Government

A Three Rivers man was injured in a two-vehicle crash earlier this week in Cass County’s Volinia Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday to the intersection of Decatur Road and Marcellus Highway in response to a personal-injury crash. Investigators said 43-year-old South Bend resident Jocylyn Vanfleeren was driving north on Decatur Road and …

Undersheriff Jason Bingaman led an awards event last week recognizing law-enforcement across St. Joseph County. During the July 3 event, Bingaman presented “Employee of the Month” awards to deputies Brooke Bingaman, Veronica Hoggard, Devantae Jennings, Kevin Penn, Jesse Raymond, Spencer Schrader and Ethan Warren. Meanwhile, Bingaman gave lifesaving awards to Deputy Zach Radtke and White Pigeon Police Officer Matt Hanson.

A Three Rivers man and his passenger suffered injuries in a single-vehicle crash earlier this week just north of Jones in Cass County’s Newberg Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday to an area south of Bald Hill Street on M-40. Investigators said Adrian Black, 31, was driving north on M-40 when he lost …

A Three Rivers man and his passenger suffered injuries in a single-vehicle crash earlier this week just north of Jones in Cass County’s Newberg Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said05 deputies were called shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday to an area south of Bald Hill Street on M-40. Investigators said Adrian Black, 31, was driving north on M-40 when he lost …

Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 11 p.m. Saturday to Brownsville Street, near M-62, in response to a personal-injury crash. Investigators said 42-year-old Marcellus resident Gila Wigton was traveling east on Brownsville Street when his vehicle crossed the center line and struck a vehicle stopped in the opposite lane. The second vehicle was driven by 23-year-old …

A 49-year-old man faces drug-related charges following an investigation involving authorities from Michigan and Indiana. Southwest Enforcement Team detectives, along with the Elkhart County Intelligence and Covert Enforcement Team detectives, worked May 21 to focus on a methamphetamine trafficker operating in southern Cass County and northern Elkhart County. Indiana officials conducted a traffic stop of the suspect. Authorities located half …

A 28-year-old woman from Buchanan was injured in a one-vehicle crash last week in Cass County’s Wayne Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were alerted shortly after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday to a personal-injury crash on Marcellus Highway. Investigators said Ashley Smith was driving east on Marcellus Highway when she attempted to steer around a fallen tree in the roadway. Smith …

There were fewer traffic crashes and alcohol-related arrests in St. Joseph County last year compared to 2022. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman provided a wealth of data to St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners during their monthly meeting Tuesday. Bingaman was in attendance to give the sheriff’s department’s 2023 annual report. According to information provided by Bingaman, there were 611 crashes in …

A thorny subject related to an alleged conflict of interest was revisited by St. Joseph County commissioners during their executive committee meeting May 14. The issue started in April, when county commissioners voted 4-3 to remove Dennis Allen from the board’s law enforcement committee. Commissioners voting for removal agreed Allen is in a position of conflict as a candidate for …

Three Rivers Police officers arrested a man on drug-related charges after he was found to also be in possession of a stolen vehicle. According to deputy chief Sam Smallcombe, officers were alerted shortly after 9:30 p.m. Monday to a stolen vehicle that had passed by an Automated License Plate Reader. The vehicle, reported stolen out of Elkhart County, was subsequently …