Police

Authorities said speed appears to be a factor in a fatal crash late last week in Florence Township. St. Joseph County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called shortly before 5 a.m. Friday to an area of Lutz Road near Roys Road in response to a single-vehicle crash. Investigators found a vehicle – driven by 20-year-old Gerardo Menendez of Three …

A South Bend woman died over the weekend after the vehicle she was driving swerved into oncoming traffic and collided with another vehicle in Cass County’s Pokagon Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called around 4:30 p.m. Sunday to an area of M-51 and Crystal Springs Road. Investigators said 43-year-old Denise Lamb was driving south on M-51 when her …

Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke said a Mason Township man was injured when the bicycle he was riding was involved in a hit-and-run incident in Mason Township. Deputies were called to an area of Calvin Center Road, north of Starbrick Street, at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Investigators said 76-year-old Howard Watson Jr. was bicycle riding southbound on the side of the …

Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies responded to a report of larceny earlier this week in Florence Township. Deputies responded at 1:30 p.m. Monday to the 18000 block of Banker Street, where fuel was reported stolen from farm equipment. The amount and value of the fuel was not disclosed in a department media release.

A Constantine man was arrested last week after leading sheriff’s deputies on a pursuit into Elkhart County. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were called shortly before 11 p.m. June 27 regarding an incident of shots fired. As deputies responded, they noticed a vehicle coming from the area of the incident. Deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop for an equipment …

Cass County deputies responded last week to a two-vehicle collision in Porter Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called shortly before 7 o’clock Wednesday morning to an area of U.S. 12 near South River Road. Investigators said a vehicle driven westbound on U.S. 12 attempted to pass a semi in a no-passing zone. The vehicle, driven by Nicole Bielak, …

A fundraising effort is underway to purchase automated CPR machines for all EMS departments in St. Joseph County. Spearheaded by Jeff Brazo, a member of the Burr Oak Community Fire and Rescue Board, the fundraiser goal is $200,000 by Sept. 1. Brazo said automatic CPR machines can aid responders in performing consistent and effective CPR with fewer staff on site …

A 9-year-old boy died Thursday after being shot in Kalamazoo, authorities said. The child was pronounced dead at a Kalamazoo hospital on Thursday afternoon, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Vernon Coakley said. The child’s name and the circumstances leading to the shooting were not immediately released. Representatives from Pastors on Patrol, the Northside Ministerial Alliance and the NAACP were …

A high-lift was stolen Monday from a location on Blue School Road in Mottville Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were notified shortly before 11 a.m. that the high-lift was taken off a flat-bed trailer parked in the 71000 block of Blue School Road. The 2019 Polaris RZR 1000 high-lifter that was black in color. The trailer it was on …

A Niles resident was injured in a two-vehicle collision Tuesday in Cass County’s Mason Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 7:40 a.m. to the intersection of Cassopolis Road and Redfield Street in response to an accident with injuries. An initial investigation shows a southbound vehicle driven by Rebecca Geister, 42, of Niles, began to proceed through the …