Warsaw Orthopedic Firms Avoid Prosecution

Warsaw orthopedic companies Biomet, DePuy and Zimmer have signed deferred prosecution agreements which could prevent the companies from facing federal criminal charges. Under the agreements, a U-S attorney will not file charges of conspiracy to violate a federal anti-kickback law, if the companies fully comply with several terms. The government alleges that each companies paid surgeons to use only that company’s orthopedic implants. F-B-I Agent Weysan Dun says his investigation uncovered evidence that, as he puts it, “health care decisions were being made based on a doctor's wallet and not on a patient's well-being." The companies have agreed to pay settlements totaling more than 281 million dollars. The agreements allow the companies to avoid admitting that they did anything wrong. See more information, including copies of the deferred prosecution agreements, on the Web site of the U.S. Attorney's office.

Airliner's Engine Catches Fire in Indy

One of the engines on a Delta Airlines jet caught fire yesterday, as the plane prepared to take off from Indianapolis International Airport. The 132 passengers aboard evacuated and were taken back to the terminal on busses. No one was injured.

Burglary Suspect Arrested

The Wabash County Sheriff's Department announced this afternoon that it has arrested 19-year-old Scott Glass, who faces a burglary charge and whose whereabouts had previously been unknown to police. According to a news release, officers arrested Glass without incident at a location in northeastern Wabash County. The release expresses the department's gratitude for assistance the public provided in locating Glass.

Killer of Garrett Woman, 91, Sentenced

A judge has sentenced a man to 65 years in prison for killing a 91-year-old Garrett woman. Forty-nine-year-old Ricky Vires had pleaded guilty to murder through a plea agreement. He said he pushed Novella Tarlton after she surprised him while he was burglarizing her home last May. She suffered a head injury that killed her about two weeks later.

Teen Sentenced for Killing South Bend Officer

A teenager who fatally shot an off-duty South Bend police officer during an attempted robbery was sentenced to 65 years in prison yesterday. Nineteen-year-old Jeffrey Finley had pleaded guilty to shooting South Bend police Corporal Scott Severns in April of 2006.

Wabash County Jail Inmate Injured

The Wabash County Sheriff’s Department says an inmate at the Wabash County Jail suffered a self-inflicted injury that required treatment at a hospital emergency room yesterday afternoon. The Department says it asked Indiana State Police to look into the incident, not because it suspects foul play but because it is standard procedure.

TSA Officer Goof Closes Indy Airport Concourse

Officials had to close part of the Indianapolis International Airport terminal yesterday, because a Transportation Security Administration officer forgot to put away a training aid. Other officers closed a concourse when they found the vest containing inert training explosives on a conveyor at a security checkpoint.

Lab Tech Allegedly Bites Patient

An Indianapolis hospital lab technician reportedly bit a three-year-old boy's shoulder while she was drawing blood from his arm. A spokesman for Saint Vincent Hospital says it has fired the technician. No criminal charges have been filed in the case.

Wabash Sheriff Seeks Help Finding Burglary Suspect

The Wabash County Sheriff’s Department is requesting assistance in locating a Wabash County man who faces a felony burglary charge. The Wabash County Prosecutor has charged 19-year-old Scoff F. Glass with burglary and the Wabash Circuit Court has issued an arrest warrant for Glass. According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Department, Glass is white, five feet, nine inches tall and weighs 163 pounds. He has brown hair and hazel colored eyes. The Sheriff’s Department says it believes Glass could be in Wabash, Huntington or Allen Counties. It’s asking anyone who has information about where Glass is to call the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department at (260) 563-8891 or Crime Stoppers at (260) 563-5821 or toll free, (866) 665-0556.

Roann Business Robbed

The Wabash County Sheriff’s Department says someone held up a Roann business at gunpoint last night. According to a news release, the robbery happened at about 7:10 p.m. at Todd’s Corner. No one was injured. A witness described the suspect as a man wearing blue jeans, a green shirt and a black ski mask. He might have departed the area in a silver two-door Pontiac Grand Am that had a license plate beginning in 85A. Police are asking anyone who has any information about this crime to call the Detective Bureau at the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department or Crime Stoppers.

Biomet Sale Completed

Biomet announced yesterday that a private consortium has completed its eleven-point-four billion-dollar buyout of the Warsaw orthopedics manufacturer. Biomet’s stock has now stopped trading on the Nasdaq exchange. The company’s new owners plan to keep its headquarters in Warsaw.

U.S. Supreme Court to Consider Indiana Voter ID Law

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments over whether Indiana’s voter ID law is constitutional. The law requires voters to present photo IDs before they vote. The high court has agreed to decide whether it unfairly deters the poor and minorities from voting.

Hoosier Guardsman Dies After Being Injured in Iraq

The Indiana National Guard says one of its soldiers has died after being wounded during combat operations in Iraq. Gerald Cassidy of Westfield was 32. The National Guard did not release information on when or how Cassidy was injured.

Southern Indiana Elementary Students Become Ill with E. Coli

Health officials in southern Indiana’s Floyd County say they have confirmed six cases of E. coli. They’ve not found the source of the bacterium, which has made students at an elementary school ill.

Markle Company to Add 100 Jobs

Novae Corporation, a manufacturer of utility trailers, commercial lawn care attachments and industrial material handling systems in the Huntington County town of Markle, announced this morning that it will invest more than $1 million to build and equip a 12,000 square-foot addition to its current facility and plans to add more than 100 new employees to its 80-member workforce by 2010. Novae will receive tax credits and training grants from the state and tax abatement from the Town of Markle.

Leesburg Native Appointed Deputy Indiana Secretary of State

Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita (left) administers the oath of office to Leesburg native Matt Tusing (right), the new Deputy Secretary of State. Secretary of State photo.

Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita has appointed former Leesburg resident Matt Tusing Deputy Secretary of State and Chief of Staff. Tusing joins Secretary Rokita after working for the Indiana Attorney General's office, where he advised on matters related to professional licensing and investigations. He is a graduate of Warsaw Community High School and holds a degree from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. He is concurrently finishing a law degree with Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis.

Peru Man Charged with Beating Mother, 78

State police have arrested a 49-year-old Peru man for allegedly beating his 78-year-old mother. In addition to battery causing injury, the former prison inmate faces charges of criminal confinement causing bodily injury and intimidation.

Elkhart Mother Sentenced for Killing Children

An Elkhart woman who pleaded guilty to strangling her four young children last November will spend the rest of her life in prison. Yesterday, a judge gave 27-year-old Angelica Alvarez a life sentence without parole for each of the four murders. Alvarez had pleaded guilty in exchange for avoiding the death penalty.

Farm Bureau Proposes Tax Plan

The Indiana Farm Bureau has proposed a plan to cut property taxes by about one-third by increasing sales and individual income taxes. The state’s largest farm advocacy organization says it supports increasing individual income taxes from 3.4 percent to 4.4 percent and the sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent.

Governor to Visit Markle Company for Announcement

A trailer manufacturer in the Huntington County town of Markle will reportedly make an economic development announcement today. Governor Mitch Daniels plans to participate in the announcement at Novae Corporation this morning.

Bayh Endorses Clinton

Hillary Clinton has a new supporter this morning in Democratic Indiana Senator Evan Bayh. Bayh has been mentioned as a possible running mate for Clinton, but Bayh says that’s not why he has endorsed her.

Man Crushed to Death at Kokomo Chrysler Plant

A machine at a Chrysler casting plant in Kokomo crushed a 48-year-old Logansport man to death over the weekend. According to Chrysler's Web site, the plant creates parts for automotive components, including transmission and transaxle cases.

Experts Expect Early, Short Fall Colors Season

This summer's dry, hot weather might mean a shorter and earlier season for watching autumn leaves change colors. A spokesman for the forestry division of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources says it has already seen some trees brown out because of the stress.

Purdue to Race Email vs. Cell Phone Text

Purdue University researchers will stage a race today between email and cell phone text messages. The test is designed to determine which method can get emergency messages most quickly to the thousands of students and staff members on the Purdue campus.

Huge Blast Damages Several Homes

A huge explosion leveled a house north of South Bend last night. The blast also damaged at least eight other homes, some of which were blocks away. People miles away reported feeling the shock wave. One man who was inside the home suffered what an official calls serious burns. A helicopter flew him to a burn unit in Kalamazoo. Although some firefighters believe a natural gas leak might have caused the explosion, investigators have yet to confirm the cause.

Man Charged with Murder of 14-year-old

Police in Anderson have arrested a 20-year-old man for allegedly killing a 14-year-old girl. The man became a suspect after he called 9-1-1 to report finding the girl’s body in a park.

Decal Sales to Benefit Slain Trooper's Family

Law enforcement agencies in the Q101 are raising money to help the children of a state trooper who was killed in the line of duty earlier this year. Agencies are selling window decals that honor Master Trooper David Rich, who was killed on U-S 24 in Wabash County July fifth. All proceeds from the decal sales will go to the "Children of Trooper David Rich Memorial Fund." You can buy the decals at several locations, including the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department.

Man Charged with Stealing Dentures from Wearer

A Muncie area man faces charges this morning of stealing another man’s false teeth – from the other man’s mouth. According to court records, it happened during a fight outside a bar between the two men, who are 62 and 56 years old.

Rochester Mourns Soldier

Hundreds of mourners attended a funeral service and parade in Rochester yesterday for an Indiana soldier who was killed last week in Iraq. Twenty-four-year-old Army Sgt. Nicholas Patterson, was among seven U-S soldiers who died in a vehicle accident in Baghdad. He was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C., and was on his second tour of duty in Iraq. Patterson graduated from Rochester High School in 2001. His mother lives in Warsaw.

Tax Rally Planned in Warsaw

A group that’s pushing for a constitutional amendment to repeal Indiana’s property tax plans a rally in Warsaw this evening. The event by Advance America takes place at seven p.m. at Center Lake Pavilion.

Hoosier Dies of West Nile

State health officials say a resident of southern Indiana’s Floyd County has died from the West Nile virus. The person is the first Hoosier to die this year from the mosquito-borne illness.

Grand Jury to Consider Charges Against Muncie Officer

A prosecutor says he’ll let a grand jury decide whether a Muncie police officer should face charges of battery with a deadly weapon. The 52-year-old officer allegedly struck a man with his service handgun after he found the man with the officer’s 26-year-old daughter in the woman’s bedroom.

Man Stuck in Ex-Girlfriend's Chimney

Firefighters in Evansville had to tear though a wall to rescue a man who became stuck while trying to climb through a chimney into his former girlfriend’s house. The man says he was drunk at the time and in his words, “Everyone do stupid things sometimes when they're drunk.”

Board Votes for New Columbia City High School

The Whitley County Consolidated Schools board voted last night to replace the Columbia City High School building. Only one board member voted against building a new high school. The decision’s exact impact on taxpayers is not yet known. Previous reports have indicated that the school system would have to issue about 62-and-a-half million dollars worth of bonds to build a new high school on land it already owns south of Columbia City.

Wabash Co. Sheriff Warns of Burglaries

The Wabash County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a rash of burglaries in the northern part of the county. Sheriff Leroy Striker says burglars have struck at nine locations since the beginning of September. Striker says most of the break-in’s happened in barns and garages that were separate from houses. Burglars have taken all-terrain vehicles, garden tractors, tool and electronics. Striker is encouraging area residents to help watch their neighbors’ properties and to report any suspicious activity. Read the Sheriff Department's news release regarding the burglaries.

Poll: Hoosers Want Property Tax Abolished

A statewide poll released yesterday finds strong support for eliminating Indiana’s property tax and using the state’s $1.28 billion budget surplus to offset property tax increases. Some 67 percent of those surveyed in a poll by Indianapolis television station WISH answered "yes" to the question, "Should the state budget surplus be used for property tax relief?" Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said they favored eliminating the property tax.

Lake Levels Fall, Motorboat Bans Lifted

The Department of Natural Resources has lifted the last of the motorboat bans on northern Indiana lakes. The department says flood waters have finally receded enough to allow normal boating on all lakes.

Decison on Columbia City High School Expected Tonight

The Whitley County Consolidated Schools board plans to decide tonight whether to remodel or replace Columbia City High School. A committee recently recommended against remodeling the existing school. The board could build a new high school on land it already owns, adjacent to Indian Springs Middle School on State Road Nine, south of Columbia City. Doing so would mean borrowing about 62-and-a-half million dollars by issuing bonds. The board meets at seven o’clock tonight.

Man Gets Life in Abduction, Assault and Murder of Girl, 10

A judge has sentenced a Fort Wayne man to life in prison for kidnapping a 10-year-old neighbor girl, driving her to a gravel pit near Muncie, sexually assaulting her and then killing her. Simon Rios pleaded guilty last April. He also has admitted that days later he killed his wife and three young daughters inside their Fort Wayne home. He has not yet been sentenced for those crimes.

Gunshot Wounds Killed Men in Steel Drums

Autopsies show that someone shot two men in the head before stuffing their bodies in steel drums. Police found the drums on a property in a rural area near Bloomington last week. The property owner faces charges of murdering both men.

South Whitley Man Admits Sexual Misconduct

A 26-year-old South Whitley man has pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct with a minor. The man admitted to having sex with a 15-year-old girl in May of 2006 after he met her at a party in 2005. A judge scheduled sentencing for October 22nd.

Shooting at Crowded Pierceton Convenience Store

A teenager allegedly fired a handgun early yesterday at a Pierceton convenience store, while the place was crowded with other teens who had just left a teen dance club. According to a news release from Pierceton Town Marshall Tim Sammons, no one was injured. A Pierceton officer was inside the store when he heard the shots in the parking lot and saw about 150 teenagers running away. Sammons says officers quickly arrested a 17-year-old Marion boy who he says fired a .40-calibre handgun during an altercation with other juveniles. It happened at the Pak-A-Sak Shell Food Mart at U-S 30 and State Road 13.

Columbia City Man Dies in Motorcycle Crash

A 20-year-old Columbia City man died last night after a single motorcycle collision. According to a news release from the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Marc Nickolson was riding along Whitley County Road 300-East at about 9:30 last night when a deer ran in front of his motorcycle. Police say Nickolson lost control and was thrown from the motorcycle. He died at the scene of head injuries. He had not been wearing a helmet.

Families Say Police Left Bodies Behind After Crash

The parents of two high school seniors who died in a car crash in Gary say their sons’ bodies were left along the side of a road for several hours after police overlooked them while investigating the accident. A spokesman for the Gary police department says he cannot explain why the two teens were left along the roadside.

ISTEP Tests Begin This Week

Schools across Indiana will begin administering ISTEP tests this morning. Schools will give the ISTEP test to students in grades 3 through 10 sometime between today and Sept. 28.

Former Massage Parlor Owner Sentenced

A judge sentenced the former owner of a Warsaw massage parlor to four years in prison yesterday for prostitution and bribery charges. Fifty-one-year-old Myong Demorales operated VIP The Office Spa, which police say was a front for a nationwide prostitution ring. As part of a plea agreement, Demorales had pleaded guilty to three counts of bribery and one count of promoting prostitution.

Kosciusko Property Tax Assessments Cleared

Kosckiusko County will not have to conduct property tax reassessments. Neither will Noble, DeKalb or Allen Counties. The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance has concluded its review of property tax assessments in those counties and cleared them.

Driver Allegedly Abandons Injured Passenger

Kosciusko County police say they’re looking for a driver who abandoned a seriously injured passenger after a one-car crash near Nappanee. The 17-year-old boy who was in the car when police arrived suffered cuts and a puncture wound.

Motorcyclist Severely Injured in Wabash County Crash

Wabash County police say a 45-year-old rural Wabash County man suffered massive head injuries yesterday, after he lost control of his motorcycle in southern Wabash County. A helicopter flew James Stoeber from the scene to a Fort Wayne hospital.

Prosecutor Issues Intrepretation Regarding Golf Carts

Wabash County Prosecutor William Hartley says it’s illegal to drive a golf cart on public roads – unless the golf cart is registered and displays a plate like a car. The prosecutor issued his interpretation of state law in response to questions and complaints about Wabash County people using golf carts on public roadways.

Kosciusko Residents to be Surveyed on Violence Awareness

A Kosciusko County task force is gathering statistics about local awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault. The task force is asking county residents to participate in an anonymous online survey. Here’s a link to the survey.

Pursuit-Related Crash Injures KCSD Deputy

Bucher

A spokesman for the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department says a deputy suffered a minor wrist injury in a crash during pursuit last night. Sergeant Chad Hill tells Q101 News that Deputy Shane Bucher was assisting in a chase that began in Warsaw and had just entered Marshall County when the suspect’s vehicle turned around and crashed head-on into the deputy’s car. The crash happened at about 9:30 last night southwest of Etna Green. Reports indicate that Bucher and the suspect, a 24-year-old man from Knox, were released from a hospital emergency room after receiving treatment for minor injuries. Hill says Warsaw police began pursuing the suspect after he allegedly traveled the wrong way on a city street and failed to stop when police tried to pull him over. Hill says the suspect drove as fast as 110 miles per hour during the chase. Police arrested him on preliminary charges of operating while intoxicated, fleeing law enforcement, criminal recklessness, and leaving the scene the of a property damage accident. At last report, the Kosciusko County Jail was holding him in lieu of a $100,000.00 bail bond.

Police Arrest Suspects in String of Business Burglaries

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department reports that its officers arrested two men yesterday who are suspects in a string of business burglaries in at least two counties. According to a news release, the suspects are a 22-year-old Pierceton man and a 23-year-old Claypool man. Police say the men broke into businesses in Warsaw, Leesburg, the Barbee Lake area, Larwill and South Whitley. And police say the men might have been involved in burglaries in the North Manchester area.

Area Air Guard Members Deploy to Iraq

Two hundred members of a Fort Wayne-based Air National Guard until departed yesterday for a 45-day mission in Iraq. The 122nd Fighter Wing’s members include residents of the Q101 area. The deployed members include fighter pilots and support staff.

Motorboat Ban Lifted on Five Lakes

The Department of Natural Resources has lifted a ban on motorboats at five LaGrange County lakes. Motorboats are now permitted on Dallas, Witmer, Westler, Hackenberg and Messick lakes. But in Noble County, high water levels forced the D-N-R to continue the motorboat ban on Waldron, Steinbarger, Tamarack and Jones lakes.

Rochester Soldier Dies in Iraq

Members of the family of a soldier from Rochester say the man has died while serving in Iraq. Sergeant Nicholas Patterson graduated from Rochester High School in 2001. Patters was the son of Jim Patterson of Rochester and Jane Holmes of Warsaw.

Trucker Dies in Chain-Reaction Crash on I-69

Indiana State Police photo

A Missouri trucker died yesterday in a chain reaction crash in Interstate 69 that involved three semi trucks and a car. Police say the 42-year-old trucker who died caused the crash at about 3:40 yesterday afternoon, by failing to slow down for a construction zone just south of Gas City. His truck rear-ended another semi, which crashed into a semi in front of it. That semi crashed into the back of a car. The Missouri trucker who died was the only person who was injured. The crash closed southbound lanes of I-69 for at least six hours.

High Speed Chase Through Whitley County

State police say a man on a stolen motorcycle rode as fast as 143 miles per hour during a chase through Whitley County yesterday. Police say the man was one of two motorcyclists that a state trooper attempted to stop for speeding on U-S 30 near the Allen-Whitley County line. When one of the motorcyclists fled, the trooper left the other behind and pursued. The chase went through Columbia City and South Whitley before police lost site of the motorcycle in southeastern Kosciusko County. Police arrested the man after a Kosciusko County resident reported a man asking to use the resident’s phone. They arrested the other motorcyclist after they got his cell phone number from the first man they arrested. Both men are 20 years old and from the northwestern Ohio town of Tiffin, where they allegedly stole the motorcycles. Both face a variety of charges this morning.

Helicopter Flies Victim from SE Kosciusko Crash

A one-vehicle crash in southeastern Kosciusuko County seriously injured at least one person last night. Dispatchers say they got a report at 12:41 a.m. of a car on its side in a ditch on Kosciusko County Road 300 East just south of State Road 14. A helicopter reportedly flew one person from the scene.

Early Morning Power Outage Strikes Area

A power outage struck the South Whitley area and a large part of northern Huntington County at about 3:45 this morning. At last report, the cause of the outage was unknown.

Fort Wayne Native Dies in Iraq

The Department of Defense says a soldier from Fort Wayne has died of wounds suffered in combat in Iraq. Officials say 22-year-old Army Corporal Ryan Woodward died Saturday after he was wounded by small arms fire when insurgents attacked his unit near Baghdad.

Ohio Man Claims Big Powerball Jackpot

A retired auto worker from suburban Dayton, Ohio is the person who won a 314-million-dollar Powerball jackpot two weeks ago. The man bought the ticket at a convenience store in Richmond, Indiana. It’s the fourth-largest prize in the history of the multi-state lottery.

Democrat Lawmaker Proposes Tax Plan

A Democrat State Representative from Indianapolis has proposed a plan to reduce property taxes by increasing state sales and income taxes. David Orentlicher’s plan would increase sales and income taxes by one percent each.

Neighbors Rescue Woman After House Explosion

Neighbors in the northwestern Indiana town of Highland pulled off a heroic rescue over the weekend. Just after an explosion in a house, they rushed in and carried an 86-year-old woman to safety. Moments later, flames engulfed the house.

Man Hides in Woods After Allegedly Shooting at Officer

A man with an automatic weapon reportedly holed up in a wooded area this morning after allegedly shooting at a Kendallville police officer during a traffic stop. The officer was not injured. Police pursued the suspect, who eventually abandoned his vehicle near Indian Lake in northwestern DeKalb County. Officers from several police agencies then surrounded the area along State Road 3-27. The incident began at around three o’clock this morning.

Former Elementary Teacher Admits Sexual Misconduct

A former Goshen elementary school teacher pleaded guilty yesterday to four counts of sexual misconduct with a minor. The 45-year-old Bourbon man admitted to having sex with two girls, one of whom was 14 years old and one who was 15. Under a plea agreement, the man would get no more than 45 years in prison.

Taxpayers Sue of State Property Tax System

Indiana taxpayers challenged the constitutionality of the state property tax system in a lawsuit filed yesterday. The petition in Indiana Tax Court questions statewide assessment methods, the use of tax abatements and several other aspects of the state system.

Letterman to Visit BSU

Late night talk show host David Letterman visits Ball State University today, as his alma mater honors him by naming its new communication and media building after him. The building opened to students when the fall semester began a few weeks ago.

Biomet Sale Official

Biomet officials say that by the end of the month, the company will have new owners. Yesterday, shareholders approved an 11.4 billion dollar deal to sell the Warsaw orthopedic company to a private consortium that includes company founder Dane Miller. Yesterday’s vote was really just a formality, because Biomet announced in July that nearly 83 percent of shareholders had already agreed to the deal. Analysts have said it could help the company by allowing it to focus on improvement. Biomet's hip and knee products have done well, but the trauma and spine businesses have underperformed and hampered the performance of the company’s stock. The group is paying 46 dollars a share to buy the company.

Daniels Extends Homestead Credit Deadline