Police

Three people were arrested on drug-related offenses last weekend following a traffic stop in Lockport Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said deputies in the early morning hours Sunday attempted to stop a vehicle for an improper-plate violation. It was eventually stopped on Lutz Road, near Hoshel Road. Upon making contact with the occupants, deputies suspected narcotics played a …

Two area residents were arrested early Sunday in Sturgis after an alert homeowner reported seeing suspicious activity near his car parked in his driveway. Sturgis officers were called at 3:30 a.m. to the 1300 block of Rolling Ridge. Upon making contact with the individuals, police located stolen property. A 20-year-old Sturgis man was arrested for larceny from a motor vehicle, …

A Three Rivers native is one of Michigan State Police’s newly hired troopers. Alex Sussdorf will soon report to work after graduating last week from the 135th Trooper Recruit School. Sussdorf is assigned to the Niles post, which covers Berrien and Cass counties. The Marshall post, which serves St. Joseph, Branch and Calhoun counties, will obtain five of the newest …

Officers in western Michigan have fatally shot a man who threatened them during an attempted arrest. Michigan State Police say 37-year-old Thomas Verile Jr. of Scotts was shot Thursday morning at a home outside Kalamazoo after he threatened officers, saying he had a weapon. Police said in a news release that preliminary information indicated several officers fired shots at Verile, …

Two Elkhart police officers who were caught on video repeatedly punching a handcuffed man have been placed on unpaid administrative leave. A federal grand jury last month indicted Cory Newland and Joshua Titus of the Elkhart Police Department on a charge of depriving Mario Ledesma of his rights through excessive force. Police video shows them punching Ledesma after he spat …

A state police patrol car was struck and a trooper injured over the weekend during an incident on ice-covered I-94 in Calhoun County. According to a department media release, the trooper was investigating an accident at 4:15 a.m. Saturday near mile marker 92 in the eastbound lane. The trooper was on the shoulder of the freeway investigating a one-vehicle crash, …

State police troopers are investigating damage to a business in Park Township. According to a department media release, a split-rail fence outside a business in the 52000 block of U.S. 131 was damaged between noon Saturday and 2:45 p.m. Tuesday. The wood fence, which stood outside Stephenson Farm and Market, was damaged by a southbound vehicle that appears to have …

An Ypsilanti woman was injured Sunday morning at 5:45 in a single vehicle crash on M-60 just west of Jones near Timberlane Drive. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, Katharine Aris, age 50, was driving a semi-tractor trailer rig eastbound when her vehicle crashed on the south side of the road, spilling approximately 100 gallons of fuel and oil. …

Authorities say four cattle died when the trailer hauling them crashed in icy and snowy conditions in southwestern Michigan. Michigan State Police officials say the semi-trailer was hauling more than 30 cattle early Wednesday when it flipped on Interstate 94 in Van Buren County’s Lawrence Township. Two people in the vehicle weren’t injured. The crash scene took several hours to …

State Rep. Aaron Miller last week honored two local men by formally recognizing them on the House floor. Michigan State Police Detective-Sgt. Aaron Steensma and Trooper Daniel Thayer were formally presented with a special tribute highlighting their heroism and service in the line of duty. On Jan. 24, 2018, state police personnel were executing a search warrant at a Cass …