Police

Fatal crash on M-86 east of Three Rivers

St. Joseph County sheriff ‘ s deputies are investigating a crash that left one person dead late Friday morning in Lockport Township. Deputies said a pickup was traveling east in the 19000 block of M-86 when it left the road, struck a tree and trapped the driver inside. After impact, the vehicle caught fire. Police said bystanders attempted to free the victim. The driver, 35-year-old …

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Stolen car – Two arrests

State police last week arrested two people suspected of stealing a car in Sturgis. According to a department media release, authorities were advised at 3 p.m. Friday that a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS was stolen from a residence in Sturgis. Troopers located the parked vehicle on South Nottawa Street near Magnolia Avenue around 8:30 p.m. Friday. A suspect inside the …

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Cass man injured in crash

A 19-year-old Cassopolis man was injured in a one-vehicle accident this week in LaGrange Township. Sheriff Richard Benhke said deputies were called at 10:40 a.m. Wednesday to Peavine Street near Oak Grove Road. Investigators found that a vehicle driven by Donovan Miller-Schoff went out of control after Miller-Schoff saw a pedestrian along the roadway. The vehicle struck a tree and …

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Police investigate theft from barns

State police are investing a larceny from a barn incident that occurred this week in Florence Township. According to a department media release, troopers were called at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday to the 16000 block of Fairchild Road, where multiple barns were entered at some point between Aug. 6 and Aug. 7. A pressure washer and other farm supplies were among …

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Woman dies after struck by car

An Indiana woman died last week after she was struck by a vehicle in Cass County’s Milton Township. State police said 78-year-old Carol Martin of South Bend was attempting to cross U.S.12 near Bell Road around 9:40 a.m. Friday. She was struck by a westbound car. Details about its driver were not available, but the driver stayed on scene while …

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Motorcyclist injured in crash

A 20-year-old Elkhart man was injured in a motorcycle accident Friday afternoon. Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called at 3:20 p.m. to a roundabout at U.S. 12 and Five Points Road. Authorities said 20-year-old Damon Stabler was driving east on M-205 when he lost control of his motorcycle and it overturned, skidding to a stop within the …

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Police investigate theft from construction site

State police were called last week to a report of larceny from a construction site in Constantine Township. According to a state police media release, workers arrived on site Friday morning in the 10000 block of Millers Mill Road and noticed the trailer containing their tools was missing. In addition, they discovered that building materials as well as batteries from …

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Phsychiatric evaluation ordered for Patten

A psychiatric evaluation has been ordered for Portage resident Zachary Patten. The 32-year-old Patten is accused of killing two people, one near Constantine and the other in Kalamazoo, on July 20. The evaluation is to be conducted at Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Grand Rapids. It was ordered by District Court Judge Jeff Middleton Tuesday at a preliminary conference. According …

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Competency exam ordered for Michigan man charged in slayings

A man charged in connection with two slayings in Michigan will undergo a competency examination. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports that a St. Joseph County judge on Tuesday ordered the psychiatric evaluation to determine whether 32-year-old Zachary Patten is competent to stand trial. His preliminary examination scheduled for next week has been postponed. Patten was charged last month in the July …

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Constantine Farmers Market hosts local public safety departments

Constantine’s Farmers Market will have a special visitor today. One of the 50 Michigan State Police squad cars painted black and gold to commemorate the agency’s 100-year anniversary in 2017 will be at the market 3 to 5 p.m. Also during the same time span, the company Child Print will offer free ID kits. The kits allow parents to have …

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