Police

A substantial marijuana-grow operation in the city of Three Rivers was dismantled last month. Members of the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit, along with deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, executed a search warrant April 14 in the 1100 block of North Main Street. The investigation was a cooperative effort with the Ohio State Police and Delaware …

A chemical pump was reported stolen Tuesday morning from a location in Sturgis Township. State police said the 10-year-old utility, which weighs about 60 pounds, was taken between April 28 and May 2 from the 69000 block of Stubey Road. The pump was visible from the roadway and was not secured. The suspect also left a new pump that had …

Four people were arrested by Three Rivers Police last week in an operation that involved the Michigan Department of Corrections’ Absconding Recovery Unit. Three Rivers Chief Tom Bringman said a fugitive under surveillance was seen leaving a residence shortly before 6:30 p.m. Friday in the 400 block of 9th Avenue. The vehicle in which he was a passenger was stopped …

A 42-year-old Centreville man died over the weekend from injuries following a motorcycle accident. State police said Larry D. Smith died several hours after the motorcycle he was driving struck a deer at 10:20 p.m. Saturday on M-86 near M-66 in Colon Township. His passenger, 43-year-old Aubrey Smith, also of Centreville, was hospitalized with unspecified injuries. Neither person was wearing …

A single-family residence in Sturgis sustained water and smoke damage due to a fire over the weekend. The Sturgis Fire Department was called at 7:30 p.m. Sunday to the 500 block of Market Street, where crews found all residents outside and smoke coming from the eaves of a one-story residential home. Once inside, personnel found fire coming out of the …

A Three Rivers man was arrested after he was spotted by officers who knew he was wanted on an outstanding warrant. According to a Three Rivers Police Department media release, an officer on the evening of April 28 noticed the suspect walking on South Main Street. They eventually took the man into custody after he was stopped on West Michigan …

The driver of a car who killed a 46-year-old Sturgis man last week faces open murder and other charges. Police arrested Paul Middling, 36, of Three Rivers, after the car he was driving caused a crash at 5:15 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of South Centerville Road and South Street in Sturgis. Middling is charged with open murder, driving under the …

An area priest who resigned following investigation into inappropriate use of church funds has been charged with embezzling more than $100,000. Richard Fritz is due back in court later this month, after an arraignment in April in St. Joseph County District Court. Michigan State Police investigated the case and submitted their findings to the Branch County prosecutor in February, requesting …

A Porter Township man died last week after a tree he was cutting down fell on him. Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called to the 12000 block of Old 112 shortly after 2 p.m. Friday. Deputies arrived to find 83-year-old Gordon Jackson deceased. An investigation at the scene along with physical evidence indicated that Jackson was in …

State police investigators are looking into the theft of three off-road vehicles stolen last week in Constantine Township. Sometime between April 28 and 30, an unlocked shed in the 14000 block of Drummond Road was entered. A pair of quads and a three-wheeler were taken. The four-wheelers are a Yamaha and a Polaris. The three-wheeler is a blue and yellow Yamaha, …