POLICE NEWS: Crash claims LaGrange man's life

Sep. 17—A LaGrange man was killed by a car as he walked along a country road southwest of LaGrange Thursday morning.

John Lehman, 82, was walking in grass along the 2700 block of South C.R. 050 West when he was struck by the car driven by Neil Peirson, Howe, around 9:40 a.m., LaGrange County police said in a news release.

Peirson told police he'd rounded a curve in the road and didn't see Lehman prior to the crash. Lehman died at the scene from his injuries, according to the release.

Police noted the position of the sun at the time may have played a role in the incident. The release also shows Peirson told investigators he had worked about 18 hours before the crash. Blood tests showed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time, police said.

FIREARM POINTED

A 23-year-old man reported to Goshen police a person pointed a gun at him for an unknown reason in the 700 block of Reliance Road around 11:10 a.m. Thursday.

BURGLARY

Joseph Stroud, Bristol, reported to Elkhart County police Wednesday tools, a riding lawn mower and prescription medications were stolen during a burglary to his home, 16311 C.R. 108, on Sept. 3. Stroud told police he was able to recover the lawn mower and some tools.

Police then found stolen road signs next to the house at that address around 5 p.m. Thursday.

THEFT

James Cripe reported to Elkhart County police a handgun was missing from a safe at a home, 71525 C.R. 25, near New Paris on Thursday. Cripe told police he'd seen the gun in the safe between September 2019 and Tuesday.

Police noted Charles Cripe, 32, New Paris, had the gun when he was arrested and jailed Sept. 11. Charles Cripe has been charged with two counts of resisting law enforcement and being a felon in possession of a handgun.

ARREST

Goshen police arrested a 15-year-old girl on a charge of disorderly conduct at Goshen High School, 401 Lincolnway East, around 12:10 p.m. Thursday. The girl was taken to a local hospital for an unrelated issue, police said in a report, and the charge was filed with the Elkhart County Prosecutor's Office.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

Luke Ketelhut, Goshen, reported to Goshen police an object was thrown at his vehicle, damaging it, at 102 Indiana Ave. around 5 p.m. Thursday.

FRAUD

—Rhonda LeCount, Goshen, reported to Goshen police she was scammed by a person posing as an IT expert around 4:45 p.m. Thursday.

—Staff at TG Music reported to Goshen police several fraudulent transactions at the store, 123 S. Main St., around 9:50 a.m. Thursday.

ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE

Jeremy Nettrouer, 34, Shipshewana, was deemed absent without leave after staff at the Elkhart County Work Release Center in Goshen reported to Elkhart County police he failed to return to custody around 1:20 a.m. Tuesday.