injuries on the baby's body, according to court records. A forensic autopsy was performed on the baby at the Homer Stryker School of Medicine located at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The cause of her death was ruled a homicide. Allen initially advised investigators that she had left the baby in the care of friends July 8 and after returning home, the baby had vomited on her so she took a long bath. Upon finishing, she was told the baby was not breathing so she called 911. Allen was interviewed again July 19, at which time she reportedly advised that she had been angry with the baby and shook her baby in their apartment on Middlebury Street, and struck the baby and caused injuries prior to this on other occasions, court records show. Allen's March 17 trial remains scheduled, but Defense Attorney Chris Crawford said one of their witnesses is unable for that week but could do it by WebEx. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Don Pitzer said the state also has an expert testimony from out-of-state that they'd like to use for testimony via WebEx. He and Christofeno said they would be okay with remote testimony. Pitzer also said an amended charge should be expected and will be read during the March 13 trial status conference ahead of the jury trial the following week. EMARRI K. REDMOND, CARRIE A. LAYTON and ALORA L.S. LAYTON Three of the five people accused of an armed robbery on Middlebury Street in Elkhart in September were sentenced in Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday. Emarri K. Redmond, Carrie A. Layton, Alora L.S. Layton, Kaleb D. Goodwin and Issac R. Duckworth were accused of robbing two people who came by to sell them weed. According to a probable cause affidavit, two victims arrived at the Elkhart Police Department at 11:34 p.m. Sept. 13, 2024, to report an armed robbery at the apartments at 304 Middlebury St. The victims, one man and one woman, told police that they were sitting in their car messaging Carrie about selling her marijuana. Two men approached the vehicle on the driver's side, where the woman was, wearing masks and dark clothes and displaying guns, a probable cause affidavit reads. The female driver told police one of the men opened the sliding door of their van and took a knife from her car and threatened her with it. He also reportedly hit her with the magazine end of the pistol he had. The woman said the knife and something from the center console had been taken before returning from the same apartment door they'd come from. The male passenger told police that at the same time, another man approached his passenger side door and took his wallet and a vape and returned to the same apartment as the others. A woman who was nearby did not approach the vehicle. Police executed a search warrant on the apartment and reportedly found a 17-year-old boy hiding inside with multiple firearms on him. Alora, 19, was sentenced by plea, with the court saying she was actually the first of the defendants to sign a plea agreement. 'In the time I've been incarcerated, I have grown,' Alora said, asking for house arrest. 'I'm so young your honor and for the first time I actually have real dreams. I don't let you down, your honor.' 'You sure picked a bad first felony to commit,' Christofeno told her. 'I think the only way this could have turned out worse is if somebody had ended up dead.' Christofeno also said the Alora was the leader who instructed others on how to commit the robbery. Alora was sentenced in Count 1, armed robbery, a Level 3 felony, to nine years enhanced by one year for a total of 10 years at the Indiana Department of Corrections; and Count 2, armed robbery, a Level 3 felony, to the same, although per plea agreement, the 10 years for Count 2 will be served on reporting probation. The sentences are to be served consecutively. Her sister, Carrie, 20, was also sentenced by plea agreement. Before hearing her sentence, Carrie apologized to the victims for their trauma and said she never wanted to cause harm. 'I am so sorry for the part that I have played in all of this,' Carrie said. Christofeno said that while the victim believed they were committing an illegal drug transaction, it doesn't lessen the robbery or the injuries from the robbery and said due to aggravating circumstances in the case, an enhanced sentence was warranted. Carrie was sentenced in Count 1, armed robbery, a Level 3 felony, to nine years enhanced by one year for a total of 10 years at the Indiana Department of Corrections; and Count 2, armed robbery, a Level 3 felony, to the same, although per plea agreement, the 10 years for Count 2 will be served on reporting probation. The sentences are to be served consecutively. E'Marri K. Redmond, 20, was also sentenced by plea agreement, and he, too, said he knows what he did was wrong. He was sentenced in Count 1, armed robbery, a Level 3 felony, to nine years enhanced by one year for a total of 10 years at the Indiana Department of Corrections, with three of those years suspended on probation. For Count 2, armed robbery, a Level 3 felony, he was sentenced to the same, also with 3 years suspended on reporting probation, to be served consecutively to Count 1. Goodwin is currently at the Logansport Juvenile Facility, while Duckworth is being charged with another crime, a rape from several years ago. TODD A. TAYLOR A man accused of a C.R. 108 burglary pleaded guilty and was sentenced in Elkhart Circuit Court Thursday. Todd A. Taylor, 55, is accused of burglarizing a home on C.R. 108 on Sept. 15, 2021. A woman told police that Taylor has been there a few days prior working on a car in the yard with her partner and when they left, Taylor, who was not allowed within the home, had left, according to a probable cause affidavit. The woman reported to police that a lawn mower, tools, and prescription pill bottles, were missing from inside the home. Her partner texted Taylor to see if he knew anything and he reportedly admitted to taking the pills and tools and told him he could come get the tools from him in Michigan. Taylor was charged with burglary, a Level 4 Felony, but sentenced with theft, a Level 6 felony, as a lesser included offense. Taylor was sentenced to Count 1, theft, a Level 6 felony, to 2.5 years suspended on reporting probation. JONATHAN R. BURGESS A burglary suspect was sentenced in Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday.. Jonathan R. Burgess, 37, and two other people are accused of robbing a newly constructed home in the 300 block of Haines Drive in Elkhart. According to a probable cause affidavit, police found Stephanie Kulchar and Tyler Brockway behind the home after they were called for a burglary in progress at 10:42 p.m. Dec. 19. Brockway was arrested first and told police that it was not his idea and that they were the only people in the home. Brockway allegedly told police that the two of them were riding with Jonathan Burgess to help with scrapping work, and he dropped them off far from the home but did not explain why so as to not incriminate himself, the affidavit claims. Brockway did not explain why they were at the home and refused to further elaborate. Kulchar told police that they'd gone to Burgess to a home off Franklin Street to scrap, and Burgess left at some point, so they began walking back to Mishawaka and took a shortcut that was Brockway's idea, which is how they ended up behind the home on Haines Drive. Kulchar said she had to use the bathroom, and they went into the garage, because the garage door was open, and into the house, but left once they realized the water was not yet hooked up. Police noted that there was a Portapotty on the side of the home that was available for use, that the homes in the neighborhood were surrounded by water, and there are several gas stations between Franklin Street and Haines Avenue. When police caught up with Burgess, he, too, said he'd been out scraping but claimed not to know Brockway or Kulchar in any way and said he was out alone. A witness who called the incident in told police that the two people identified as Brockway and Kulchar were dropped off by a grey truck that matched the description of the vehicle Burgess was driving. Upon searching him, police also found a clear bag of white residue later identified as methamphetamine. Burgess was charged with burglary, a level 5 felony; possession of methamphetamine, a level 6 felony; possession of a police radio, a class B misdemeanor; and assisting a criminal, a level 6 felony. Burgess was sentenced to Count 2, possession of meth, Level 6 felony, to a total of two years on reporting probation. Per the plea agreement, Count 1, burglary, a Level 5 felony; and Count 3, assisting a criminal, a Class A misdemeanor, were both dismissed. ABRAHAM VILLEGAS, Jr. A man who allegedly attempted to ignite a gas station gasoline well on fire in Elkhart had his jury trial continued in Elkhart County Circuit Court Thursday Abraham Villegas Jr., 33, Elkhart, was arrested by Elkhart city police on two counts of arson, a Level 4 felony; resisting causing bodily injury, a Level 6 felony; criminal mischief, a Level 6 felony; and interfering with reporting a crime, a Class A misdemeanor in the early morning hours of June 22. Police said the owner of the Marathon Gas Station at 1218 S. Main St. contacted police after he observed a man outside attempting to light a gasoline well on fire on the security footage at 5 a.m. Police also reviewed the footage and saw on video a man entering the parking lot on the south side, retrieving trash from the bins, pulling the nozzle out of a pump, and saturating the trash with gasoline, a probable cause affidavit reads. He then reportedly took the trash to the well, ignited it, and threw it into the well before fleeing north. Police did find melted plastic inside the well and burnt debris. About 45 minutes later, another officer heard a tire popping in the parking garage where police vehicles are kept on Marion Street and found at the location, a police vehicle on fire. Among other notable problems with the vehicle, the officer noted that a propane tank was lying on its side within feet of the blazing vehicle, and confirmed the fire was intentional. The officer went searching for a suspect, having not seen any vehicles leaving the area recently. They did note someone, Villegas, walking northbound on East Street. He was reportedly carrying a fuel canister and another officer attempted to stop him, and the man and an officer got into a physical fight, the report reads. When he was handcuffed, police reported that Villegas refused to identify himself and was transported to the jail. Villegas' trial was continued from March 31 to June 16. Defense counsel said they hadn't yet been able to schedule competency hearings necessary. Christofeno said he's also concerned that the results of the evaluation won't be available by the scheduled May 22 trial status conference. TRISTIN L. MCFALL A man accused of auto theft saw his trial continued from March 31 to June 16 during Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday. Tristin McFall, 27, accused of auto theft and burglary on July 24. Officers were informed at 11:28 p.m. July 24 that two people had entered Synergy Industries, 25813 Modrell Ave., Elkhart, by breaking a window and fled north through a hole they cut into the fence. One fled on a stolen yellow ATV, and the other fled on foot. The ATV was located within a tree line on C.R. 9 just south of Northpark Avenue and McFall, believed by police to be the foot fleer, was found not far away near Adams Street. McFall proclaimed innocence, stating that he 'doesn't steal.' Officers advised McFall that he was actively on probation for a previous burglary charge. A security camera nearby showed a man in similar attire as McFall and another man pushing the ATV out of the garage at Synergy Industries, the affidavit reads. CRISTIAN A. PARADA QUINTANILLA Cristian Parada Quintanilla of Elkhart, is accused of a burglary that took place Jan. 14, 2023. On Thursday, the court moved Parada Quintanilla's jury trial from March 31 to June 16, with a trial status conference May 22. According to a probable cause affidavit, officers responded to a call for an alarm at Smokes++ in the Market Centre plaza, 4024 Elkhart Road, Goshen, and arrived to find the front door glass broken. The officer who responded to the call reported seeing an individual bending over the back side of the sales counter and went out to his vehicle to keep watch and called for backup. As reported in the affidavit, through a translator early on, Parada Quintanilla allegedly told officers that he'd broken into the business because he wanted to get deported and that he'd committed a previous burglary at the same location Nov. 19. Officers also said they found a large gray Adidas backpack on the floor and a smaller backpack on the counter both filled with products from the store and a Louisville Slugger baseball bat on the floor near the backpack. Items in the bags totaled $3,479. JASON L. BLACKMAN, Jr. One of the two teens accused of an armed robbery and carjacking in Brookside Manor had his trial continued on Thursday from March 31 to June 16. Police say Jason Blackman Jr., 19, along with Kemountae Coleman, 17, both of Chicago, were identified following a report of two armed men stealing another man's truck at gunpoint at 3:40 a.m. Dec. 12, 2021. While responding to the dispatch, an Elkhart County deputy reportedly located the stolen truck as it drove north on Old C.R. 17 near C.R. 28. The deputy engaged his emergency lights and ordered the driver of the truck to stop, but the driver, identified as Coleman, reportedly disregarded the order and proceeded to lead police on a three-mile chase that ended on C.R. 13 when the truck crashed into a utility pole in the NAPA Auto Parts parking lot. Following the crash, Coleman and Blackman reportedly fled the scene on foot before eventually being taken into custody. Coleman was sentenced by plea bargain to felony armed robbery and resisting law enforcement on May 5, for Count 1 Armed Robbery, a Level 3 Felony, to 12 years with five years suspended, to be served on reporting probation; and Count 3 Resisting Law Enforcement, a Level 6 Felony, to 365 days. A third charge, auto theft, a Level 6 felony, was dismissed. During Thursday's court proceedings, Blackman's jury trial was continued from March 31 to June 16, with a trial status conference scheduled for May 22. WAYNE R. BARHAM One of two men accused of burglarizing an Elkhart storage unit had trial status conferences individually on Thursday. Elkhart County deputies report that on June 17, a man informed them that around $7,000 worth of items were stolen from his storage unit at Storage Rentals of America, 28874 C.R. 4, Elkhart. Using surveillance footage from Benders Handy Spot nearby, police found a suspect vehicle that had been parked nearby and two men got out of the vehicle and went to the storage units. Police identified the driver, Wayne R. Barham, carrying box cutters and noted he had removed the license plate from the vehicle. Using the footage, jail staff recognized a second suspect, Zackariah M. Al-Utaiby. The victim reported on June 18 Miracle Tire Werks, 312 N. Nappanee St., advised him someone was attempting to sell them tires stolen from the storage unit. When police arrived, Barham was present. Other tires and rims had been sold to Exit 92 Rv & Auto Repair, 524 Oakland Ave., Elkhart and Al-Utaiby was identified as the seller at that location, police stated in a probable cause affidavit. They were each charged separately with burglary, a Level 5 felony. Barham pleaded guilty during Thursday court to other charges including possession of meth and marijuana and resisting law enforcement in previous cases, and the burglary charge. Barham's sentencing is scheduled for April 10. LASEAN T. GREEN A South Bend man accused of armed robbery of a Facebook Marketplace deal pleaded guilty in Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday. LaSean T. Green, 31, was charged with a Level 3 felony count of armed robbery after allegedly holding a man up and injuring him after a Facebook Marketplace sale went wrong. Police said the two had planned to meet at Cabin Coffee Co., 707 Lincolnway East, Goshen, Feb. 20, 2020. According to the charging affidavit, the victim intended to purchase two phones from Green, who after getting out of the car, demanded the money and pistol-whipped the victim while a second suspect helped him take the money. Green pleaded guilty to Count 1 armed robbery, a Level 3 felony, and Count 2 unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, a Level 4 felony. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'No one fights alone': Ohio police officers shave their heads in solidarity with mom battling cancer
In Goshen, Ohio, a small-town police department has become the latest group to rally behind a mom who is facing one of life's hardest battles. Ali Campbell, a 38-year-old mother of three, is fighting stage four breast cancer—but she's not fighting alone. When Ali posted a Facebook video of herself shaving her head in January to raise awareness about cancer and the need for better preventative care, she had no idea it would inspire such a powerful wave of support. In the emotional clip, Ali is surrounded by her family as she makes the difficult yet empowering choice to embrace her new reality. The video quickly caught the attention of her community—and the Goshen Township Police Department decided to show their solidarity in a way that's impossible to ignore. Related: I was at high risk for breast cancer. Here's what I decided to do about it In a heartfelt Facebook video, members of the Goshen Police Department are seen shaving their heads—and even their beards—in support of Ali. The caption read, 'Today, members of the Goshen Township Police Department came together to show our support for Goshen Warrior, Ali Campbell, who is courageously fighting breast cancer. In our community, no one fights alone!' The video has since gone viral, sparking conversations far beyond Goshen about the power of small gestures, tight-knit communities, and the importance of standing by one another in times of need. Ali's journey began in 2019, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at just 33 years old. With no family history of the disease and years away from the recommended age for regular mammograms, her diagnosis was unexpected—and devastating. 'I've always been told that (mammograms are) not covered; only if you have a family history,' she explained to WCPO 9 News. Now, five years later, Ali is determined to ensure no other woman is denied potentially life-saving care because of her age. She has launched a petition on which has already garnered more than 3,060 signatures, calling for expanded insurance coverage for early cancer detection measures like mammograms, genetic counseling, and preventative medications. 'There's so much cancer out there in general. But since mine's breast cancer, I want women to just listen to me and please get a mammogram. If I could save any life, that's what I'm going to try to do,' Ali told Good Morning America. Ali's story has struck a chord with other women who know all too well the barriers to early cancer detection. On Facebook, moms and breast cancer survivors have shared their own experiences of being denied coverage for preventative care—and the life-altering consequences. Elizabeth McCarty Sutherland commented on Facebook that her breast cancer was detected only by MRI, not by mammogram or ultrasound. She shared, 'It was only picked up on MRI, not mammogram or ultrasound, and I only qualified because my mom died of it. It doesn't make sense to me how it's not cheaper to get ahead of it. Make it make sense. It's awful.' Amanda Brock echoed this frustration. Diagnosed with stage three breast cancer at just 38 years old, she called for lowering the recommended age for mammograms. 'They definitely need to lower the age,' she urged. 'This can save lives.' For some women, the barriers to care don't stop with detection—they extend to treatment itself. Carol Gorley shared her frustration with being denied coverage for a medication often used to boost white blood cell counts during chemotherapy. 'Insurance denied my last shot of NuLeasta,' she shared, highlighting the systemic hurdles many women face even while battling the disease. These heartfelt comments from Facebook illustrate the far-reaching impact of policies that restrict access to life-saving care, whether it's early detection or ongoing treatment. For Ali, these voices are a rallying cry. Related: How to perform a self breast exam—and what to look out for Ali's story highlights a critical gap in the healthcare system. While Ohio's 2022 'Breast Cancer Bill' requires insurers to cover annual mammograms for all women, regardless of age or risk factors, many other preventative measures—such as MRIs and genetic testing—are still not universally covered. This leaves women, particularly those under 40, at risk of delayed diagnoses. Ali's community has proven that small actions can lead to big change. Here's how you can get involved: Sign Ali's petition on to support expanded preventative care. Contact your state representatives to advocate for better insurance coverage. Support women battling cancer in your own community through local fundraising events or acts of kindness. Ali's journey is a reminder that no one fights alone—and that together, we can make a difference.
