Public Occurrences 10.18.2025

County Jail
Bookings
The following people were arrested and booked into the Kosciusko County Jail:
• Noon Thursday - Duane Andrew Jones, 58, Elwood, arrested for misdemeanor failure to appear. No bond set.
• 2:21 p.m. Thursday - Joshua David Wentzel, 31, of 830 Wexford Place, Warsaw, arrested on a foreign warrant. No bond set.
• 12:56 a.m. Friday - Kyle William Sommer, 47, Fort Wayne, arrested for possession of marijuana/hash oil/hashish. Bond: $600.
• 5:45 p.m. Friday - Jonathan Anthony Lipke, 29, Coldwater, Mich., arrested on a foreign warrant. No bond set.

Personal Injury
Accidents
• 12:46 p.m. Sunday - Intersection of North Old Ind. 15 and West CR 600N, Leesburg. Pickup-SUV collision. Drivers: Mason R. Perry, 25, Turkey Creek Drive, Milford; Emma L. Wakeman, 18, Fairmount. Injury: A passenger in Perry’s vehicle, Robert L. Durden, 24, Wabash, complained of knee/lower leg/foot pain. Damage: $10,000-$25,000. Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
• 7:48 a.m. Wednesday - East Old U.S. 30, 2,500 feet west of South CR 600E, Pierceton. Minivan hit deer. Driver: Paul E. Vanosdol, 57, Woodlawn Drive, Warsaw. Injury: Vanosdol complained of neck pain. Damage: $25,000-$50,000. KCSO.
• 9:01 p.m. Wednesday - Intersection of West CR 900 and Ind. 15, Milford. SUV-pickup collision. Drivers: Nery Ramirez Perez, 18, South James Street, Milford; Mack L. Hochstetler, 18, Goshen. Injury: Hochstetler complained of neck pain. Damage: $25,000-$50,000. KCSO.
• 2:40 p.m. Thursday - Intersection of East Old. 30 and Ind. 13, Pierceton. SUV-car collision. Drivers: Vicky L. Finkenbiner, 72, EMS W30 Lane, North Webster; Elijah C. Merkler, 17, Fort Wayne. Injuries: Finkenbiner complained of elbow/lower arm; Merkler complained of shoulder/upper arm pain. Damage: $10,000-$25,000. KCSO.

Property Damage
Accidents
• 10:12 p.m. Oct. 8 - North Syracuse-Webster Road, 1,200 feet west of North CR 700E, Syracuse. SUV hit deer. Driver: Amanda Bickel, 30, Columbia City. Damage: $2,500-$5,000. KCSO.
• 2:26 p.m. Wednesday - Intersection of West CR 600N and Ind. 19, Etna Green. Pickup hit stop sign. Driver: Randall Emerick, 21, Walkerton. Damage: Under $1,000. KCSO.
• 8:07 a.m. Thursday - Intersection of West CR 600N and North Old Ind. 15, Leesburg. Two-dump truck collision. Drivers: Rory A. Young, 33, Wakarusa; Richard L. Byers, 61, Royal Center. Damage: Under $1,000. KCSO.
• 5:15 p.m. Thursday - Intersection of West CR 300N and North CR 150W, Warsaw. Two-car collision. Drivers: Eric Swick, 24, North Turkey Creek Road, Syracuse; Santhosh Funtakandla, 31, Greenbrier Boulevard, Warsaw. Damage: $5,000-$10,000. KCSO.
• 11:10 p.m. Thursday - Intersection of Ind. 19 and West Welch Road, Etna Green. Car hit deer. Driver: Reece Arthur, 21, Monticello. Damage: $1,000-$2,500. KCSO.

Incidents
• 9:23 a.m. Thursday - A person was arrested for theft and criminal mischief in the 800 block of North Park Avenue, Warsaw. Warsaw Police Department investigated.
• 9:38 p.m. Thursday - Reckless driving was reported in the 4900 block of West U.S. 30, Warsaw. WPD.