POLICE NEWS: Arson arrest made in grocery store fire

Sep. 23--An Elkhart man faces accusations he started a fire at a store in Elkhart last month.

Bruce Collins, 51, homeless, was arrested by Elkhart police and jailed on a charge of arson Sunday.

The case stemmed from a fire at Cueramaro Supermarket, 317 W. Lusher Ave., on the night of Aug. 9, Elkhart police said in a news release.

An investigation by the police and fire departments found the fire was intentionally set, and Collins was identified as the suspect, police said.

ARRESTS

--Brandon Beckwith, 28, Goshen, was arrested by Goshen police and jailed on charges of domestic battery and criminal confinement after police responded to an incident in the 1900 block of Russett Avenue around 5:15 p.m. Sunday.

--Michael Welch, 41, 317 Huron St., Goshen, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on a charge of failing to update the address on his driver's license as a sexually violent predator around 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

--Erik Gutierrez, 26, 502 Alfalfa St., Goshen, was arrested by Goshen police on charges of leaving the scene of a crash and driving without a license after police responded to a crash at 1811 Elkhart Road around 8 a.m. Sunday.

Police said Gutierrez's vehicle was tracked from the scene to his home. Following his arrest, Gutierrez was released at the scene with a citation to appear in court.

--Dillon Scholl, 57632 C.R. 107, Elkhart, was arrested by Goshen police on charges of driving without a license and false informing following a traffic stop at Third and Washington streets around 6 a.m. Sunday.

Scholl was released at the scene with a citation to appear in court.

--William Spore, 37, Benton Harbor, Michigan, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana following a traffic stop at C.R. 25 and C.R. 48 near New Paris around 2 a.m. Sunday.

A passenger in the vehicle Spore was driving, Matthew Manges, 33, 308 W. Boston St., Syracuse, was also arrested and jailed on a charge of possession of methamphetamine.

--Garett Weber, 39, 19207 C.R. 16, Bristol, was arrested by Bristol and police and jailed on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop on C.R. 16 near C.R. 21 after 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

--Austin Roose, 22, 830 Walden Lane, Goshen, was arrested by Elkhart police and jailed on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated following a traffic stop at Leininger and Oakland avenues around 4:50 p.m. Saturday.

--Jose Garza, Millersburg, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on charges of battery, strangulation and criminal confinement after police responded to an incident at a home in the 300 block of Cook Street around 3 p.m. Saturday.

--Mark Nissley, 22, Wolcottville, was arrested by LaGrange County police and jailed on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated following a traffic stop on Ind. 9 at C.R. 8200 North around 1 a.m. Saturday.

--Sheila Friesner, 42, South Bend, was arrested by Bristol police and jailed on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated following a traffic stop at Ind. 15 and C.R. 14 around 11:40 p.m. Friday.

--Tylor Beard, 23, 20704 C.R. 8, Bristol, was arrested by Elkhart police and jailed on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and carrying a concealed handgun without a license following a traffic stop at Sterling Avenue and Lusher Street around 9:10 p.m. Friday.

--Matthew Rhodes, 12811 C.R. 34, Goshen, was arrested by Elkhart police and jailed on a charge possession of a handgun as a felon following a traffic stop on Cassopolis Street near Roseland Road around 10:30 p.m. Thursday.

Rhodes was a passenger in the vehicle that was stopped.

The driver, Dustin Murray, 28, Elkhart, was also arrested and jailed on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of a handgun without a license.

CRIMINAL RECKLESSNESS

Goshen police responded to the sound of gunfire in the area of Old C.R. 17 south of C.R. 28 around 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Bullet shell casings were found and collected on Old C.R. 17 near Brookside Manor.

No injuries or damages were reported, police said in a report.

COUNTERFEITING

Staff at McDonald's reported to Goshen police a counterfeit bill was used at the restaurant, 2001 Lincolnway East, around 2 a.m. Monday.

BURGLARIES

--Staff at Grace Community Church reported to Elkhart County police an attempted break-in of the church, 20076 C.R. 36, in Goshen around 5:45 p.m. Sunday.

--Michaelah Elder, Goshen, reported to Goshen police a burglary to her home in the 1000 block of South Seventh Street around 12:20 p.m. Sunday.

--Ronda Stroud, Goshen, reported to Goshen police a burglary to her home in the 400 block of North Eighth Street around noon Sunday.

--Thomas Ryan, Bristol, reported to Elkhart County police leaf blowers were stolen after a shed was broken into on property along the 54000 block of Eastview Drive sometime between Friday evening and Saturday morning.

--Melissa Webb, Goshen, reported to Elkhart County police a 2008 Harley Davidson motorcycle and motorcycle parts were stolen after her garage was broken into in the 18000 block of C.R. 40 Friday.

THEFTS

--Traylnn Nolen, Goshen, reported to Goshen police a bicycle was stolen from Brookside Manor, 61108 C.R. 17, around 10:50 a.m. Sunday.

--KC McClain reported to Elkhart County police Sunday a 1991 Yamaha Raz scooter was stolen from the Elkhart County Work Release center, 201 N. Cottage Ave., in Goshen sometime between Sept. 17 and Sept. 18.

--Stephen Franks reported to Elkhart County police Friday painting tools were stolen from a home at Timberbrook mobile home community, 54686 C.R. 19, in Bristol sometime between Aug. 16 and Sept. 9.

CRASH

Three people were injured and a man was cited as a result of a two-vehicle crash in Goshen.

A van driven by Francisco Torres Tijerino, Bristol, struck a car driven by Micah Ross, Middlebury, as Ross turned left from Elkhart Road onto Ferndale Road around 9:20 a.m. Saturday, Goshen police said in a report.

Torres Tijerino and Ross did not report any injuries. But a passenger in Ross' car, Breanna Strand, Goshen, was treated for chest pain, according to the report.

Two people in Torres Tijerino's van, Maria Orduno, Bristol, and Karina Ramirez, Bristol, were also treated for pains.

Police cited Torres Tijerino for driving without a license and for driving without insurance.

HIT-AND-RUN

Victoria Shorter reported to Elkhart County police the vehicle she was driving was struck by a tractor-trailer at U.S. 20 and Ind. 15 near Goshen around 2:20 p.m. Friday.

The driver of the tractor-trailer left the scene without stopping, according to a police report.

RECKLESS DRIVING

--Elkhart County police began an investigation Sunday into accusations a vehicle driven by a 17-year-old girl passed a Middlebury Community Schools bus while the bus was stopped with its stop sign extended on Hidden Meadow trail near C.R. 18 west of Middlebury on Sept. 13.

--Elkhart County police began an investigation Sunday into accusations a vehicle drove past a Middlebury Community Schools bus while the bus was stopped with its stop arm extended on U.S. 20 near Jefferson Parkway on Sept. 11.

--Elkhart County police began an investigation Friday into accusations a vehicle drove past a school bus while the bus was stopped with its stop sign extended on C.R. 17 near Hanover Drive in Elkhart on Sept. 16.

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