POLICE NEWS: Driver charged in OWI fatality
Apr. 1—A Goshen man faces charges he had a drug in his system during a crash in Elkhart last year that led to the deaths of two people.
Patrick Roske, 21, is charged with two Level 4 felony counts of causing death when operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in his system and misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia in a case filed Thursday.
Roske, while driving a Jeep, pulled out of a Phillips 66 gas station and in front of a motorcycle on Cassopolis Street on Nov. 5, Elkhart police said in a probable cause affidavit.
The motorcycle's driver, Justin Walker, was unable to stop and crashed, throwing both Walker and his passenger, Courtney Short. The two later died from their injuries at Elkhart General Hospital, police said in the affidavit.
During the investigation into the crash, police said a blood test found Roske had THC from marijuana and a metabolite in his system. Marijuana and drug paraphernalia were also found in his Jeep, the affidavit shows.
Police also noted a crash scene reconstruction determined Walker was not speeding at the time of the crash, according to the affidavit.
The case was filed in Elkhart County Circuit Court.
MAN INJURED SELF BY TRAIN
One man was injured while trying to "smack" a moving train in Goshen Wednesday.
Goshen police responded to the railroad tracks along the 400 block of North First Street where a 47-year-old man from Elkhart was found bleeding from the hand around 6 p.m. Police described the injury as a severe laceration to his wrist.
The man, according to a report, told police he tried to strike a train as it rolled by.
The man was taken to Memorial Hospital in South Bend to receive medical treatment, police said. His name was not released.
DRINKING AT SCHOOL
Elkhart County police reported 13-year-old juvenile was found to be drinking alcohol at Fairfield Junior-Senior High School, 67530 U.S. 33, around 9:40 a.m. Monday.
No other information was released in the report.
BATTERY
Andrew Vanhorn, Goshen, reported to Goshen police he was battered while walking past a person in the 600 block of North Seventh Street around 8:15 p.m. Wednesday. Vanhorn was not injured.
SEXUAL BATTERY
A sexual battery case was reported at the Elkhart County Jail, 26861 C.R. 26, around 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, Elkhart County police said in a report.
ARRESTS
—Kyla White, 19, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, was arrested by Goshen police on a charge of theft at Walmart, 2304 Lincolnway East, around 7:15 p.m. Wednesday. White was released at the scene with a citation to appear in court.
—Jenna Butterfield, 19, 17685 C.R. 20, Goshen, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated following a traffic stop at Dundee Court and St. Mary's Lane around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.
THEFTS
—Staff at Lowe's Home Improvement reported to Goshen police a theft from the store, 2219 Rieth Blvd., around 2:25 p.m. Wednesday.
—Nirmaljit Singh, Goshen, reported to Elkhart County police a passport was stolen sometime between March 23 and 4 p.m. Tuesday.
—Dough Thwaits reported to Elkhart County police items were stolen from a home, 70946 C.R. 33, in Syracuse sometime between March 27 and 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
FRAUD
Kaleigh Estrup, Bristol, reported to Elkhart County police a case of fraud that occurred sometime between March 25 and March 26.
