By CAPT. JAMES L. BRADBERRY
Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department
Members of the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department’s Sheriff’s Teenage Alcohol Reduction Team were busy this weekend with multiple arrests that were made for underage drinking. Beginning on Friday, April 3 and extending into Saturday, April 4, a total of 45 minors under the age of 21 were cited and released for illegally consuming alcoholic beverages.
Beginning at 10:24 p.m. Friday, S.T.A.R. team member Patrolman Chad Hoien stopped a vehicle for a lane violation on SR 13 near SR 120. He found the occupants of the vehicle had consumed alcoholic beverages illegally as they were under the age of 21. Two juveniles were cited and released and three minors between the ages of 18 and 21 were cited and released for illegal consumption of an alcoholic beverage. The adults that were cited and released were Faron D. Fry, 18, Topeka; Steven J. Fry, 18, Topeka; and Myron D. Miller, 18, Topeka.
The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department’s S.T.A.R. team responded at 10:30 p.m. Friday, to a report of an underage drinking party at an abandoned residence located at 52186 SR 13. Once at the property, Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department S.T.A.R. team members, along with officers from the Middlebury Police Department, Bristol Police Department and the Indiana State Police found numerous people running from the front of the residence and into a wooded area. Multiple suspects who were under the age of 21 were found to have consumed alcoholic beverages.
Of those arrested, 40 minors were cited and released for illegal consumption of an alcoholic beverage. Of the 40 arrests that were made, 29 were under the age of 18 and 11 were between the ages of 18 and 20. All minors over the age of 18 were cited and released and those under the age of 18 were released to their parents.
Adults that were cited and released for illegal consumption of an alcoholic beverage included the following: Norma Beechy, 18, Shipshewana; Henry L. Mast, 19, Topeka; Eric J. Miller, 18, Topeka; Jaron A. Miller, 19, Shipshewana; Luann K. Miller, 19, Ligonier; Daryl L. Miller, 19, Goshen; Marlene K. Miller, 18, Topeka; David W. Miller, 20, LaGrange; Darrell L. Miller, 18, Goshen; Paul E. Schlabach, 19, Middlebury; and Steven R. Yoder, 18, Middlebury.
On Saturday, at 11:30 p.m. Sheriff’s S.T.A.R. team members responded to a report of several subjects who were throwing beer cans into the roadway at 11401 CR 16. Upon officers’ arrival to the home, several vehicles were found at the residence and several subjects fled from the home and into surrounding fields. Two subjects, Arlin L. Miller, 20, Goshen and Kyle G. Miller, 19, Nappanee, were cited and released for Illegal Consumption of an Alcoholic Beverage.
Elkhart County S.T.A.R. team members and officers assisting with the investigation included Detective Brandon Denesuk, Sgt. James Snyder, Patrolman Cameron McDowell, Patrolman Chad Hoien, Patrolman. Jennifer Cortez, and Patrolman Matthew Newman. The Elkhart County S.T.A.R. team is comprised of officers from the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department. Their main focus is to target and reduce underage drinking and smoking.
S.T.A.R. members continue to deter, intervene, and detect underage alcohol violations by educating the community and taking a proactive approach to deterrence and intervention when needed.