VHS students disciplined for knife, drinking alcohol

VALPARAISO | Two Valparaiso High School students were arrested Friday -- one after he was caught with a knife and the other after it was determined he'd consumed alcohol.

Both students were arrested after they were seen smoking outside door three about 11 a.m. Police said the students returned to their driver's education class after smoking, but were soon pulled from class and questioned.

Police said one of the students -- a 15-year-old boy -- was arrested on a charge of possession of a knife on school property after he gave the knife to authorities during questioning. He told police he had it for protection and forgot still had it from the day before. The other student -- a 16-year-old boy -- was arrested on an underage drinking charge.

Both students also possessed tobacco, and both face discipline from the school, police said.

Hobart man arrested on molestation charge

VALPARAISO | An investigation by Valparaiso police into allegations that a man molested a girl eight years ago has led to the man's arrest.

Gerald Burkhardt, 44, of Hobart, was arrested Friday on a felony child molestation charge. The investigation was conducted in October after police were told Burkhardt molested the daughter of a woman he knows.

Homemade explosive device destroys mailbox

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP | Porter County police said an explosive device destroyed a Liberty Township man's mailbox Sunday morning.

Police said parts of the mailbox, belonging to west County Road 700 North resident Eddie Guess, were found 25 yards away. Police said a homemade device was used.

Dump truck gets caught on power lines, burns

PORTER TOWNSHIP | A dump truck belonging to Whitcomb Trucking, of Valparaiso, was being used to unload a load of gravel Friday morning at County Road 150 South and County Road 100 West when the dump box raised and got caught in the power lines -- resulting in sparks in the truck.

A fire destroyed the dump truck and melted the asphalt road.

Woman charged with fleeing home detention

SOUTH HAVEN | A South Haven woman was charged Thursday with escaping home detention.

Maranda Campbell, 27, of 705 N. McCool Road, was sentenced on May 8 to one year on home detention, but she is accused of leaving her home May 21 and never returning. She was charged with felony escape and felony theft. The theft charge stems from her taking her $1,325 home detention monitoring equipment, including an ankle bracelet.

Two men accused of not supporting children

Two men were charged recently in Porter County with felony charges of failure to provide support to dependent children.

Richard Tuthill, 40, of South Haven, is accused of failing to pay more than $30,000 in child support to his child between 1996 and 2007.

Nicholas Hrycyk, 32, of LaHabra, Calif., is accused of failing to pay more than $37,000 in child support to his two children between 2001 and 2007.

CHESTERTON

SATURDAY

Theft. Chesterton Bike Shop, 116 S. Fourth St., reported $50 damage during an attempted burglary. The business also reported a $300 bicycle rack stolen from in front of Hopkins Ace Hardware on Calumet Road.

Vehicle theft. Francis Cress, of 19th Street, reported the theft of a 2006 Yamaha motorcycle worth $6,000 from outside his home.

Vandalism. Porter resident Lauren Carr reported $500 damage to her vehicle at Chase Bank, 109 Broadway, Chesterton.

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP

FRIDAY

Vandalism. County Road 104 West resident Mark Price reported $200 damage to his truck.

SOUTH HAVEN

FRIDAY

Theft. Governor Road resident Jeffrey Wallace reported the theft of a $120 bicycle from his yard.

UNION TOWNSHIP

SATURDAY

Attempted burglary. County Road 656 West resident Robert Ziolkowski reported $400 damage to his home during an attempted burglary.

VALPARAISO

SATURDAY

Burglary. Mortgage Consultant Group & Credit, 650 U.S. 30, Suite C, reported someone burglarized the business, stealing guns, a safe, a television, computer equipment and a fax machine. The loss is several thousand dollars.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP

SUNDAY

Vandalism. Jamestown Avenue resident Curtis Stamper reported $250 damage to his car's windshield.

ARRESTS

June 12-15

Battery | Jose Guerrero, 32, Chicago

Disorderly conduct, public intoxication | Eric Varner, 27, 5140 Sherwin Ave., Portage

Driving while suspended | Donald Wilkes, 36, Crown Point

Drunken driving | Wesley Moyer, 45, 297 Hawkwood Drive, Valparaiso; Gregory Morehouse, 42, 842 County Line Road, Westville; Robert Ganz, 47, 461 Bellflower Drive, Valparaiso; Donna Cherry, 41, South Bend

Drunken driving, driving while suspended | Randell Tefteller, 22, Michigan City

Failure to appear | Paree Davis, 44, Gary; Daniel Aguilar, 30, East Chicago; Chad Mathis, 33, Highland; Stephanie Cibak, 36, Buchanan, Mich.

Failure to appear, hold | Rickie Jacobs, 42, 2774 Belmont Ave., Portage

Failure to comply | John Antecki, 26, Hammond; Robert Garner, 26, Hobart; Raymond Pittman, 31, 2805 Virginia Park Drive, Valparaiso

Invasion of privacy | Jason Hebblethwaite, 27, Garden City, Kansas; Edward Anaszewski, 37, Merrillville

Possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, public intoxication | Teresa Miles, 28, Mishawaka

Public intoxication | Keith Kline, 35, North Liberty; Ryan Milligan, 22, 754 Golfview Blvd., Valparaiso

Public intoxication, alcohol charge | Transito Escobedo, 18, 243 Camelot, Portage

Public intoxication, disorderly conduct | Chris Brodien, 42, Michigan City

Public intoxication, failure to comply | Jack Miller, 36, Rockford, Ill.

Regulations and conditions charge | Damien Robinson, 26, Gary; Daniel Matheney, 24, Michigan City

Theft | Trisha Hopper, 25, Lake Station; Marvin Eaves Jr., 50, 5520 Old Porter Road, Portage; Christopher Egener, 31, 1873 Crocker St., Chesterton; Benjamin Shadley, 18, 620 Oswego Road, Valparaiso; Burton Montgomery, 21, 708 Stratford Drive, Valparaiso; Ryan Benninghoff, 18, Michigan City; James Hanson, 29, South Bend; Michael Gaddis, 27, Michigan City; Michelle Gal, 39, 329 Jacobs Place, Portage; Kristina Freeman, 38, 944 N. Meridian, Chesterton; Carlton Young, 26, Sauk Village

Theft, driving while suspended | Ricky Sullenger, 51, 205 Brown St., Valparaiso

Theft, false reporting | Dustin Agent, 25, 327 Indiana St., Porter

Uttering a fraudulent instrument | Christopher Forster, 19, Westville

June 15-18

Alcohol charge | Amanda Broertjes, 18, Crown Point; Austin Huck, 20, 1719 Woodland Bluff, Valparaiso

Alcohol charge, drug paraphernalia | Amanda Connors, 20, 168 N. 350 West, Valparaiso

Check deception | Bradley Zaragoza, 25, 384 LaHonda Drive, Valparaiso

Check fraud, theft | Nicole Zaragoza, 27, 384 LaHonda Drive, Valparaiso

Child molestation | Gerald Burkhardt, 44, Hobart

Criminal trespass | Curtis Stamper, 20, 114 Jamestown Ave., Valparaiso; Donnie Hutcherson, 43, 205 Institute St., Valparaiso

Drunken driving | Harry Young, 52, 75 Wilson Court, Chesterton; Shane Wilson, 31, 227 S. 150 East, Valparaiso; Charles Balough, 50, 21 1/2 N. Washington St., Valparaiso; Thomas Chrisman, 30, Wanatah; Donald Ehrick, 49, Michigan City; Louis Rivera, 44, 6278 Broughton Ave., Portage; Brad Patrick, 42, 1306 Burlington Beach Road, Valparaiso; Jaime Pero, 31, Hobart

Drunken driving, leaving the scene of an accident | Daniel Goodpaster, 27, 700 N. Waverly Road, Porter; Joshua Goin, 29, 881 N. 500 East, Valparaiso; Kevin Keefover, 26, 6959 Eisenhower, Portage

Failure to appear | Wendy Reed, 27, 819 W. 450 North, Valparaiso; Andy Gold, 40, 2303 Sears St., Valparaiso; James Lewis, 42, 5409 Aspen Ave., Portage; Abbey Bryant, 22, 100 Misty Lane, Hebron; Janet Hoffman, 41, 604 Silhavy Road, Valparaiso

Failure to comply | Jeffrey Johnson, 27, 3624 Fairway Drive, Chesterton; Nathan Nalley, 26, Lake Station

Intimidation, drunken driving, disorderly conduct | Kenneth Zimmerman, 38, Medaryville

Invasion of privacy | Edwin Beck, 56, 435 W. 300 South, Hebron

Possession of marijuana | Guillermo Pedroza, 21, 753 Juniper Road, Valparaiso; Tkayline Yester, 27, 6520 Evergreen Ave., Portage

Prescription fraud | Dustin Caughell, 20, 11 E. 150 South, Valparaiso

Public intoxication | Susan Grish, 46, 757 Capital St., Valparaiso; Jeffery Wilson, 43, Lake Station

Resisting law enforcement, reckless driving | Travis Miller, 26, 939 S. Baums Bridge Road, Kouts

Strangulation, battery | James Zimmer, 23, 454 Cain Drive, Valparaiso; Brittany Anderson, 19, 530 Sunshine Drive, Valparaiso

Theft | Kenneth Henderson, 21, 5074 Lincoln St., Portage; Timothy Oehlman, 38, 851 Vail Court, Valparaiso; Elizabeth Blakeley, 21, 379 Sandalwood Drive, Valparaiso; Michael Tesmer, 20, Westville

Theft, false reporting | James Brown, 34, Gary; Tonya Stevens, 38, Gary