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 Wednesday.
Autopsies were conducted Friday morning on Theo Bean, 30, Elkhart, and Tireno Washington, 39, Bristol.
Miller said the drowning was caused by entrapment in the vehicle that was submerged in the water. The manner of death was accidental, he stated in a news release.
Elkhart County deputies reported that at 3:46 p.m. Wednesday, they discovered a 2018 Ram 150 pick up truck in the St. Joseph River.
Officers surmised that the truck had been driven by Bean and ran off the north side of Ind. 120 West, near C.R. 19, down a ditch and into the river.
The two men had been reported as missing since Sunday by their families.
Three injured in crash
Three people were injured in a two-vehicle crash at Ind. 119 and C.R. 40 at 5:36 a.m. Friday.
According to Elkhart County deputies, a 2010 Nissan Maxima driven by Leidy Katherine Garcia Becerra, 29, Mishawaka, was eastbound on C.R. 40 and disregarded a stop sign, colliding with a 2021 Nissan Versa.
The Versa was driven by Oscar Garcia Rojas, 37, Goshen, and was southwestbound on Ind. 119.
Garcia Becerra complained of chest pain. Her passenger, Jorge Isaac Garcia Becerra, 1, Goshen, had head pain. 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 license, driving without insurance and disregarding 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 at Ind. 15 and C.R. 142, two miles south of Goshen, at 11:22 a.m. Friday.
According to Elkhart County deputies, a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Kyle Schwartz, 19, Millersburg, was westbound on C.R. 142 and stopped for a stop sign, but then proceeded into the Ind. 15 intersection and failed to yield the right of way to a 2011 Honda Odyssey that was northbound on Ind. 15. The Honda was driven by Ginger Byng, 43, Goshen.
Byng complained of chest pain and was taken to Goshen Hospital for treatment.
Schwartz, who did not report any 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 on a warrant through Goshen City Court and on a charge of operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator at 9:23 a.m. Thursday. She was taken to the Elkhart County Jail.
-- A 30-year-old Goshen man was arrested by Goshen police at 5:12 p.m. Thursday on a charge of theft and was then 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 after a crash that occurred at 9:08 p.m. Wednesday on Old C.R. 17, south of C.R. 18. The man was the driver of a vehicle that crashed into a utility police, police said. The man was allegedly intoxicated and was arrested and jailed on a charge 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 C.R. 22. He was taken to the Elkhart County Jail.
-- A 27-year-old Elkhart woman was arrested by Elkhart County deputies at 1:45 p.m. Thursday on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, resisting law enforcement and operating a vehicle while never license. She was taken to the Elkhart County Jail.
IDENTITY THEFT
A 43-year-old Goshen woman reported to Goshen police at 12:16 p.m. Thursday that someone is using her identification with which to work.
THEFTS & BURGLARIES
-- Multiple items were stolen from a storage shed belonging to Managed Health Systems at 1 p.m. Wednesday at All Secure Storage, 54401 Independence St., Elkhart, according to Elkhart County deputies.
-- Several items were stolen from the 57000 block of C.R. 23, Goshen, between midnight Sept. 13 and midnight Oct. 29, according to a report from the Elkhart County Sheriff's Office.
-- 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 between 5 p.m. Nov. 5 and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
FRAUD
A 72-year-old man reported to Elkhart County deputies that between Oct. 20 and Nov. 4 someone cashed three fraudulent checks from his account totaling $5,882.