www.monroenews.com stories: Police and Fire

Father of man killed after stabbing police dog also charged

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 17:00:00 -0500

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The father of a man fatally shot by police after stabbing a police dog has been jailed on charges he assaulted another officer in the confrontation at a busway in the Pittsburgh suburbs.

Bruce Kelley Sr., 60, was jailed Monday after his arraignment on aggravated assault, prohibited offensive weapons, obstructing police and other charges.

Port Authority of Allegheny County police contend Kelley and his son, Bruce Jr., 37, were drinking alcohol in a busway gazebo in Wilkinsburg before they fought with officers, who sent a K-9 after the younger man.

Police shot and killed Bruce Kelley Jr. after he fatally stabbed the dog, Aren, a 5-year-old German shepherd with four years on the transit police force, Sunday afternoon.

County police were investigating the incident Monday, and the district attorney eventually will review the matter to determine if the force used was justified. The officers have been placed on paid leave pending that investigation and an internal review.

Online court records don't list an attorney for Bruce Kelley Sr., who remained jailed, unable to post $300,000 bail.

Kelley faces a preliminary hearing Feb. 11. His criminal complaint doesn't describe the death of his son or the K-9, though it does describe how the police encounter with the Kelleys began. Other details were spelled out by county police Supt. Charles Moffatt and Port Authority police Chief Matthew Porter at a Sunday news conference.

Two officers were walking along a busway trail when they saw the Kelleys drinking unspecified alcoholic beverages from open containers, authorities said.

According to the complaint, Kelley Jr. attempted to walk away then cursed when the officers told him to stop, instead rushing one of the officers, identified only as Officer Adams. Kelley Jr. fought with that officer, who was later taken to a hospital with cuts to his hands, according to transit spokesman Jim Ritchie.

When Officer Emily Hampy tried to help subdue Kelley Jr., the younger man called for his father for help.

That's when Kelley Sr. allegedly punched Hampy in the right side of her face, then fought with her, knocking loose her radio and nametag, the complaint said.

Kelley Sr. was charged with possessing brass knuckles, but the complaint doesn't specify whether he used them to strike the female officer.

Hampy used pepper spray to subdue Kelley Sr. then tried to help the other officer subdue Kelley Jr., the complaint said.

At one point, Kelley Sr. got back up and was pepper sprayed again, at which point his son fled.

The complaint doesn't say what happened next to the younger man, but Moffatt and Porter said that's when police pursued Kelley Jr., and several officers caught up to him a short time later. Knowing he had a knife, they tried to subdue him with a Taser, which didn't work because of the suspect's heavy coat.

The officers then sent the dog toward Kelley Jr., who fatally stabbed the animal; Kelley Jr. was shot in the process.

Authorities didn't immediately say how many officers fired at the suspect, or how many shots they fired. Results of an autopsy Monday weren't immediately available.

The dog's death was the second fatal K-9 stabbing in the county in two years.

Pittsburgh police K-9 Rocco died Jan. 30, 2014, days after being stabbed by burglary suspect John Rush. Rush has been convicted and sentenced to serve more than 17 years in prison for killing the dog, wounding two police officers and violating his probation on earlier cases. Rocco's death also prompted state lawmakers to stiffen the maximum sentence for killing a police animal from seven to 10 years.

Various organizations have since raised money to outfit Pittsburgh-area police K-9s with protective vests. K-9 Aren wasn't wearing such a vest.

Police say Chicago homicides climbed dramatically in January

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 16:00:00 -0500

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago police are reporting a dramatic spike in the number of homicides and shootings in the city's bloodiest January for at least 16 years. It's another blow to a department that has struggled to regain public trust following the damning release of a video showing a white officer fatally shooting a black teenager.

In statistics released Monday, the Chicago Police Department reported there were 51 homicides last month compared to 29 in January of last year. Also, the number of shooting incidents and total shooting victims more than doubled; there 242 shooting incidents compared to 119 such incidents recorded in January 2015, and 292 shooting victims including the 51 who died, compared to 136 in the same month last year.

Chicago has been a national symbol of gun violence since at least 2012, when the number of homicides climbed past the 500 mark, far higher than any other U.S. city. With the department initiating a number of crime-fighting measures and spending millions of dollars on police overtime, the city saw the total fall closer to 400 than 500 in each of the next two years, and 2014 ended with the fewest homicides in decades. But last year the number of homicides and shooting incidents rose yet again, and the bloodshed has continued this year.

There has also been growing concern that the rising crime rate in Chicago, and around the country, can be linked to less aggressive policing in the wake of high-profile officer shootings, some of which were caught on camera and inflamed public outrage.

Last fall, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said he believed that some officers had gone "fetal" out of fear that scrutiny of their actions would land them in serious trouble, pointing out that that highly charged incidents such as the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody in Baltimore had made officers more tentative.

In November, Chicago was forced to deal with one of the biggest crises in the police department's history and of Emanuel's political career sparked by the release of a video showing a white officer shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times. Officer Jason Van Dyke has since been charged with murder in the incident, Superintendent Garry McCarthy has been fired and the U.S. Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into the department.

But whether the release of the video has contributed to the dramatic increase in homicides and shooting incidents in January remains unclear.

Mom says slain Virginia teen endured health issues, bullying

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 12:00:00 -0500

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A Virginia teenager whose body was found over the weekend overcame serious health problems as a young girl and was then bullied at her school and online before her death, her mother said.

Virginia Tech student David Eisenhauer, 18, has been charged with first-degree murder and abduction in the death of 13-year-old Nicole Madison Lovell, whose body was found Saturday in North Carolina, police said. Another Virginia Tech student, Natalie Keepers, 19, faces charges of improper disposal of a body and accessory after the fact in the commission of a felony.

Nicole's mother, Tammy Weeks, told The Roanoke Times (http://bit.ly/1UCSZzT) that her daughter survived a liver transplant, MRSA and lymphoma when she was 5.

"God got her through all that, and she fought through all that, and he took her life," Weeks said.

Nicole didn't like going to school because girls called her fat and talked about the scars from her transplant, Weeks said. Lovell often cried to stay home from school, her mother said.

"It got so bad I wouldn't send her," Weeks said, but the bullying continued on social media.

Lovell loved pandas and wanted to be on "American Idol" when she got older, Weeks said.

Davy Draper, who said he's a close family friend of the Lovells and knew the teen most of her life, called her an energetic and outspoken girl who got along with everyone.

"She was an awesome little girl. She was an angel here on Earth, and she's an angel now," Draper said Sunday.

Eisenhauer and Keepers were being held without bond at the Montgomery County Jail. Eisenhauer was due in Montgomery County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on Monday morning, but Keepers' first appearance had not been scheduled.

Police said they have evidence showing Eisenhauer and Lovell knew each other before she disappeared.

"Eisenhauer used this relationship to his advantage to abduct the 13-year-old and then kill her. Keepers helped Eisenhauer dispose of Nicole's body," Blacksburg police said in a statement. But police haven't commented further on any possible motive.

A state police search and recovery team searched a pond Sunday on the Virginia Tech Campus. State police spokeswoman Corinne Geller would not say what officials were trying to find.

Authorities said they located Lovell's remains in Surry County, North Carolina, just over the Virginia border.

Blacksburg police Chief Anthony Wilson told The Roanoke Times that Eisenhauer has not confessed to involvement in Lovell's death and did not give police information that led to the discovery of her body.

The girl had been missing since last week. Her family says she disappeared after pushing a dresser in front of her bedroom door and climbing out a window. Lovell's family members did not immediately return messages seeking comment Sunday.

Eisenhauer was as a standout track and field athlete in high school, who was named Boys Indoor Track Performer of the Year by The Baltimore Sun in March. The Sun said Eisenhauer had moved to Columbia from Yakima, Washington, for his junior year and quickly became a star on the East Coast. His coach told the newspaper that Eisenhauer was "the best-kept secret in Maryland."

Virginia Tech said on its website that Eisenhauer was a freshman engineering major at the school and that hundreds of students and researchers had assisted in the search for Lovell. The school said in a statement Saturday that he has been suspended from the university.

A number listed for Eisenhauer's parents was busy Sunday. A message left at Keepers' home in Laurel, Maryland, was not immediately returned. Officials at the county jail where the two are being held would not say whether either suspect has a lawyer.

Slain Virginia teen mourned as investigation continues

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 08:00:00 -0500

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A 13-year-old girl who police say was abducted and killed by a Virginia Tech student is being remembered by friends as an "angel" on Earth as investigators work to piece together the final moments of the teen's life.

David Eisenhauer, 18, has been charged with first-degree murder and abduction in the death of Nicole Madison Lovell, whose body was found Saturday in North Carolina, police said. Another Virginia Tech student, Natalie Keepers, 19, faces charges of improper disposal of a body and accessory after the fact in the commission of a felony.

Davy Draper, who said he's a close family friend of the Lovells and knew the teen most of her life, called her an energetic and outspoken girl who got along with everyone.

"She was an awesome little girl. She was an angel here on Earth and she's an angel now," Draper said Sunday.

Eisenhauer and Keepers were being held without bond at the Montgomery County Jail. A Blacksburg police spokesman said officials did not yet know when the two suspects would make their first court appearances.

Police said they have evidence showing Eisenhauer and Lovell knew each other before she disappeared.

"Eisenhauer used this relationship to his advantage to abduct the 13-year-old and then kill her. Keepers helped Eisenhauer dispose of Nicole's body," Blacksburg police said in a statement.

The investigation continued as a state police search and recovery team searched a pond Sunday on the Virginia Tech Campus. Police Spokeswoman Corrinne Geller would not say what officials were trying to find.

Authorities located Lovell's remains in Surry County, North Carolina, just over the Virginia border.

Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson told The Roanoke Times that Eisenhauer has not confessed to involvement in Lovell's death and did not give police information that led to the discovery of her body.

Arson suspect arrested

Ray Kisonas — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 15:31:23 -0500

Ray Kisonas

Police on Friday arrested a person in connection with an arson fire on W. Willow St. in Monroe.

The male suspect, 25, was seen leaving the duplex shortly after the fire was discovered. Although no one was injured, a husky puppy died as a result of the fire.

Monroe police reported that crews responded to the duplex in the 200 block of W. Willow St. shortly after 5 p.m. A fire was discovered inside one of the apartments and it was extinguished by members of the Monroe Fire Department, the Monroe Public Safety Department and the Frenchtown Township Fire Department. Damage to the upper apartment was considered extensive.

Police said a suspect was seen leaving the apartment minutes before the fire was located. The apartment where the fire ignited was unoccupied at the time except for the puppy, which perished. The adjoining apartment was occupied by a woman and her two children, who were able to safely exit the dwelling.

The suspect who left the residence prior to the fire was later located by members of the Monroe Police Vice Unit and arrested. The suspect was lodged in the county jail on charges of home invasion.

Additional charges are expected as the investigation will continue by the Monroe Police Detective Bureau and Arson Investigation Team.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call Detective Bryan Gee at (734) 243-7526 or Detective Sgt. Derek Lindsay at (734) 243-7518.

Carleton man arrested in wife's death

Ray Kisonas — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 13:30:40 -0500

Ray Kisonas

A 67-year-old Carleton man is in custody on charges that he failed to care for his wife properly, which eventually resulted in her death in what investigators describe as a horrifying case of neglect.

Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Michael Peterson of the Monroe post reported the woman, 61, died in June of complications associated with a large abscess. The abscess was on her abdomen and was filled with live maggots.

“It’s a horrific case,” Sgt. Peterson said. “It’s pretty horrifying.”

The man’s identity is being withheld until his arraignment in First District Court on Monday. Sgt. Peterson said the couple had been married for “decades” and they have adult children.

The woman, who was described as obese, developed an infection, which led to a severe sore on her abdomen. On June 6, the husband took his unconscious wife to the emergency room at ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital. She eventually died from complications associated with the abscess and infection.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and determined that the woman’s death was caused by “gross neglect” and ruled the manner of death as a homicide. Sgt. Peterson then began an investigation that lasted for months.

This week the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office issued a warrant charging the man with homicide-involuntary manslaughter. Today the man was arrested without incident at a friend’s residence and lodged in the county jail.

Sgt. Peterson said the man was the main caretaker care of his wife for many years. Various officials and organizations had offered to assist in the case, but he reportedly declined.

The woman suffered from various medical issues for years and spent time in a nursing home, police said. She apparently was confined to the couple’s home at the Carleton Mobile Home Park.

Carleton police Chief Roy Johnson said officials were called to the couple’s home on several occasions over the years for medical emergencies and also to help the woman when she fell and could not get back up.

Sgt. Peterson said he does not expect any other criminal charges to be filed at this point.

Ohio man charged with human trafficking

Ray Kisonas — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 12:00:00 -0500

Ray Kisonas

An Ohio man accused of trying to have a sexual encounter with a 12-year-old girl is believed to be the first person in Monroe County charged under the human trafficking laws.

Aaron Kowalski, 38, of Perrysburg, Ohio, was arraigned Wednesday on a charge of human trafficking of a minor for commercial sexual activity. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

First District Judge Jarod M. Calkins set bond at $500,000 and Mr. Kowalski was remanded to the county jail. Monroe County Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer L. Ewen asked for the high bond based on the accusation that the defendant was pursuing a young girl to have sexual relations with while she was unconscious.

“It’s just lucky that law enforcement was able to intercept him,” Ms. Ewen said in court.

Lt. Marc Moore of the Monroe Area Narcotics Team and Investigative Services (MANTIS), said undercover police arrested Mr. Kowalski Monday at an Erie Township motel. He said the defendant approached a prostitute and asked her to arrange a tryst with a 12-year-old girl, who would then be drugged and knocked unconscious so he could have his way with her.

Instead the prostitute contacted police. Lt. Moore said she cooperated with investigators and acted as the liaison. When they met earlier this week at the motel, police took Mr. Kowalski into custody.

During his arraignment, Monroe attorney J. Henry Lievens while asking for a lower bond, said his client has a good job, has lived in the vicinity his entire life and does not have a criminal history.

“He’s never had anything as much as a parking ticket,” Mr. Lievens said.

The judge, however, sided with the prosecution and issued the high bond after determining that Mr. Kowalski is a flight risk.

Monroe County Prosecutor William Paul Nichols said Mr. Kowalski is the first person in Monroe County to be charged under the expanded human trafficking laws that were enacted in 2015. Even though a victim did not exist in this case, Mr. Nichols said the suspect intended to have an illegal sexual contact with a minor, which is included in the charge’s description.

Lt. Moore said the Perrysburg Police Department is also part of the investigation and additional charges against Mr. Kowalski could be forthcoming from Ohio.

Mr. Kowalski is due in court for a preliminary examination Feb. 11 before Judge Terrence P. Bronson.

Man gets minimum 30 years in burglary, shooting

Ray Kisonas — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 08:00:00 -0500

Ray Kisonas

A man was sentenced to serve 30 to 80 years in prison after he was convicted of breaking into a Monroe house and shooting a man during a robbery last year.

Dontreau Robinson, 21, was sentenced by a Monroe judge after a jury convicted the suspect on charges of assault with intent to murder, armed robbery and home invasion. The crime occurred Jan. 9, 2015, at a house in the 600 block of W. Fifth St.

Monroe County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Michael G. Roehrig said the intended target was not home and a man was shot twice when he checked on noises coming from downstairs. The victim, whose wife also was terrorized in the ordeal, survived the injuries.

“This was a normal family with two little girls,” Mr. Roehrig said.

Mr. Robinson used to live in the first-floor apartment of the house with the victim’s brother. On the night of the burglary, three men entered the home and the victim came downstairs to investigate. He immediately was shot in the side and arm.

Mr. Roehrig said the injured victim, who recognized Mr. Robinson as his brother’s former roommate, and his wife were duct-taped and held hostage for at least a short while as the suspects searched for a safe to steal money. At one point, the injured man ran for help to a neighbor while his wife headed upstairs to protect the girls.

Mr. Roehrig said a jury needed only three hours to convict Mr. Robinson of the felony crimes. Monroe County Circuit Judge Daniel S. White sentenced the defendant last week. Monroe Police investigated the case, which remains active because the two others who broke into the house remain at large.

Attorney James Davies, who defended Mr. Robinson, said the trail was a difficult one. He claimed Mr. Robinson has an alibi but the witnesses could not be located.

“None of the witnesses showed up and none of them would return phone calls,” Mr. Davies said.

Mr. Robinson testified in his own defense and denied involvement but the jury convicted him nonetheless.

Authorities struggling to piece together daring jail escape

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 12:00:00 -0500

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES (AP) - It was a daring and elaborate escape: cutting through metal, crawling through plumbing tunnels, climbing a roof, rappelling four stories to freedom using ropes made from bedsheets.

But this wasn't a Hollywood movie; it was a real-life breakout that left authorities struggling to find three escapees one a suspected killer and put together the pieces of how they managed to escape a Southern California maximum-security jail.

The priority was finding the men who are possibly armed and considered dangerous but a probe also is underway to see whether the men had any help from inside or outside the Orange County Men's Central Jail, authorities said Sunday.

Jonathan Tieu, 20, Bac Duong, 43, and Hossein Nayeri, 37, were all awaiting trial for violent crimes but their cases were unconnected. They vanished from a dormitory they shared with around 65 other men on Friday shortly after the 5 a.m. inmate head count, county sheriff's officials said.

Somehow, the men obtained tools that allowed them to cut through the quarter-inch-thick grill on a dormitory wall, then got into plumbing tunnels. Cutting their way through additional half-inch-thick steel bars, the trio made their way to an unguarded area of the roof of the four-story building, where they apparently moved aside some razor wire and rappelled to the ground using elaborately braided ropes made from linens, authorities said.

The escape wasn't noticed for 16 hours, until a nighttime head count that was delayed about an hour because of a fight involving some other inmates that may or may not have been part of the escape plan.

Clearly, the plan had been long in the making and carefully thought out, sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock said.

"We're talking about breaching, in some places, significant amounts of steel, rebar and metal," Hallock said.

As federal and local authorities staged a round-the-clock manhunt, there remained a lot of questions about the escape itself. How did the men get the cutting tools? When did they make the rope and where did they stash it? How did they know the jail layout so well? Did they have outside help, maybe a car waiting after they ran off on foot in their orange jail jumpsuits?

And perhaps most important: did other inmates or jail employees help them?

"We're going to take a look at everybody who may have been assigned there," Hallock said. "What I can assure you is that the compromises in security have been shored up."

He didn't provide details.

"Escapes do occur from time to time," Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said. "We try and limit that. We learn from the mistakes. I can tell you that this is a very sophisticated-looking operation. People in jail have a lot of time to sit around and think about ways to defeat our systems."

There had been two previous escapes from the jail but they were decades ago. In fact, nobody had managed it in more than 20 years.

But the aging jail, built in 1968 and housing some 900 men, does have some vulnerabilities. Its design allows inmates to move through different areas more easily than more modern jails.

And inmates do move, which makes it difficult to get daytime head counts.

"We have people going to court, we have people going for medical treatment, and you can't leave them locked down 24 hours a day. There are requirements that they get out and exercise from time to time," Hutchens said.

The inmates include 20-year-old Jonathan Tieu, who had been held on a $1 million bond since October 2013 on charges of murder, attempted murder and shooting at an inhabited dwelling. His case is believed to be gang-related.

On Sunday, his mother and sister said they hadn't heard from him and tearfully pleaded for him to surrender.

"I miss you... I want my son back," his mother, Lu Ann Nguyen of Santa Ana, told KABC-TV.

"I for sure know he wasn't the one who orchestrated this. I feel he was manipulated or tricked into doing this," said his sister, Tiffany Tieu.

"Just turn in yourself in. Don't let (it) drag on," she said.

Hossein Nayeri, 37, had been held without bond since September 2014 on charges of kidnapping, torture, aggravated mayhem and burglary. Nayeri and three other men are accused of kidnapping a California marijuana dispensary owner in 2012. They drove the dispensary owner to a desert spot where they believed he had hidden money and then cut off his penis, authorities said.

After the crime, Nayeri fled the U.S. to his native Iran, where he remained for several months. He was arrested in Prague in November 2014 while changing flights from Iran to Spain to visit family.

The third escaped inmate, 43-year-old Bac Duong, was being held without bond since last month on charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and other charges.

While the Mexican border is only a couple of hours south of the prison, authorities said they had no evidence that the men had left the country. Their alleged victims, as well as prosecutors and detectives involved in their cases, have been warned and investigators also are reaching out to their family and acquaintances.

Federal authorities are offering $50,000 in rewards for information leading to their recapture.

"There's people out there that know who these people are, who may have seen them. We're asking for phone calls, whether it's any piece of information you may have," Hallock said.

"We're exhausting every lead that we currently have," he said.

Associated Press writer Robert Jablon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Inmates rappelled from roof to escape California jail

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 11:30:00 -0500

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities are continuing to search for three inmates who escaped from a Southern California maximum-security jail by cutting through half-inch steel bars and rappelling from the roof by a makeshift rope.

"It was very well-thought-out and planned," Orange County sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock said Saturday at a news conference.

The inmates — one of whom is an alleged killer — were last seen at 5 a.m. Friday at the Orange County Central Men's Jail in Santa Ana, about 40 miles southeast of Los Angeles. They could have escaped any time between then and late Friday night.

"The inmates cut through half-inch steel bars to facilitate their escape," Hallock said.

They also cut through plumbing tunnels and finally made it to an unguarded area of the roof where they were able to rappel to the ground using some kind of makeshift rope, Hallock said.

They were last seen wearing orange jail jumpsuits, he said.

The inmates were seen at a 5 a.m. inmate count and were discovered missing at the 8 p.m. count, Hallock said.

Before the nighttime count, there was some kind of disturbance at the jail that may have been part of the escape plan, Hallock said.

It slightly delayed the discovery that the men were missing, he said.

Some "small pieces of evidence" have been collected and investigators will be looking at surveillance camera footage, Hallock said.

Earlier, Hallock said it was the first escape from the 900-inmate facility in 20 years.

Investigators were working around the clock with other county agencies, the FBI and U.S. marshals, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said in a statement.

"I am confident that this collaborative effort will result in returning these inmates to where they belong- behind bars," she said.

After the crime, Nayeri fled the U.S. to his native Iran, where he remained for several months. He was arrested in Prague in November 2014 while changing flights from Iran to Spain to visit family.

The third escaped inmate, 43-year-old Bac Duong, was being held without bond since last month on charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm and other charges.

It was unclear whether the men were armed but they should be considered very dangerous, Hallock said.

"I think the public should expect the worst if they're encountering them and call 911 and allow the professionals to respond," Hallock said.

Suspect in Northtowne robbery arrested

Thu, 21 Jan 2016 08:03:04 -0500

A suspect was arrested Wednesday in connection with an armed robbery and home invasion that occurred Friday within the Northtowne Meadows Mobile Home Community, 6255 S. Telegraph Rd., in Bedford Township, Monroe County Sheriff Dale Malone said.

A 15-year-old girl, who was not the intended target, was robbed at gunpoint.

The suspect, the name of whom is being withheld pending arraignment in first district court, was arrested based on a felony warrant for another robbery and home invasion he is suspected of committing at the same home with similar circumstances.

That incident occurred in December but went unreported until this recent investigation.

Detectives believe both robberies are connected.

Detectives are continuing investigations into both robberies and home invasions.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau at (734) 240-7530.

Southbound I-75 at Summit St. reopened after crash

Monroe News Staff — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 10:40:24 -0500

Monroe News Staff

UPDATE: MDOT reported at 10:50 a.m. that the accident scene was cleared.

PREVIOUS REPORT:

All southbound lanes of I-75 near Summit St., Exit 2, were reported blocked because of a crash around 10:30 a.m. today (Jan. 20), according to a Michigan Department of Transportation message.

Additional details about the accident are not yet available.

MDOT traffic reports for Monroe County can be found at:

MDOT’s MIDrive site

MDOT Ann Arbor twitter

City eyeing August vote on fire millage

Dean Cousino — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 08:00:00 -0500

Dean Cousino

The Monroe City Council is eyeing the August primary election to hold another vote on a property tax hike to build a new Central Fire Station.

At a half-hour work session Tuesday night, the council agreed that the Aug. 2 primary would be the best date for seeking a millage request. Last fall, voters turned down a 20-year, .5-mill request by a mere six votes.

“We need to get six more votes,” Fire Chief Rob Wight told the council. “May is too early. There would be a good turnout (compared) to a May election.”

The council took no formal vote on the referendum. The city needed a good information program to educate voters about the proposal, Chief Wight and others on the council and city staff agreed.

“Sending a clear message is very important,” noted Jody Egen, the city’s new director of communications. “We need a good marketing campaign to start months in advance and show the value of the fire house to the community.”

Councilman John Iacoangeli said the ballot proposal that lost 1,212-1,206 in the fall was “very complicated” and had “too much information” in it.

“We need to clarify the issues in that building and how much money we’re investing” into a new facility, he said. “If we wait until August, we’ll have (more time) to get better information in place.”

Chief Wight said after talking with voters about what went wrong last fall, he learned the city needed to improve on two areas in the next effort to pass a millage. The first was to pick a location for the new fire station. The second area was to explain the costs better.

Although the city expects to spend an estimated $6.2 million on a new station, not all of that would go for construction, he said. Actual construction would cost about $4 million, with money also needed to pay for acquiring property, hiring an architectural firm and covering any construction oversight. About $100,000 is needed for housing firefighters in temporary quarters since the old station on Macomb St. would have to be razed, the chief said.

“Monroe Township built their station for $3.5 million,” he said.

A design of the new facility and how many floors are needed also would be helpful to voters. The new building could be anywhere from 18,000 to 24,000 square feet. The current fire hall is about 16,000 square feet, he said. The council and fire department also must decide how many floors are needed.

Mr. Iacoangeli said a better design was needed to garner support from voters. He said the design that was proposed last fall was too bland and made the building look like a “Walmart.”

“This fire house should be built as a legacy project for the community,” he said.

City Clerk-Treasurer Michelle LaVoy said if the election is held in August, the city would need to submit wording of the proposal by May 10.

“Is that sufficient time for the administration to put something forward?” Mayor Robert E. Clark asked.

Several council members replied yes. City Manager George A. Brown said that architectural drawings from Redstone Architectural could probably be submitted by the council’s next meeting Feb. 1. Redstone came up with the initial design last fall.

The city also should have a clear link on its Web site for voters to find more information about the project, Chief Wight said.

When someone suggested that perhaps the city wait until the presidential election in November, Mr. Iacoangeli responded by saying that might not be a good time to pass a millage.

“I don’t know yet if that’s going to be a happy election,” he said.

AMBER alert cancelled, Saginaw girl found

Monroe News Staff — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 08:36:06 -0500

Monroe News Staff

Updated 4:15 p.m. Jan. 19

WNEM TV 5 in Saginaw is reporting that the girl was found and the teenager taken into custody this afternoon in Grand Rapids.

EARLIER REPORT

An AMBER alert was issued for a girl missing from Saginaw, Michigan.

This is a kidnapping situation, according to the AMBER alert announcement. The child was reported missing overnight hours of Jan. 18, with the AMBER alert issued Jan. 19.

The missing child is Mileah Hill, age 2, described as a black girl, brown eyes and black hair. She is 2' tall and about 30 pounds.

The suspect is described as her cousin, Mikelah Willams, age 15, described as a mixed-race female, brown eyes, black hair. She is 4'6" tall and weighs 85 pounds.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Saginaw Police Department at (989) 797-4580 or 911.

WNEM TV 5 in Saginaw is among the news media following the story in detail.

For additional information:

Michigan AMBER alert page.

National AMBER alert page.

Deputies investigating Friday night robbery

Monroe News Staff — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 09:32:22 -0500

Monroe News Staff

ERIE TOWNSHIP — Deputies at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office are searching for two men who held a girl at gunpoint on the night of Jan. 15.

The armed robbery and home invasion took place just after 9 p.m. in the Northtowne Meadows Mobile Home Park, 6255 S. Telegraph Rd. Deputies said two men were wearing bandanas to cover their faces when they forced entry into the residence, where they ordered a 15-year-old girl to the floor and held her at gunpoint, a news release said.

Both men were armed with unknown types of handguns. They allegedly stole a variety of items from the home, including the teenager’s purse, before fleeing in an unknown direction.

The suspects were described as black men in their early 20s. One was about 6 feet tall with a thin build and short braids. The second was about 5-foot-10 with a thin build.

A K-9 unit searched for the suspects but could not locate the men.

The incident is under investigation by Deputy Patrick Davison of the Uniformed Services Division and Detective Mike Preadmore. Anyone with information is asked to call (734) 240-7530.

Man arraigned in narcotics raid

Ray Kisonas — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 08:00:00 -0500

Ray Kisonas

A Monroe man remains jailed on drug delivery charges after narcotics police raided an apartment the suspect occupied and removed more than $100,000 worth of cocaine, heroin and other items following a three-month investigation.

Alonzo Clay Pippens, 32, lived in the 5000 block of Northfield Dr. in Monroe Township where the raid occurred last week. Mr. Pippens was arraigned on five felony charges before First District Judge Jack Vitale, who set bond at $250,000. It was not posted as of Thursday.

The five charges included three counts of delivery/manufacturing of cocaine between 50 and 449 grams, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. Mr. Pippens also was arraigned on two counts of failing to register as a sex offender.

According to the Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry, Mr. Pippens was convicted in 2002 in Monroe County Circuit Court on a charge of criminal sexual conduct, fourth degree, with a person aged 13 to 16. His name is expected to remain on the registry until 2027.

The drug raid was conducted by the Monroe Area Narcotics Team and Investigative Services (MANTIS).

Inside the small apartment, police found more than 560 grams of powder cocaine, which is more than a pound. Also seized were 270 grams of heroin and at least 80 grams of crack cocaine. Under drug forfeiture laws, police confiscated three vehicles and more than $7,000 in cash.

Mr. Pippens is expected back in court next week for a probable cause hearing and a preliminary examination on Jan. 28. His case has been assigned to Judge Terrence P. Bronson.

AMBER alert lifted for two missing Michigan girls

Fri, 15 Jan 2016 02:03:47 -0500

UPDATE:

WNDU TV IN South Bend, Ind., which has been following the story overnight, posted a report about 4:45 a.m. Jan. 15 that the girls have been found safe and the suspect is in custody.

PREVIOUS REPORT:

A Michigan AMBER alert system was issued about 1:45 a.m. Jan. 15 for two young sisters missing from Coloma, which is near Benton Harbor in Berrien County.

This notice included the activation of the cell phone alerts, which was picked up by some Monroe County phones. The direction of travel is unknown. The children went missing Jan. 14, the alert was issued about 1:45 a.m. Jan. 15.

"Law enforcement is investigating a double homicide and believe the children were abducted from their home by their biological father," the AMBER alert database said. "Their destination or route of travel is unknown at this time. Law Enforcement officials are concerned for the children's safety and welfare due to an ongoing investigation."

Nova Perez is a girl age 4; Luna Perez is a girl age 3. Both are described as Hispanic, black hair and brown eyes, 3' tall, weighing about 30 pounds.

The suspect is described as their biological father, Alez Perez, man age age 24, described as Hispanic with black hair and brown eyes, 5'6", about 135 pounds.

The vehicle involved is a 2003 Chevrolet Impala, tan in color, Michigan plate AYY-708.

Anyone with information is asked to call Michigan State Police Niles Post at (269) 683-4411 or 4412

For additional information:

National AMBER alert site.

Michigan AMBER alert site.

Husband, wife died in murder-suicide

Ray Kisonas — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 16:29:18 -0500

Ray Kisonas

RAISINVILLE TOWNSHIP -- The two people whose bodies were found in a Heiss Rd. house Wednesday appear to have been a married couple who died in a murder-suicide, police said.

Monroe County sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Jeff Pauli said their identities are not being released until they can be identified positively. The woman, who was found in the living room, had used a wheelchair. Her husband’s body reportedly was found near the back door.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine a cause of death.

A fire that had ignited inside the residence apparently did not contribute to the couple’s deaths, officials said. The cause of the fire, which rekindled later while investigators were on the scene, also is being investigated.

When firefighters entered the residence, they discovered a small fire burning in the living room and extinguished it. It apparently continued to smolder in the floor and fire ignited in the basement, which was full of items.

Firefighters from the London-Maybee-Raisinville and Exeter Township volunteer fire departments and Frenchtown Township Fire Departments then responded.

Sgt. Pauli said the rekindled fire did not interfere with the criminal investigation.

“It didn’t disturb what we attempted to accomplish,” he said.

The two were not dead for long before they were discovered by a home health-care worker, Sgt. Pauli said.

Arrest made in Huron bomb case

Dean Cousino — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 14:00:00 -0500

Dean Cousino

Huron Township police arrested a 15-year-old male student at Huron High School in New Boston after he allegedly made a second bomb threat in two days.

Police officers responded to the school about 10:40 a.m. Wednesday when a threat was made via social media. The student was in a class at the time, said police Chief Everette Robbins, and was immediately identified and taken into custody.

Nothing of a suspicious nature was located. The student and his parents are cooperating with the investigation.

On Tuesday, an initial bomb threat was found written on a wall inside a bathroom. The message did not contain a specific time, date or target.

Administrators at the school acted quickly on the latest threat and “really did all that could be asked of them,” the chief said. “They contacted us right away and immediately removed the student from class.”

At no time did officials believe that anyone was in any danger Wednesday.

“I do believe that this student inappropriately believed that the threat would be funny or a way to get attention,” Chief Robbins said. “Unfortunately for him, he was wrong and will have to face the consequences of his actions.”

Some type of enforcement action will be taken against the student, although that hasn’t been determined yet. One option is to place the youth into a supervised diversion program at 34th District Court, where the crime does not permanently go into the student’s record.

The chief stressed that parents take the opportunity to talk with their children about what can happen when they post inappropriate things on social media.

“It’s unfortunate,” he said. “What’s surprising are parents who don’t take the time to monitor their kids’ social network accounts to avoid situations like this.”

Two found dead in home on Heiss Rd.

Ray Kisonas — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 16:14:10 -0500

Ray Kisonas

RAISINVILLE TOWNSHIP — Authorities have declared a crime scene at a Heiss Rd. home where two people were found dead Wednesday afternoon.

Although causes of death, the victims’ identities and other details were not yet available, Maj. Jeff Kemp of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said a small fire that had ignited inside the house most likely did not contribute to the victims’ deaths.

“Right now, it doesn’t look like that’s the case,” he said at the scene.

Joe Nash, chief of the London-Maybee-Raisinville Volunteer Fire Department, said a small fire was found inside the living room of the house, a sided home across the street from Holy Ghost Lutheran Church and school.

“It was very small with very light smoke,” he said at the scene, adding that firefighters used extinguishers to quell the flames.

The victims were discovered inside the house. A man apparently was found near the rear door of the home and the second victim, believed to be a woman, was found in the living room.

The victims and the small fire were discovered by a home health care worker who made routine visits to the house.

Apparently one of the victims was disabled, officials said. The health care worker and her supervisor declined comment.

A large area in front of the house was blocked off with yellow crime scene tape as detectives conducted the investigation.