Police investigating thefts from vehicles
Porter County police are investigating 17 thefts from vehicles reported last weekend on Timi Drive in Portage Township, Ravinia Drive in Liberty Township and Glenwood Hills subdivision in Center Township.
Most of the vehicles were left unlocked, but in a few cases a window was broken to gain entry. Among the items stolen were a Sony digital camera, Hitachi video camera, numerous cellular phones, a Pioneer car stereo, backpacks, a crossbow and change.
Anyone with information about the thefts is asked to call Porter County police at (219) 477-3140.
Police say man tried to get out of testing
SOUTH HAVEN | Porter County police said a motorist who was pulled over Sunday and who was asked to submit to sobriety tests identified himself as a sergeant at Westville Correctional Center. He told police, "How about a little professional courtesy and respect here?"
Police arrested the man, Victor Magana, 43, of South Haven, on drunken driving charges.
Police said they stopped Magana at 6:15 p.m. Sunday in the area of 367 W. U.S. 6. after his vehicle was reported to have caused damage at a home along U.S. 6.
Police said Magana's blood-alcohol concentration was nearly twice the legal limit. They said he stated he would lose his job for failing the blood-alcohol concentration test.
Man is accused of battering his mother
PORTAGE | A Portage man was arrested Sunday morning on two counts of criminal confinement and one count of battery after he was accused of stopping his mother from removing guns from their home, pushing her and forcing her to stay inside the home.
Jeremy Kleckner, 28, is accused of getting into an argument with his mother while she was taking guns out their home. Police said he took a gun from her and demanded the guns be brought back. Police said he also pushed her and kept her in the home. He faces more than 23 years in prison if convicted.
2 motorcyclists hurt in crash, 1 arrested
VALPARAISO | Valparaiso police said two motorcyclists were injured in a crash shortly after 10 p.m. Friday at Indiana Avenue and Campbell Street, near the Franklin House bar.
Police said they arrested one of the motorcyclists, Frank Colon, 50, of Valparaiso, on drunken driving charges after medics checked him.
Police said the other motorcyclist, Jason Benak, 39, of Portage, was unconscious at the scene. He was taken to Porter Valparaiso Hospital Campus and was transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago for treatment of head injuries.
Police said both motorcyclists were westbound on Indiana Avenue when Benak struck Colon from behind.
CHESTERTON
SATURDAY
Burglary. Wabash Avenue resident Robin Davaney reported a 2-gallon change jar containing $350 stolen from her home.
Vandalism. North Jackson Boulevard resident Kathleen Williams reported $1,000 damage to a home window.
SUNDAY
Property damage. South 14th Street resident Kenneth Crago reported Indiana American Water Co.'s hydrant flushing damaged the end of his driveway.
Theft. Porter resident Virginia Paul reported a $700 bicycle stolen from McDonald's, 480 E. Indian Boundary Road.
Vandalism. Chestnut Boulevard resident William Kelly reported $500 damage to a car window.
Vandalism. Duneland Computer Services, 117 N. 15th St., reported $1,000 damage to two windows.
LIBERTY TWP.
FRIDAY
Theft. Comcast reported a $700 Comcast amplifier stolen from a yard on Steinbeck Drive. The company told police a few other aluminum amplifiers were stolen in the Valparaiso area earlier in the day.
SATURDAY
Theft. Dealer One, 140 W. U.S. 6, reported two $250 stereos stolen from two vehicles.
Vandalism. Yorktown Drive resident Krystal Reilly reported someone threw a pumpkin at her car's windshield, causing $250 damage.
PORTAGE
FRIDAY
Arrests. Four people were arrested after police broke up a party at 5622 Old Porter Road. Resident Tina Gasaway, 45, was arrested on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Arrested on underage drinking charges were Travis M. Jones, 19, of Knox; Shana Smith, 18, a resident of the home; and a juvenile.
SATURDAY
Arrests. Two Portage boys were arrested on possession of marijuana charges after being accused of having the drug at Countryside Park on U.S. 6.
PORTER
SUNDAY
Vandalism. Wagner Road resident David Ailes reported damage to a vehicle windshield.
PORTER TWP.
SATURDAY
Theft. Raymond Beiswanger, of County Road 200 West, reported a $200 stereo stolen from his car.
UNION TWP.
FRIDAY
Drunken driving. Porter County police said they stopped a man who was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of U.S. 30 in the area of Thornapple Drive at 11:20 p.m. Police said they stopped the man at U.S. 30 and County Road 500 West and he said he couldn't remember where he was going and thought he was on U.S. 20. The man, Noah Ritchie, 23, of Lake Station, was arrested on a drunken driving charge. Police said his blood-alcohol concentration was more than four times the legal limit.
SATURDAY
Theft. Duneland Sand, 563 W. County Road 300 North, reported the theft of 180 gallons of diesel fuel from a fuel tank in front of the business, a $600 loss.
Theft. Wexford Road resident George Topoll reported $500 worth of golf clubs and a $100 satellite radio receiver stolen from his car.
VALPARAISO
SUNDAY
Battery arrest. John Netzhammer, 45, of 607 Madison St., Valparaiso, was arrested on battery charges after a woman accused him of grabbing her by the hair, throwing her down and hitting her face. The woman said the disturbance began when she answered his cellular phone and found another woman on the line. Netzhammer also is accused of threatening to kill the woman if she touched his phone again.
WASHINGTON TWP.
SATURDAY
Vandalism. County Road 325 East resident Michael Kubaszak reported $300 damage to his yard lights.
ARRESTS
Thursday to Monday
Alcohol charge | Travis Jones, 19, 404 4th St., Portage; Shana Smith, 18, 404 4th St., Portage; Damon McCormick, 18, 1710 Campus Drive, Valparaiso; Timothy Barnum, 19, 321 Brandt Hall, Valparaiso; Alyse Muse, 18, 216 Brandt Hall, Valparaiso; Sonja Magnuson, 18, 216 Brandt Hall, Valparaiso
Battery | Kristen Cotton, 19, 6465 Evergreen Ave., Portage; John Pawlak, 32, 5052 Lexington Ave., Portage; John Netzhammer, 45, 607 Madison St., Valparaiso
Contributing to the delinquency of a minor | Tina Gasaway, 45, 5622 Old Porter Road, Portage
Conversion | Priscilla Wireman, 21, Hobart
Criminal confinement | Jeremy Kleckner, 28, 5534 Tulip St., Portage
Disorderly conduct | John Lash Jr., 32, 2896 Blake Road, Portage; Allen Fagley, 46, LaPorte
Driving while suspended | Shay Gonczy, 28, Lake Station
Drunken driving | Frank Colon, 50, 103 Hackney Lane, Valparaiso; Noah Ritchie, 23, 346 Sand Creek Drive, Chesterton; Cory Rattray, 24, 603 E. Longlake Road, Valparaiso; Daniel Mazar, 22, 1395 Essex Drive, Porter; Chelonda Anderson, 28, Hobart; Richard Alsop, 889 Rustic Acres Lane, Hebron; Jonathan Fisher, 26, 5972 Mulberry Ave., Portage; Christy Murray-Flores, 42, 820 Camelot Manor, Portage; Victor Magana, 43, 780 Heritage Road, Valparaiso
Drunken driving, leaving the scene of an accident | Christel Hendron, 31, 2853 Irving St., Portage; Patricia Fouts, 51, 294 Sandalwood St., Portage
Failure to appear | Michael Kramer, 18, Hammond; Jennifer Good, 32, Baroda; Donald Morgan, 38, Fort Wayne; Sonetta Donald, 26, Gary; Juan Trevino Jr., 43, Hobart; David Serrano, 32, Gary; Lawrence Creech, 37, 722 Governor Road, Valparaiso; Jeffrey Demmond, 46, 134 Westchester Ave., Chesterton; Sharon Creech, 37, 722 Governor Road, Valparaiso
Failure to comply | Leanne Shukitis, 33, Hammond
Failure to comply, failure to appear | James O'Keefe, 33, 1067 Scarborough Court, Chesterton
Hold | Jordan Parker, 24, LaPorte
Maintaining a common nuisance, possession of marijuana | Patricia Pochel, 25, 365 Camelot Estates, Portage
Maintaining a common nuisance, possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, drunken driving | Adam Smith, 22, Crown Point
Possession of marijuana | Gregory Macy, 32, 2109 Crockett St., Valparaiso; Jonathan Fisher, 26, 5972 Mulberry Ave., Portage
Possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia | Barton Harting, 21, 423 S. Main St., Hebron
Possession of marijuana, false reporting | Joseph Reeves, 36, 1816 Vail Drive, Valparaiso
Possession of marijuana, theft | Lacey Ferguson, 20, 2105 Penwick Drive, Valparaiso
Public intoxication | Linda Shelfo, 57, Gary; John Giusti III, 22, 403 Courtney St., Valparaiso
Public intoxication, alcohol charge | Tyler Conley, 18, 6623 Lagoon Way, Portage
Theft | Christine Dropski, 21, Wheatfield; Chad Deshane, 31, Hobart; Michelle Mendez-Smith, 28, Hobart
