Law and Order Porter County

• Reprints

Updated: January 31, 2012 5:12PM

PORTER COUNTY

Suspicious man seen at bus stop

An 8-year-old girl waiting for her school bus was approached by a suspicious stranger in a white, older-model pickup between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m. Monday. The police report said her father previously had seen a man in a white truck watching the girl when she got home from school.

The girl said the truck pulled into her driveway, in the 1000 block of North County Road 100E, and the driver asked if a kid named Alex lived there, then traveled south.

Cops: Man put knife to woman’s throat

Alexander Criswell, 23, of rural Porter County, is in jail facing a class C felony charge of battery with a deadly weapon, after allegedly holding a knife to a 21-year-old Portage woman’s throat.

The victim told police she and Criswell were arguing in her vehicle at about 6 p.m. Monday, while parked at his home in the 600 block of North County Road 700W. Criswell got out at one point but took her car keys with him. She locked the doors after him but Criswell then climbed on top of the car and in through the sunroof, vandalized the interior of the car — including cracking the windshield and using a pocket knife on a door’s lining — and allegedly pushed her back against the seat with the knife to her throat.

Criswell admitted to climbing into the locked car and damaging it but said he did not cause the marks the police saw on the woman. He also is charged with misdemeanor battery and criminal mischief.

Teen sneak-attacked another girl

A juvenile living in Salt Creek Commons told police another teen girl attacked her outside her home at about 8:20 p.m. Monday. The suspect allegedly ran at the girl from behind, grabbed her by the hair, forced her to the ground and began hitting her head into the concrete walkway. She also reportedly punched her in the face and kicked her in the stomach before leaving the home, in the 400 block of Saginaw Drive, in a silver passenger vehicle. The suspect and victim are ages 16 and 17.

CHESTERTON

Man captures teen who went in home

A 69-year-old resident of the 1200 block of Park Avenue called police after catching one of several juveniles he found behind his house at about 1:15 a.m. Saturday. The man said five or six males were in his backyard yelling when one came in his back door. He said he struck the 13-year-old male out of fear and the juvenile fell to the floor. The homeowner kept him there until police arrived, while the other juveniles ran to a nearby house.

Police said the 13-year-old Michigan City boy was too drunk to take a portable breath test; he was taken to Porter hospital at his father’s request. Police found the other suspects and, out of the group, a 14-year-old Valparaiso boy and a 11-year-old Chesterton boy also had consumed alcohol. They were released to parents and police referred the case to juvenile probation and child protective services.

Woman charged as habitual violator

Michelle Kornau, 41, of Chesterton, was arrested for driving despite being a habitual traffic violator, a felony charge. The traffic stop was made at about 11:25 a.m. Monday at Indian Boundary Road and Council Drive.