Head-On Crash Near Mentone Kills 2

Kosciusko County Sheriff's Dept. photo

A head-on crash in southwestern Kosciusko County killed two people yesterday afternoon. It happened on State Road 25 near Mentone. Police say 18-year-old Nathan Creighton of Warsaw was trying to pass another vehicle and hit a full-size pickup truck head on. Officials pronounced two of Creighton’s passengers dead at the scene -- 20-year-old Ryan Holloway of Rochester and 18-year-old Bryant Scott of Tippecanoe. A helicopter flew Creighton and another passenger, 20-year-old Shawn Keckler of Rochester, to a Fort Wayne hospital, where they were in critical condition at last report. The driver of the truck suffered minor injuries.

Man Dies after Sailboat Capsizes on Wawasee

Officials hope an autopsy will determine exactly what killed a Fort Wayne man whose sailboat capsized on Lake Wawasee yesterday. Conservation officers say 62-year-old Gary Froshaug was wearing a personal flotation device, but he was unconscious when nearby fisherman pulled him from the water. Two other people on the sailboat were not injured.

Senator Meeks Released after Hospitalization

Seventy-four-year-old State Senator Robert Meeks became lightheaded and fell during a highway ribbon-cutting ceremony in Kendallville yesterday. EMS took the republican to a hospital, which has since released him. The senator blames the heat and humidity.

Storms Bring Hail, Flip Semi Trucks

Several people reported hail in Kosciusko County yesterday as strong thunderstorms rolled through the area. Storms also brought high winds, which blew over two semi trucks on Interstate 69 yesterday afternoon. That happened in Huntington County. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center says there’s a slight risk of severe weather in our area today.

Three Die in Construction Accident

A concrete block wall under construction in Greenwood collapsed yesterday, killing three workers. Police say the construction site accident also injured two others yesterday afternoon.

SDI Exec Expects Revenues to Double

The chairman and chief executive of Steel Dynamics Incorporated says he expects his company’s revenues this year to double last year’s figures. The company has a plant in Columbia City.

Governor Appoints Columbia City Native

Governor Mitch Daniels has appointed a Columbia City native to be executive director of the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana. Columbia City High School graduate Claudia Braman most recently worked in the admissions services division at The Princeton Review.

State to Honor Slain Trooper with Signs on U.S. 24

The state plans to dedicate a portion of U.S. 24 as a memorial mile in honor of Master Trooper David E. Rich. Rich was killed in the line of duty on July 5, 2007. Rep. Bill Ruppel (R-North Manchester), Indiana State Police troopers and Master Trooper Rich’s family will unveil the sign in a ceremonial presentation at 10 a.m. July 2 in Master Trooper David E. Rich Memorial Park at Manchester Avenue and Wabash Street, Wabash. The public is invited to attend the ceremony, but only standing room will be available.

ISP Bomb Experts Called to Wabash

After Wabash firefighters extinguished a smoldering tree yesterday, they found a suspicious object in the tree. Local police called in Indiana State Police explosives experts to check it out. No word yet on what the object turned out to be.

Contractor Dies on Job at Tri-State Univ.

A Fort Wayne contractor died on the job at Tri-State University in Angola yesterday. Police say a piece of equipment struck the man as he was working on the university’s football stadium.

Group: Ft. Wayne, S. Bend Airline Service at Risk

A national group known as the Business Travel Coalition says the Fort Wayne and South Bend airports are among 100 regional airports at risk of losing some or all of their airline service. The coalition blames the rising cost of fuel.

Rochester Lake Reopens to Outside Boats

The state Department of Natural Resources has lifted a two-year ban on outside boats at Rochester's Lake Manitou. The department had imposed the ban to stop the spread of a non-native water plant.

Man Gets 71 Years for Child's Molestation

A judge has sentenced a 47-year-old South Bend man to 71 years in prison on child molestation and other felony charges. Andre Lavoie had pleaded guilty to seven felony offenses — including intimidation, battery and criminal confinement – in the videotaped molestation of a pre-school aged boy.

Governor Asks President for More Flood Aid

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels wants President Bush to increase the percentage of federal disaster assistance that's allocated to flood damage. The governors of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin have joined Daniels in the request.

New State Law Ruled Unconstitutional

A federal judge has ruled that a new state law is unconstitutional. The law would have required convicted sex offenders to consent to searches of their computers, even if they’ve completed their sentences, parole and/or probation.

Warsaw Ortho Company's Profits more than Double

Warsaw-based Symmetry Medical Inc. says its first quarter 2008 profits were more than double profits for the same period a year ago. Symmetry provides implants, related instruments and cases to orthopedic device manufacturers.

Governor to Conduct Meeting in Columbia City

Gov. Mitch Daniels will conduct a quarterly meeting of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation in Columbia City tomorrow. Steel Dynamics Inc. will host the meetings at its offices.

Man Lies About Killing to Dump Girlfriend

Police say a northern Wabash County man tried to dump his girlfriend telling her on the phone that he had just stabbed a man to death. The woman called police who ended up searching the 19-year-old man’s home before determining that the claim was false.

7-Year-Old Takes Joyride in Grandmother's Car

Police in Muncie say a seven-year-old boy drove his grandmother's car more than a mile to a shopping mall before another motorist blocked the car and took the keys. Police speculated he might have learned to drive from a video game.

Production Cuts to Affect Roanoke GM Plant

A G-M cutback in the production of pickup trucks and SUVs will affect several plants, including the one near Roanoke. General Motors says the Roanoke plant will shut down for two more weeks this year than previously planned.

Attempted Murder, Feticide Charges in Shooting of Pregnant Teller

An Indianapolis man now faces charges of attempted murder and feticide for his alleged role in a bank robbery in which a pregnant teller was shot. The shooting last April caused the woman to lose the twin girls she was carrying.

Conservation Officers Arrest 8 at Roush Lake

Conservation officers reported yesterday afternoon that they arrested eight people for various fishing-related misdemeanors at Huntington’s Roush Lake Sunday. The arrests resulted from a special enforcement detail.

Gordy's Sub Pub Burns

A Warsaw restaurant suffered major damage in a fire over the weekend. "When the first fire engine arrived on the scene, they observed two dumpsters on fire," Warsaw Fire Chief Mike Rice told Q101 News. "One of the dumpsters was close to Gordy's Sub Pub and two sides of Gordy's was also on fire at the time when they arrived." Rice described the damage to Gordy's Sub Pub and Tokens and Tickets on Winona Avenue as "very extensive." He said the Chamber of Commerce building suffered smoke and water damage as well. Rice says the exact cause of the fire remains a mystery this morning. "We know that the fire originated in the dumpster next to the building and then extended into the building," Rice said, "but we do not know why the dumpster started at this time." One firefighter suffered a minor injury.

Warsaw Man Charged in Bloomington Stabbing

A 32-year-old Warsaw man faces a preliminary charge of murder this morning. Police in Bloomington say the man stabbed 32-year-old Minnesota resident Christopher Johnson during a party at a Bloomington home early Saturday morning. Johnson was the lead singer of a band that was playing at the party.

Mobile Emergency Room Arrives from North Carolina

A mobile emergency room from North Carolina expects to open for business today near Columbus Regional Hospital in southern Indiana. The hospital has been closed since it was flooded June 7.

Former Rochester Physician Pleads Guilty to Child Molesting

More than 25 years after a Rochester physician had sex with a 14-year-old girl, he has pleaded guilty to and been sentenced for child molesting. The victim was the daughter of Paul Hess’ patients, who he had hired to clean his home and office.

FBI Joins ATM Fraud Investigation

The FBI has joined an investigation into thefts of money from the bank and credit union accounts of northern Indiana residents. Police now say at least eight financial institutions have reported fraudulent transactions from Spain, Russia, Nigeria and Ukraine.

State Highways Remain Under Water

Indiana transportation department officials say at least 10 state highways remain under water this morning and dozens of others have damage from recent floods. The D-O-T says it probably won’t have a complete picture of flood damage to state roads for at least another week.

Man Allegedly Hides Pot in Shoe

An Indianapolis man allegedly hid drugs in a shoe and tried to smuggle them into a state prison at Pendleton. State police arrested the 22-year-old man yesterday while he was visiting the medium-security Pendleton Correctional Industrial Facility.

Huntington Pursuit Ends in Damage to Squad Car, House

A brief police chase in Huntington last night led to damage to a squad car and a house. Police say an officer from the Huntington County Sheriff’s Department tried to pull a man over for a traffic violation at about 12:15 a.m. but the man refused to stop. During the pursuit that ensued, the suspect's vehicle crashed into the county squad car, a state trooper’s car and a Huntington house. No one was hurt and police had the man in custody about four minutes after the chase began.

Lawmaker Runs for Governor under New Party

State Senator John Waterman has announced plans to run for governor as a candidate of the new Taxpayers Party. Waterman says the goal of the party is to repeal state property taxes. But he says if he's elected, he'll dissolve the new party and serve as a Republican.

Richmond Marine Killed in Afghanistan

Military officials say a roadside bomb attack in Afghanistan killed 22-year-old Richmond native Lance Corporal Layton Crass. He was one of four Marines who died in the attack Saturday.

Indy Cops Face Marijuana Charges

Three Indianapolis police officers face federal charges of marijuana trafficking. Prosecutors say the officers stole marijuana while on duty and then sold the pot through a third party.

Former Middlebury Letter Carrier Appears in Court

A former letter carrier has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that she stashed 21,000 pieces of mail in Middlebury home. Forty-nine-year-old Vickey Warner appeared in court yesterday where she faces several charges.

Man Holds Up Terre Haute Lemonade Stand

An 18-year-old Terre Haute man faces felony robbery charges this morning for allegedly holding up three kids who were running a sidewalk lemonade stand. "The guy comes up and was just like, ‘give me your money,’ said 12-year-old Dominique Morefield. "I was just like, shocked. It was my immediate reaction to chase after him." She followed the suspect to a nearby house and called police on her cell phone. Police say the kids will get back the money – all 17 dollars and 50 cents of it.

Puppy Attacks Infant

A Fort Wayne infant is reportedly recovering well from surgery after the family’s puppy attacked the one-month-old boy. Police say the dog severely injured the baby’s genitals. The puppy has since been euthanized. Police say the attack happened while the boy’s mother was sleeping. They say there’s no reason to suspect neglect. Animal experts say families should begin preparing their dogs before a baby comes home and they should crate the dogs any time they can’t supervise the animals.

Overseas Crooks use ATMs to Steal Money from Area Residents

Somehow, people in Russia, Ukraine and Nigeria have been fraudulently using ATMs to take money from the accounts of Teachers Credit Union members here in Indiana. The credit union is based in South Bend and has branches throughout the Q101 area. Credit Union officials are trying to figure out how the crooks got debit cards and PINs.

Mother Abandons Child at Frankdfort Wal-Mart

Police saw a woman abandoned her 2-year-old son at a Wal-Mart store in the west-central Indiana city of Frankfort. They say she left the child with a backpack full of toys, a bottle and a note explaining why she could no longer care for him. Police are looking for the woman.

Indy Police Arrested on Federal Charges

The FBI has arrested three Indianapolis police officers. And FBI agent says a federal indictment names the officers, but the indictment is sealed, so she can't say what the charges are.

Long Thompson Chooses Running Mate

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson of northern Indiana has chosen State Representative Dennie Oxley of southern Indiana as her running mate. Oxley is a businessman and former school administrator from the town of English in Crawford County.

Hoosier Flood Evacuees Begin Returning Home

A spokesperson for Indiana’s Department of Homeland Security says most of the state has entered the recovery stage after experiencing some of the worst flooding in the state's history. Thousands of evacuated residents across central and southern Indiana have begun returning to their homes. And The Wabash River crested at New Harmony yesterday.

Sunday Evening Storms Bring High Winds, Hail to Area

Severe thunderstorms brought hail and high winds to the Q101 area yesterday. At about 6:30 p.m., a storm blew a tree onto a house near North Webster. Spotters around the area reported winds up to about 60 miles per hour and hail of up to seven eighths of an inch in diameter.

Police Arrest Alleged Flood Looters

Police in Columbus have arrested more than a dozen people for allegedly of trying to steal appliances, lawnmowers, bicycles and other items from the lawns of flood victims. The residents had left the items out to dry.

Flood waters are still moving downstream toward the Wabash River. The latest towns to be threatened are Hazleton and East Mount Carmel on the White River and Historic New Harmony on the Wabash.

Governor Mitch Daniels says crop damage from flooding is worse than first thought, and that many Indiana farmers might not be able to save their crops this year.

Souder Asks for Investigation into Opponent's Activities

The Souder for Congress campaign says it will ask for an official investigation into whether Democratic opponent Mike Montagano violated federal law by giving cash to voters yesterday. Montagano’s campaign denies that it was buying votes when he gave customers at a Fort Wayne gas station $1.13. The campaign chose the amount because it was the price of gasoline when Souder was first elected to Congress.

Area Gasoline Prices Jump Above National Average

Gasoline prices rose to a new record high in the Q101 area yesterday. As of late last night, many Warsaw stations were charging $4.19 for a gallon of regular unleaded. That’s well above the latest national average price. You can find the latest fuel prices in your area by following the link on our home page.

New Levee Break in Southern Indiana Flood

Another levee broke on the White River in southern Indiana yesterday. The break led officials to advise residents the rural community of Capehart in Daviess County to evacuate. President Bush has approved individual assistance programs for eight Indiana counties hit by flooding or tornadoes in the past two weeks. Indiana University says the recent flood did about a million dollars of damage on campus, including a sinkhole in the south end zone of the football field at Memorial Stadium.

Wabash Man Allegedy Ran Pot Growing Operation

Police arrested a 57-year-old Wabash man last night for allegedly running a marijuana growing operation in his home on Shady Lane Drive. Indiana State police say officers executed a search warrant and seized 39 marijuana plants, a misdemeanor amount of marijuana, and growing equipment. The homeowner faces a felony charge of maintaining a common nuisance as well as misdemeanor charges of cultivating marijuana, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Teen Pleads Guilty in Plot Against South Bend School

A South Bend teenager faces sentencing July 8th after admitting yesterday that he planned a Columbine-style attack at Penn High School. The boy pleaded guilty to a juvenile count of conspiracy to commit murder.

Huntington Airport Gets Federal Money

Huntington Municipal airport is one of 17 around the state that have received grants from the Federal Aviation Administration. The Huntington airport plans to use its 111-thousand-dollar grant to rehabilitate a taxiway.

State Supreme Court Overturns Whipping Conviction

The Indiana Supreme Court has ruled that a woman did not break the law when she whipped her 11-year-old son with a belt or extension cord. In a 4-1 ruling, the court overturned the woman's conviction in the case.

Flooding in southern Indiana led to new evacuations overnight. The White River overflowed levees near the village of Maysville, which is about 15 miles east of Vincennes. About 300 people had to evacuate their homes.

Governor Mitch Daniels has asked federal agriculture officials to declare 44 Indiana counties major disaster areas because of storm damage and flooding this month. The designation would qualify farmers in those counties for emergency loans. During a news conference yesterday, the governor was asked when he’d be able to say the immediate danger from the flooding is over. "You’re not going to hear that out of us for quite some time," Daniels responded. "As long as we have high standing water, we’ve got risks." State officials say they still can't put a dollar estimate on the losses from the flood.

The water has receded in Franklin and Columbus, where rolls of soggy carpet and piles of belongings line the streets as people begin a massive clean-up. Floodwaters climbed as high as six feet inside a Johnson County office building. The water destroyed 435 computerized voting machines, which means voters in Johnson County might have to use paper ballots in November.

Gary Homicides Buck National Trend, Jump 48%

The FBI reports 71 homicides in Gary last year, an increase from 48 killings the year before. The preliminary crime report by the FBI says the homicides in Gary rose 48%, despite a 2.7% decline nationwide.

Flooding Sets New Records

The flooding across central and southern Indiana already is breaking records set almost 100 years ago. Almost a third of Indiana's 92 counties have been declared disaster areas because of the flooding. At least two people have died in the flooding. Governor Mitch Daniels says it’s too early to begin adding up the dollar amount of damage. "First concern," Daniels said, "protection of life, second, protection of property, third, sheltering and caring for people, fourth, toting up the score and do it as fast as we can." One of the areas of biggest concern this morning is the town of Elnora, about 40 miles southwest of Bloomington. National Guard troops, Marines and sailors spent yesterday sandbagging a levee that officials are afraid might fail and allow the White River to flood the town.

Little Storm Damage in Q101 Area Yesterday

Yesterday’s thunderstorms did most of their damage south of the Q101 area. In Muncie, for example, lightning started a fire that severely damaged a church that was just built last fall. Closer to home, the Churubusco Fire Department reported several trees down and the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department says several areas experienced power outages.

Souder Says Ballots Should be Printed Only in English

Third District U.S. Representative Mark Souder announced yesterday that he has cosponsored a bill that would require all ballots and balloting material used in federal elections to be printed only in English. In a news release, Souder says understanding English is fundamental to participation in our political process and, in the Congressman’s words, “if you can’t read the election ballot, how can you possibly follow the political debate?”

State Fair Presents New Smoking Guidelines

The Indiana State Fair wants to restrict smoking to about 25 areas away from main thoroughfares this year. It's a voluntary policy, but fair officials say they think it will accommodate both smokers and non-smokers.

Investigation Continues into Wabash County Shooting

The Wabash County Sheriff's Department issued a news release this afternoon in which it indicated it is still actively investigating the shooting that occurred early Friday morning June 6 in a mobile home community west of Wabash. The Sheriff's Department says shooting victim Mark Larsen remained hospitalized in Fort Wayne in "critically stable" condition. Police say they intend to release more information after they are able to interview Larsen.

Flooding in Central & Southern Indiana is Major Federal Disaster

President Bush has declared that 29 counties in central and southern Indiana are experiencing a major disaster. That makes federal government assistance available to the area, which is experiencing record flooding. Governor Mitch Daniels says the flash flood "came on fast with such a radical deluge of water that people were describing going from a feeling of security to waist-deep water in a matter or 15 or 20 minutes."

Two Indiana Department of Natural Resources workers had a close call last night when their airboat capsized in the flooded White River near Brownstown. Teams rescued them downstream near Seymour early this morning.

At last report, the flooding had killed one person. A man drowned in his vehicle about 50 miles south of Indianapolis. Another man who fell from a boat on a creek about 30 miles southwest of Indy was missing at least report.

As much as 11 inches of rain fell in the area Saturday. And the National Weather Service says a new storm system could drop from 1 to 3 inches of rain on the Hoosier state today.

In Morgan County, southwest of Indianapolis, workers removed about 150 residents from a flooded nursing home. Flood waters forced Columbus Regional Hospital to evacuate 250 patients and close.

The flooding also forced officials to close parts of Interstate 70 and Interstate 65.

Ice Cream Plant Fire Leads to Evacuation

Some residents of Huntington had to evacuate their homes over the weekend due to a fire at an ice cream factory. Officials were concerned about an ammonia leak after the fire broke out at the Good Humor-Breyer’s plant Saturday.

Controversial Proposed Assessment Rule Dropped

A state official says her agency has dropped plans to make a change in property assessment rules that critics say would shift the property tax burden from businesses to homeowners. The change was contained in a proposed manual of rules for the next statewide reassessment in 2011.

Rural Wabash Man Shot in Home

A 47-year-old man who lives in a mobile home community just west of Wabash suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen at his home early this morning. Wabash County Sheriff LeRoy Striker tells Q101 News that his officers are questioning a woman who lives with the victim.

Hear what Striker told Q101 News about the woman:

Striker says a helicopter flew the victim to a Fort Wayne hospital. He had a single wound from a 38-calibre bullet just above his naval. Striker says he expects to know later today what charges, if any, the woman will face.

Storm System Headed in from the Plains

The National Weather Service is warning of a risk of severe weather throughout the Q101 area this afternoon and this evening. Forecasters say we could see winds of up to 70 miles an hour, large hail and isolated thunderstorms. It’s all from the same storm system that clobbered the plains states yesterday with more than two dozen tornadoes. Stay tuned to Q101 for any watches or warnings that might be issued today.

State Officials Tour Tornado Damage

Governor Mitch Daniels and National Guard General Martin Umbarger toured Camp Atterbury yesterday to assess damage from storms earlier this week. A tornado hit the National Guard facility about 25 miles south of Indianapolis and did about 19 million dollars-worth of damage.

Pence Seeks Democrat AG Nomination

A lawyer from Indianapolis says she wants the democratic nomination to run for Indiana Attorney General. It’ll be up to delegates at the state Democratic convention to decide whether Linda Pence will run against Republican Greg Zoeller in November's election.

Columbia City to get New Hospital

In a little more than two years, Columbia City could have a brand new hospital. Parkview Health has announced plans to build a new Parkview Whitley Hospital at the intersection of U-S 30 and State Road 205. Parkview expects groundbreaking this fall with the new hospital opening in the fall of 2010.

Storms Continue to Strike Indiana

While residents of central Indiana dealt with Tuesday’s tornadoes, severe storms and flash flooding, even more storms moved through the state yesterday and last night. Near New Castle yesterday, a woman died after she drove her car into rising floodwaters. Tuesday’s tornado in the village of Moscow, southeast of Indianapolis, left a 66-year-old woman in critical condition after it destroyed her home and impaled her chest with a tree limb.

Warsaw Death Ruled Accidental Overdose

Warsaw Police have released the results of their investigation into the death of a 23-year-old woman March 30th. They say an accidental overdose of prescription drugs killed Khrysta Dove, who had been found unresponsive in a Warsaw apartment.

Missing Middlebury Mail to be Delivered

People in the Middlebury area will soon begin receiving mail they should have gotten weeks ago. Carriers have begun delivering 21-thousand items that officials discovered in the home of a substitute mail carrier. The sub has been arrested.

Tornadoes Strike Central, Southern Indiana

A tornado in the town of Moscow, southeast of Indianapolis last night reportedly injured several people and left others missing. Other tornadoes did significant damage in the Edinburgh area in southern Indiana. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center says all of Indiana has a slight risk of more severe weather today and tonight.

Rochester Teen Dies from Weekend Crash Injuries

Injuries from a weekend crash in Fulton County have killed 18-year-old Rochester resident Brandon Keller. He was one of five teens who were in a car that was struck by an S-U-V on State Road 19 Saturday. Two others remained in critical condition at last report.