(Decatur County, IN) – Nearly $5,900 in merchandise believed to have been stolen was recovered during a traffic stop in Decatur County last month.
Sheriff Bill Meyerrose’s Office says a deputy was patrolling I-74 as part of a DUI task force and Comprehensive Highway Injury Reduction Program (CHIRP) when a westbound car was spotted traveling 102 miles per hour.
The car was pulled over by a deputy and a Greensburg police officer, both of whom reportedly smelled marijuana.
During the roadside interviews, investigators determined items in the vehicle were possibly stolen from a couple of Cincinnati stores.
With the assistance of the Decatur County Prosecutor’s Office, a request for a search warrant was granted.
257 items, including clothing, jewelry, candles, and more valued at $5,861.24 were confiscated.
Investigators say coordination with asset protection from the stores and police in Ohio is still going on.
The driver, Kantierra Hawkins, and two passengers were released after Hawkins was issued a summons for Reckless Driving and Speeding.
During further investigation, it was later determined that Hawkins gave a false name and is wanted on preliminary Theft and Identity Deception (both Level 6 felonies) charges.
The incident is still under investigation.
CHIRP is a grant awarded to the Decatur County Traffic Safety Partnership from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through the Indiana Criminal
Justice Institute (ICJI). This grant focuses on traffic safety within the county.
Sheriff Meyerrose said money from the CHIRP grant provides funds for deputies and the St. Paul Town Marshal to work overtime on projects that help reduce aggressive and/or dangerous driving behaviors that could result in accidents.
He added over the years, these funds have resulted in the solving of numerous criminal cases.
Funding also provides valuable equipment in support of these projects and the day-to-day operations, Meyerrose said.
