Law and Order Porter County
July 5, 2012 3:50PM
Updated: July 5, 2012 4:24PM
PORTAGE
Cutting in line leads to threats with gun
Two men were arrested for allegedly threatening two Lake Station women with guns Wednesday afternoon. The confrontations reportedly began with a verbal argument in an unnamed “Mexican store” in Lake Station, when Benjamin Cuadra allegedly cut in line in front of the 30- and 31-year-old women, according to the police report. Outside the store, they said, Cuadra pointed a gun at them once they got into their vehicle.
They followed Cuadra to a home in the 2400 block of Swanson Road in Portage, the women told police. He went inside and, as they were on the phone with 911 at about 2:25 p.m., a different man came out of the home with a gun and tapped it against the vehicle window, telling the women to leave. The second man, later identified as Isaac Hernandez, 30, of Merrillville, denied having a firearm but was arrested for felony intimidation after Portage reserve officers found one in his pocket.
Lake Station police arrested Cuadra after a gun was found in the house, which was searched with the resident’s permission.
VALPARAISO
Drunken man gets on stage at school
William Ploehn, 30, of Valparaiso, was arrested for public intoxication after reportedly getting on the stage at about 8:15 p.m. Wednesday at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 1600 Roosevelt Road, during the city’s Fourth of July celebration there. As he was arrested, police said, Ploehn reached for a knife in his pants pocket. His blood-alcohol level was 0.38 percent, according to police.
Window screen used in battery
John Evert, 45, was arrested for battery for allegedly throwing a window screen at a neighbor at about 6 p.m. Wednesday, cutting the 22-year-old man’s arm. The victim and another neighbor of Evert, who lives in the 300 block of College Avenue, told police Evert regularly shouts out his window at people and had been doing so all day.
PORTER COUNTY
Man responds violently to rejection
Police requested misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct charges be filed against a 22-year-old Hebron man who allegedly responded violently to a woman’s rejection.
During a Fourth of July party on McCurahan Street in Porter Township, a 31-year-old woman told police, the suspect repeatedly made unwanted advances toward her. Then at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the police report, the suspect allegedly approached the 34-year-old man the woman lives with and attacked him. The victim received facial injuries.
Police could not locate the suspect, although his vehicle remained at the scene.
Keys were inside stolen pickup
A tan 1998 Chevrolet pickup was reported stolen between 6 p.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday from Harrison Paving and Seal Coaters, 367 Tratebas Road. “Harrison Paving” was written on both sides of the truck, which also had a large yellow light on its roof; the $3,000 pickup had been left unlocked and with its keys inside, according to the police report.
Complaints about driver lead to arrest
Lisa Wilson, 49, of Porter County, was arrested for felony drunken driving with a prior and leaving the scene of a crash, a misdemeanor, after crashing into three mailboxes at Sager Road and County Road 150E. Police received complaints from three different people about Wilson’s reckless driving between 6:55 and 7:08 p.m. Wednesday, even though she initially said she was home all day.
