Sheriff investigating homicide

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office and three other law-enforcement agencies have agreed to look into the unsolved homicide of Ada Haradine, an Elkhart resident.

Haradine disappeared from her home in May 1985 and was reported missing by her family that day and investigated by Elkhart Police.

Her remains were found three years later in the Cass County community of Union.

Investigators have resubmitted to the Michigan State Police Crime Laboratory evidence seized over the subsequent years for a more up-to-date examination.

Woman ticketed for accident

A White Pigeon woman was ticketed for being unable to stop within an assured distance following a two-vehicle accident Monday in Sturgis Township.

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Tambra Bryant, 48, was cited after she swerved to avoid striking the rear of a car that had slowed on westbound U.S. 12 in front of Lake Area Veterinary Clinic.

Bryant drove onto the north shoulder of the roadway and struck the side of a vehicle turning into the vet clinic. The second vehicle was driven by 61-year-old Julie Outlaw of Sherwood.

Bryant’s vehicle continued across the yard of the vet clinic, striking a bush and concrete sign, and continued into a field west of the business.

Poultry stolen

Thirty chickens and a duck were reported stolen from a Mendon Township residence earlier this week.

St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department deputies were called Monday to the 23000 block of Portage Lake Road, where the victim told police the animals were taken late Sunday or early Monday.

The animals were about two months old and different varieties.

New fire truck for White Pigeon

Members of the White Pigeon Fire Department recently took delivery of a new truck.

The 2013 Rosenbauer pumper and rescue will be in service by early June. The truck must first be outfitted with rescue and firefighting equipment, Township Supervisor Don Gloy said.

The truck holds 1,000 gallons of water, but has the capability to pump 1,500 gallons of water a minute.

Gloy said the cost of the truck was $460,000 and was built with specifications and features designed by firefighters.

Driver runs down goslings

Police say a pickup truck driver ran down several Canada Goose babies that were attempting to cross a suburban Detroit roadway. The police department in Oakland County’s Waterford Township says about six adult geese and five goslings were seen trying to cross the roadway Sunday night. Police say two goslings are believed to have died. The witness told police the pickup sped up as it approached the geese, hitting several of the goslings. The witness followed the truck to get a license plate number. Police say others also reported the goslings being run down. Police say they found a 19-year-old man from nearby White Lake Township who told them he didn’t mean to strike the geese and fled because he was scared. The county prosecutor’s is to review the case.  (AP)

Federal appeals court rules

A federal appeals court ruled last week that a jury should decide whether the rights of a Sturgis resident were violated by officers from the Sturgis Police Department.

A three-judge panel from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Friday rendered its opinion regarding the 2010 incident involving then-20-year-old Charles Smith over the theft of a phone charger from Walgreens in Sturgis.

Officers Damon Knapp and Mark Stonebrunner investigated the incident and allegedly used excessive force when attempting to arrest Smith at his residence. Attorneys for Smith claim their client’s head was slammed against a wall as officers handcuffed him, and he also sustained a wrist injury as a result of handcuffs being locked too tightly around his wrists.

Lawyers on behalf of the city indicated Smith was resisting arrest and the force was warranted in order to get him to comply with police. Smith was charged with third-degree retail fraud but he eventually pleaded to a lesser misdemeanor of disturbing the peace.

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