Nov. 15 – Elkhart County Coroner Mervin Miller has ruled drowning as the cause of death for the two men found submerged in a pickup truck in the St. Joseph River on Wednesday.
Autopsies were performed Friday morning on Theo Bean, 30, Elkhart, and Tireno Washington, 39, Bristol.
Miller said the drowning was caused by being trapped in the vehicle, which was submerged in the water. The manner of death was an accident, he stated in a news release.
Elkhart County deputies reported discovering a 2018 Ram 150 pickup in the St. Joseph River on Wednesday at 3:46 p.m.
Officers suspected the truck was driven by Bean and came from the north side of Ind. 120 West, near CR 19, had driven through a ditch into the river.
The two men had been reported missing by their families since Sunday.
Three injured in accident
Three people were injured in a two-vehicle crash on Ind. at 5:36 a.m. Friday. 119 and CR 40.
According to Elkhart County deputies, a 2010 Nissan Maxima driven by Leidy Katherine Garcia Becerra, 29, Mishawaka, was traveling eastbound on CR 40 and ignored a stop sign, colliding with a 2021 Nissan Versa.
The Versa was driven by Oscar Garcia Rojas, 37, Goshen, and was traveling southwest on Ind. 119.
Garcia Becerra complained of chest pain. Her passenger, Jorge Isaac Garcia Becerra, 1, Goshen, had a headache. They were taken to Elkhart General Hospital for treatment.
Garcia Rojas had lower leg pain and back pain. He was taken to Goshen Hospital for treatment.
Garcia Becerra was cited for never having a valid driver’s license, driving without insurance and ignoring a stop sign.
Garcia Rojas was cited for never having a valid license.
Goshen woman injured in crash
A Goshen woman was injured in a two-vehicle crash on Ind. at 11:22 a.m. Friday. 15 and CR 142, two miles south of Goshen.
According to Elkhart County deputies, a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Kyle Schwartz, 19, Millersburg, was traveling west on CR 142 and stopped at a stop sign, but then entered the Ind. intersection. 15 and failed to yield the right of way to a 2011 Honda Odyssey traveling in Ind. 15 headed north. The Honda was driven by Ginger Byng, 43, Goshen.
Byng complained of chest pain and was taken to Goshen Hospital for treatment.
Schwartz, who reported no injuries at the scene, was cited for failure to yield the right of way.
ARRESTS
– A 56-year-old Goshen woman was arrested by Goshen police at 9:23 a.m. Thursday on a Goshen District Court warrant and on a charge of operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic offender. She was taken to the Elkhart County Jail.
– A 30-year-old Goshen man was arrested by Goshen police Thursday at 5:12 p.m. on a charge of theft and subsequently released at the scene on a written promise to appear in court. The man was arrested at Walmart, 2304 Lincolnway East.
– A 49-year-old Goshen man was arrested by Elkhart County deputies following a crash that occurred Wednesday at 9:08 p.m. on Old CR 17, south of CR 18. The man was the driver of a vehicle that struck a utility police officer. , the police said. The man was reportedly intoxicated and was arrested and jailed on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated – endangerment.
– A 27-year-old Elkhart man was arrested by Elkhart County deputies at 8:21 a.m. Thursday on charges of possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in the 29000 block of CR 22. He was taken to the Elkhart County Jail.
– A 27-year-old Elkhart woman was arrested by Elkhart County deputies Thursday at 1:45 p.m. on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, resisting law enforcement and operating a vehicle without a license. She was taken to the Elkhart County Jail.
IDENTITY THEFT
A 43-year-old Goshen woman reported to Goshen police at 12:16 a.m. Thursday that someone was using her identification to cooperate.
THEFT AND BURGLARY
– According to Elkhart County deputies, multiple items were stolen from a Managed Health Systems storage shed at All Secure Storage, 54401 Independence St., Elkhart, on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
– According to a report from the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office, several items were stolen from the 57000 block of CR 23, Goshen, between midnight, September 13 and midnight, October 29.
– A 46-year-old woman reported to Elkhart County deputies that someone forcibly entered a storage unit at Storage Rentals of America in Elkhart and stole items on Wednesday between 5 p.m., Nov. 5, and 6:30 p.m.
FRAUD
A 72-year-old man reported to Elkhart County deputies that someone cashed three fraudulent checks from his account between Oct. 20 and Nov. 4, totaling $5,882.
