TERRE HAUTE —
Terre Haute
Woman faces arson charge
A West Terre Haute woman faces a charge of arson after she reportedly told police that she set the fire in her grandmother’s former house so that a biker gang couldn’t buy it.
Gwendolyn Robins, 36, was arrested Sunday morning at the scene of the house fire in the 1500 block of North 26th Street in Terre Haute.
Lt. Edward Thompkins of the Terre Haute Police Department testified in Vigo Superior Court 1 that firefighters found that fire had been set in two places in the unoccupied house.
Thompkins said that Robins was intoxicated when she approached the fire scene and stated that she set the fire. While she was sitting in the back seat of a police car, Thompkins said, Robins stated that she set the kitchen curtains on fire, but the fire didn’t spread, so she set another fire on the front porch, which did consume the house.
Robins allegedly told police that the house had belonged to her grandmother, who had died, and the property was up for sale. Robins reportedly said she did not want the Diablos gang to gain possession of the house, so she set it on fire. The house was destroyed.
Formal charges are to be filed in the case by 9 a.m. Thursday.
Bail was set at $10,000 with no 10 percent allowed.
Terre Haute
Mother jailed on abuse charge
A Terre Haute mother has been arrested for allegedly battering and neglecting her toddler after the child’s grandmother noticed signs of alleged abuse and took the toddler to the hospital.
Colleen Marie Amos, 25, appeared via video in Vigo Superior Court 1 on Monday where Judge John Roach found probable cause for her arrest and set bail at $35,000 with no 10 percent allowed.
Sgt. Michelle Barrett testified that officers were called to Regional Hospital at about 8:10 p.m. Friday on a possible child abuse case. They found the child scared and whimpering as he was held by his grandmother. The child had a large bruise on his ear, blood on his upper lip from a bloody nose, and he was underweight and did not have a healthy appearance.
The grandmother told police that her ex-husband had called to to say that her daughter, Colleen, had told him that she was injured while wrestling with the child and needed medical attention. The grandmother told police that she found a cut above her daughter’s eye, and tended to the injury. Then the grandmother found the child with apparent injuries and took him to the hospital.
Barrett said Amos appeared “highly intoxicated” when police questioned her about the child.
On Saturday, Barrett said, the foster parents for the child reported that that they returned the toddler to a hospital because of vomiting. The child was then transferred to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis for treatment.
Formal charges are to be filed Thursday.
Terre Hautge
New trial date for suspect
A new trial date of June 18 has been set for a man accused in a Sept. 22 shooting death on South Eighth Street.
Charles Jarrett, 20, of Terre Haute appeared via video in Vigo Superior Court 1 on Tuesday where Judge John Roach set the trial date. He faces charges of murder, attempted robbery and failure to register as a sex offender.
The trial had been set to start March 5, but Jarrett’s attorney stated in court that more time was needed to prepare a defense.
Jarrett is accused in the shooting death of 32-year-old Kenard Gipson, who was staying at a home in the 1800 block of South Eighth Street on the night that he died.
An armed robbery gone bad is the alleged motive in the 2011 homicide. The house had been under surveillance by the Vigo County Drug Task Force for some time, and police had received complaints from neighbors about drug trafficking at the house. THPD has reported that it appears that the motive in the crime may have been attempted robbery. Police found evidence of a struggle in the residence.
Jarrett was arrested by Terre Haute Police on Sept. 28.
Terre Haute
Woman’s arson trial July 10
A Terre Haute woman faces a July 10 trial date on an allegation of arson related to a Jan. 10 apartment building fire in the 600 block of South Center Street.
Kenna D. Cooper, 42, appeared in Vigo Superior Court 3 on Monday where Judge David Bolk also set a June 18 hearing date in the case.
Cooper was arrested Jan. 31 by Terre Haute Police after investigators questioned her about the fire that displaced five occupants of the building. Cooper told police that she became upset after finding pornographic images on her husband’s cell phone, so she went into a vacant apartment across the hall from her apartment and lit a candle that had been placed near a curtain, resulting in the fire to the structure.
Cooper’s bail is set at $75,000 cash only.
Terre Haute
Child pornography trial set
A July 16 trial date has been set for a Terre Haute man arrested for child pornography after police received a tip that he was offering a child for sex via instant messaging.
Chauncey Krantz, 38, has been charged with two counts of class-A felony child molesting, as well as class-C felony child exploitation and class-D felony possession of child pornography.
Judge Michael Lewis set a pre-trial court date of Jun 18 for Krantz, who was arrested in January by Terre Haute Police. Bail remains set at $150,000 cash only.
According to the information filed in court, Krantz allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual conduct with a child younger than age 14 between Feb. 25, 2008 and May 10, 2010. The second criminal count alleges that Krantz also engaged in sexual conduct with the same child between Nov. 8, 2011 and Nov. 30, 2011.
The third charge alleges that between Sept. 1, 2011 and Jan. 16, 2012, Krantz exchanged instant messages, photographs and phone calls with a person from Ohio describing sexual conduct with a child younger than age 18. The final charge alleges that Krantz possessed pornographic images depicting children younger than age 16 engaging in sexual conduct.
Police have said the investigation into the case is continuing.
Lisa Trigg can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
Local news briefly: Feb. 7, 2012
- Local & Bistate
-
-
A fallen soldier returns home
An Army carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Spc. Arronn D. Fields early Thursday morning at Dover Air Force Base, Del.
-
Official touts trade with northern neighbor
A top Canadian diplomat told a Terre Haute audience Thursday his country was “disappointed” when President Obama at least temporarily rejected a proposed transcontinental oil pipeline from Alberta to Texas.
-
Caution urged for summer’s kickoff
Lane restrictions in construction zones on Interstate 70 and other highways around the state will be lifted to accommodate holiday travel for the Memorial Day Weekend.
-
Letters delivered
Several positions will be eliminated this summer at the Terre Haute mail processing facility as the U.S. Postal Service begins moving the operation to Indianapolis, a U.S. Postal Service spokesman has confirmed.
-
Companies seek Vigo tax abatements
Two Vigo County companies are seeking tax abatements for expansion projects, one of which is included as part of a county incentive package.
-
High-speed chase suspect caught in West Virginia
The suspect in a cross-country, high-speed chase originating in Terre Haute last week was reportedly in federal custody Thursday evening.
-
Second victim of deadly I-70 semi-trailer crash identified
The Vigo County Coroner’s Office has identified the passenger of a semi-tractor crash on May 16 in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 near the 12-mile marker.
- VIGO COUNTY JAIL LOG: May 22-24, 2012
-
Burn ban in effect for Vigo County through holiday weekend
Vigo County officials have issued a burn ban effective Thursday and remains in effect until 8 a.m. Tuesday.
-
Brazil remembers a Fallen Son
A small town seemed sadly quiet Wednesday, waiting to honor a local fallen warrior.
-
ISU OKs four-year degree guarantee
Indiana State University has announced a four-year “graduation guarantee” for students enrolling this fall and beyond.
-
Dems tout good side of compromise
Indiana Senate Minority Leader Vi Simpson, chosen to run as the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor with gubernatorial candidate John Gregg, said during a stop Wednesday in Terre Haute that bipartisan experience is a key factor in creating jobs and legislation to help Hoosiers statewide.
-
Motorcyclist dies, motorist charged after accident
A Terre Haute man has died of injuries he sustained in a two-motorcycle, one-car crash that also injured another motorcyclist late Tuesday. The incident has led to the arrest of the car’s driver.
-
Grant money will help replace Collett Park area tree canopy
A combination of city funds and a state grant is allowing TREES Inc. and the city of Terre Haute to plant 100 trees next year to replace a storm-destroyed street-tree canopy in the Collett Park neighborhood.
-
Schools surpass goal for Riley
The lives of about 5,000 children in Vigo County are touched each year by Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, and now, the Riley Children’s Foundation has been touched with gratitude by students in the Vigo County School Corp.
-
Historic preservation proposal discussed during open forum
More than three dozen people turned out Wednesday to ask questions about a proposed Terre Haute ordinance that would set up a formal process to preserve historic properties in the city.
-
Banks of the Wabash workers getting festival ready to roll
Concession stands and amusement rides lined the lawn, waiting for a crowd.
-
Search on for Gibault walkaway
The Indiana State Police are seeking help in finding a juvenile who they say walked away from a Vigo County treatment facility Sunday evening.
-
Graduate college in four years? ISU ‘guarantees’ it
Indiana State University has announced a four-year graduation guarantee for students enrolling this fall and beyond.
-
School bus crashes into central Indiana home
A school bus rumbled through the backyard of a suburban Indianapolis home and crashed into the side of the house.
-
Markets swoon, oil prices fall as anxiety about Europe takes hold
The threat of a financial crisis spreading from Europe shook markets on Wednesday. The euro dropped to a nearly two-year low against the dollar. Oil prices sank to their lowest this year, and stocks took another fall.
-
The closing of St. Ann Parish: Shuttered parish will help others live on
St. Ann Parish celebrated its last Mass on Sunday.
-
Foreclosure lawsuit questions dog mayor
Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett said Tuesday he is “100 percent” certain the foreclosure suit filed against him by GMAC Mortgage on his eastside home will be resolved within the next “couple of weeks.”
-
TB case cause for concern, not panic
A suspected case of tuberculosis at a Vigo County middle school is cause for concern, but health officials are taking appropriate precautionary steps, says Union Hospital’s chief medical officer
Dr. John Bolinger said the suspected TB case at Woodrow Wilson Middle School “is a concern,” but Vigo County and state health departments “are there to handle situations like this. They’ll do the right thing.” -
Woodgate residents considering legal action
Residents came in force Tuesday to try to compel the Vigo County Board of Commissioners to change how a development is progressing near Woodgate subdivisions in southern Vigo County.
-
Clay County soldier dies in Afghanistan
A 27-year-old Knightsville resident and Northview High School graduate died Monday from a rocket propelled grenade attack in Afghanistan while serving with the Indiana National Guard.
-
Farmersburg man arrested on rape charge
A Farmersburg man has been arrested on suspicion of rape and criminal confinement after a May 4 incident that allegedly occurred at his parents’ residence.
-
Truck driver in double fatal crash identified
A truck driver killed in a crash on Interstate 70 in Vigo County last Wednesday has been identified as Alfonso Ochoa Diaz, 60, River Rouge, Mich.
-
Two arrested on reckless driving charges
Indiana State Police on Tuesday nabbed two drivers accused of reckless driving in northern Vermillion County.
-
Garfield Towers resident, injured in fire, dies
A man who sustained burns in the Garfield Towers fire has died at an Indianapolis hospital.
- More Local & Bistate Headlines
-
Raw Video: Toddler Trapped in Washing Machine
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
Hurricane Forecast: 15 Named Storms Expected
NJ Official: NYPD Muslim Surveillance Legal
Vegas Grocer Deported to Face War Crimes Charges
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Man Tells Police He Killed Missing Boy in 1979
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Sudden Storm Topples Wisconsin Trees
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Search Intensifies for Missing Louisiana Woman
Bloomberg: Man Implicates Self in Etan Patz Case
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
FAMU Bandmates: Victim Volunteered to Be Hazed
Raw Video: Wildfire Burns 110 Square Miles
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Raw Video: Fire on Nuke-powered Sub in Maine
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
Heidi Klum Goes Sheer
Shark Attacks Australian Fishing Boat
Snoop Dog throws 1st pitch at White Sox game
Kayaker Survives Trip Over Washington Waterfall
Alison Brie Likes To Jog Naked
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Alton's Best Burger Ever
Ellie Kemper's Stripper Surprise on 'Ellen'
Maddie the Balancing Dog On Cross-Country Trip
Crawford's Sexy Leather Look
Boys eyes 'removed with spoon'
"Twilight" Stars Caught Kissing
Etan Patz Case: Suspect Arrested
Britney's Hot Pink Mini-Dress
Wrongfully accused rapist exonerated after 5 years in jail
Actress to Play Casey Anthony
Prince William on The Queen: 'Woman in Man's World'
Fight erupts in Ukrainian parliament over language bill.
