Police

A 20-year-old Colon man was treated for minor injuries after he was involved in a single-vehicle accident over the weekend in Park Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Kyle Wirgau was driving west on Heimbach Road Saturday night when he lost control of his vehicle on an icy patch over the roadway and went off the south side …

A Sturgis police officer was treated for minor injuries following an incident with a 19-year-old man over the weekend. About 7:30 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a report of a suspicious person in the 400 block of Michigan Avenue. Once located by police, the suspect left the scene in what was later discovered to be a stolen vehicle. He eventually …

Sturgis Police and Fire crews were called out for a reported explosion shortly after midnight early Monday at an apartment complex on Cato Lane. Authorities determined that a chemical related to the production of methamphetamine had been spilled in a hallway. The building was evacuated and the HazMat team was called in. Two residents were arrested in connection with the incident. One …

A 30-year-old man with a last known address in Three Rivers was identified as the victim of an early morning fire Monday in Fabius Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Thomas Nipper apparently broke into a storage barn at Meyer Broadway Park in an effort to seek shelter for the night. Investigators said Nipper intentionally started a fire …

Bill Lentz was named the Sturgis Police Department’s Officer of the Year for 2011. The award was presented during Wednesday’s Sturgis City Commission meeting. Lentz was recognized by Public Safety Director David Northrup for his dedication to the department and his job. Northrup said Lentz has undertaken major cases in 2011 that yielded prosecution, including a criminal sexual conduct incident. …

A 66-year-old White Pigeon man was killed in a two-vehicle accident Wednesday morning on U.S. 12 at Klinger Lake Road.  The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department reports that a vehicle driven by Gary Beauchamp was eastbound on U.S. 12 when it crossed the centerline and struck a westbound vehicle driven by a 91-year-old Sturgis woman.  Beauchamp was pronounced dead at …

Three Rivers Police on Tuesday apprehended a man who allegedly stole a car from the Riverside Townhouses. Police said the vehicle was found abandoned in the parking lot of a nearby convenience store. With the aid of investigators from the Michigan State Police post at White Pigeon, the man was found at an undisclosed location several blocks away from where …

A single-car crash in Lockport Township Tuesday night led to a 24-year-old Marcellus-area woman being airlifted to a Kalamazoo hospital for injuries she suffered.  The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Leslie Leer was driving north on Constantine road when she lost control of her Jeep at 10:30 p.m. near Shorewood Drive.  The Jeep struck a street sign and cable …

A man’s body was found in the rubble of a barn fire early Monday in Fabius Township. According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, a bicycle was discovered near the scene of the fire, which took place near the intersection of Millard and Roberts roads. Though the matter remains under investigation, officials indicated they believe the mountain bike likely …

The Three Rivers Police Department announced a 26-year-old man was charged with retail theft following an incident at 11 p.m. Tuesday. The man, a Three Rivers resident whose name was not released, allegedly tried to steal beer from a store in the 100 block of North Main Street. A clerk said the man fled north through an alley. The department’s …