AREABriefs

NAPPANEE

Mishawka man dies in two-car collision

A Mishawaka man died in a two-car accident shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday two miles north of Nappanee on snow-covered Indiana 19, according to Indiana State Police.

Killed in the accident was Chad E. Lewis, 30. Police said the man, who was wearing a seat belt, was traveling at a high rate of speed.

In the car with the driver was 22 year-old Heidi Hershberger, who was treated at Elkhart General Hospital, and 2-month-old Jasmine Hershberger, who was transferred to Memorial Hospital, South Bend. Both were using safety restraints, police said.

Lewis was southbound on Indiana 19 when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a car driven by Ann M. Connolly, 46, of Nappanee, according to police.

Connolly, who was wearing a seat belt, was treated at Elkhart General, police said.

NAPPANEE

Father arrested in daughter's death

A father was arrested and charged Wednesday with reckless homicide in the July shaking death of his infant daughter.

Steve Edward Gill, 21, was arrested after an Elkhart County Circuit Court grand jury returned an indictment late Tuesday, according to the Elkhart County prosecutor's office. He was being held at the Elkhart County Jail on $10,000 bond.

His daughter, Patience Gill, of the 1500 block of Brooks Drive, died July 30 at Memorial Hospital in South Bend at the age of 7 weeks, according to the death notice published at the time. The St. Joseph County coroner was investigating the cause of death.

The grand jury met all day Tuesday and heard testimony from many witnesses before returning the indictment.

SOUTH BEND

Church will present program on Bible

The building department of Greater New Vision Missionary Baptist Church, 1923 Lincoln Way W., will present the program "Who's Who In the Bible" at 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the church.

Willie Alsanders of New Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Clarence Sutherland of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Juella Smith of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church and Bettie Williams of Greater New Vision will be speaking.

Singers will include the Greater New Vision mass choir, Lisa Adams of Greater New Vision, Mildred Sutherland of Mount Olive and Geneva Dudley of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church.

SOUTH BEND

Miller named dean of IUSB School of Arts

Thomas C. Miller has been named the new permanent dean of the School of the Arts at Indiana University South Bend.

The announcement was made Friday by Chancellor Kenneth L. Perrin during a meeting of the IUSB Academic Senate. The announcement was greeted by a standing ovation for Miller.

In addition to being a professor, Miller previously served as associate dean in the Arts school.

Miller began at IUSB in 1975 and has been the resident scenic designer in the theater program since then. His professional design work has appeared around the world.

He earned a doctoral degree in design from the University of Colorado and completed the Management Development Program at Harvard University.

MISHAWAKA

Student suspended for bomb comment

A seventh-grader at Discovery Middle School was suspended this week after making a statement about blowing up the school, school officials said Friday.

The student was suspended on Wednesday after Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp. officials investigated the boy's comment, said Teresa Carroll, P-H-M's director of communications.

The boy allegedly said, "I have enough fireworks at home to blow up this school," Carroll said.

The student reportedly made the remark within earshot of other students, who told a teacher and administrators.

School officials handled the matter internally and did not call police, she said.

Maj. Robert Finn with the St. Joseph County Police Department said school administrators are not required to call police unless a student brings a weapon to school. Finn said schools follow their own set of criteria in determining if police should be notified if a student makes a threat.

The boy's parents have withdrawn him from the school, Carroll said.

MILFORD

Deputy's car rammed; Milford man arrested

A Milford man rammed a deputy marshal's car and fired a shot at another car in a wild melee on a dark country road early Friday morning, according to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department.

Travis Espey, 22, of Milford, was charged with criminal recklessness with a firearm and was being held at the Kosciusko County Jail on Friday, according to sheriff's reports. Bond was set at $100,000.

Deputy Marshal Rich Miotto stopped a car driven by Gerry Thompson, of Milford, on County Road 1150 North, just south of Milford, according to reports. Thompson and his passenger, Amber Runyan of Milford, reportedly explained they were on their way to help Espey, Runyan's boyfriend, who had threatened suicide.

Miotto then saw a vehicle speeding toward them. The vehicle slowed down, and Espey got out. The vehicle was still in gear and rammed into Miotto's car. In the meantime Espey hopped onto Thompson's car and beat on Thompson. He also fired a shot into the car's bumper.

Miotto was able to disarm Espey and placed him under arrest. There were no injuries, and damage to the police car was minimal, according to the sheriff's department.

ELKHART

County detective's hearing postponed

A hearing for an Elkhart County Sheriff's detective accused of misconduct and insubordination has been postponed.

Detective Werner Wegener's hearing before the Sheriff's Merit Board was scheduled to resume Monday at 7 p.m. It had adjourned just after midnight last Monday after five hours of testimony.

Merit board president Ross Albert said the hearing was postponed so legal issues regarding subpoenas requested by Wegener could be reviewed.

Much of last Monday's hearing revolved around disputes between Wegener and other sheriff's detectives over the unsolved 1987 homicide of Marie Kline. Those disputes led to a Jan. 16 incident where it's alleged Wegener punched a superior officer.

Albert said the hearing is tentatively scheduled to resume at 7 p.m. on April 16.

ELKHART

Truck driver held up at Toll Road plaza

A truck driver told Indiana State Police he was robbed at gunpoint early Friday morning at an Indiana Toll Road plaza.

Truck driver Jeff Bayes told police a man knocked on the window of his semitrailer about 4:50 a.m. as he was parked at the George N. Craig Travel Plaza in Elkhart. The man pointed a chrome-colored handgun at Bayes and demanded his wallet.

Bayes immediately reported the theft, and state police and local law enforcement agencies responded and searched the area. No suspect was found.

MICHIGAN CITY

Short circuit believed to be cause of fire

No injuries were reported in an accidental house fire in Michigan City late Thursday.

City firefighters were called to the residence of Eugene and Minerva Hollins at 224 Willard Ave. about 7:45 p.m. for a fire that officials said started from an electrical short circuit.

Fire was contained to the attic and one room while smoke and water damage occurred throughout the house.

All family members had gotten safely out of the house by the time firefighters arrived.

MEDARYVILLE

Shooting death under investigation

Authorities are investigating a shooting death in a residence just north of Medaryville in the 2600 block of U.S. 421 early Friday morning.

Richard Czarnecki, 43, was pronounced dead at the scene following a shooting about 3 a.m., police said

Taken into custody by Pulaski County Sheriff's Department was 18-year-old Matthew A. Timm.

The incident remains under investigation by the Pulaski County Sheriff's Department, Indiana State Police and the Pulaski County coroner.