Bills approved by the House

State Rep. Matt Lori played a role in a package of bills approved this week by the House Criminal Justice Committee.

Three of the bills lower the blood-alcohol content level from the current 0.10 to 0.08 percent for operators of boats, off-road vehicles and snowmobiles. Lori’s portion of the bills is specific to watercraft.

Meanwhile, Lori’s Crime Stoppers bill establishes funding for the nonprofit Crime Stoppers organization, paid for by criminals convicted of misdemeanor and felony offenses.

Under the legislation, counties would designate a Crime Stoppers organization for the region. Those convicted of felonies would be assessed an additional $10 fee and misdemeanor fees would be increased by $5. Counties would use the money – minus 10 percent that counties could use for administration costs – to fund the Crime Stoppers unit.

The bills now go to the full House for consideration.

Items stolen from residence

Items from a residence in Colon Township were stolen during a forced-entry break-in last week.

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said deputies were called to the 32000 block of Decker Road, where jewelry and a number of other items were stolen.

The victim told police the incident likely occurred between Thursday last week and this past Sunday.

Sheriff investigating breaking-&-entering

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a breaking-and-entering incident that occurred last weekend in Leonidas Township.

According to a department media release, a barn was entered by the suspect and cigarettes were stolen from a vehicle parked inside. The suspect was confronted by a resident and fled the area on foot, westbound toward Correll Road.

Hunt arrested

Assistance from the Michigan State Police Fugitive Team helped Sturgis Police take custody of a man wanted in connection with a domestic-battery complaint filed last month.

Sturgis police said Geoffrey Hunt, 24, was sought in Sturgis and Three Rivers after the report was filed regarding an incident in the 1200 block of East Chicago Road. Sturgis investigators were advised Hunt may have fled to Detroit.

Hunt was arrested a week ago in Detroit.

He was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm and aggravated domestic violence, second offense, according to police.

Injuries following one-car crash

A 65-year-old Kalamazoo woman was treated for injuries she suffered last week following a one-car crash in Flowerfield Township.

Officials from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Donna Rees was driving west on M-216 when she said she swerved to avoid striking a small animal and drove off the roadway east of Bent Road.

Witnesses told investigators they observed her speeding and driving erratically prior to the rollover accident.

Rees was cited for failure to drive with due care, police said.

Motorcyclists injured

A motorcyclist and passenger participating in a memorial ride were injured after they were thrown from their cycle over the weekend in Mottville Township.

State Police personnel said White Pigeon residents Darrell Niles, 49, and Annette Rink, 47, were injured after the motorcycle they were riding slid on loose gravel and overturned. The incident occurred at noon Sunday at Riverside Drive and Vistula Road.

Neither Niles nor Rink was wearing helmets. Investigators said it doesn’t appear alcohol was a factor in the incident.

They were a part of a 62-member motorcycle team.

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