Laporte

UPDATE: The two killed in a crash Saturday morning have been identified as 39-year-old Shay Hedden and 7-year-old Matthew Hedden, both from Michigan City. The following release was issued Saturday afternoon by LaPorte County police: On Saturday, April 6th, 2013 at approximately 11:36 am, Deputies from the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office were summoned to the scene of a single (1) vehicle crash in the area of 5141 North C.R. 600 West, in Springfield Township.  Upon the arrival of medical personnel, it was discovered that a female and a young juvenile male inside the vehicle were deceased.     Once deputies arrived at the scene, they discovered a single vehicle crash involving a tree.  The scene of the crash was located near 5121 North C.R. 600 West.  Observations and a witness statement at the scene revealed the vehicle, a Tan 1993 Toyota, was traveling south on C.R. 600 West.  The vehicle passed the witness vehicle in a no passing zone.  While attempting the passing maneuver, the vehicle lost control while in the northbound lane of C.R. 600 West.  The vehicle crossed back into the southbound lane of C.R. 600 West, left the west side of the roadway, and struck a tree.

LAPORTE - A LaPorte man is behind bars accused of beating his wife in front of the couple's young children. Police were called to a disturbance in an apartment house in the 600 block of Tipton St. around 11:50 p.m. Sunday. Officers spoke with the female victim who told them her husband had struck her in the face and was throwing her around by her hair. The woman had facial injuries and was bleeding from her ear, where it appeared an earring had been torn out. The victim told police she pleaded with her husband to stop hitting her, and she sent her young sons to the neighbors for help.

MILL CREEK, Ind. - A one-car crash in LaPorte County has claimed the life of a 21-year-old man, and police say alcohol was involved. Police say it happened shortly after 3:30 (CST) Sunday morning on North C.R. 875 East in the Mill Creek area of Wills Township. CLICK HERE for map. County police say Kyle Flotow from New Carlisle, a passenger in the car, died on the scene. Kyle's 22-year-old brother, Ryan Flotow, was driving the car when the vehicle went off the road and hit a tree.

LAPORTE - The cause of a fire that heavily damaged Thanhardt-Burger Corp., the longtime maker of high-end picture frames sold nationwide, remains unknown. LaPorte Fire Chief Andy Snyder said investigators quickly halted the probe in order to team up with the insurance company on the investigation. He said the state fire marshal's office also has been asked to assist in trying to determine what triggered the blaze. "It was such an extreme fire, we're trying to piece this together yet," Snyder said.

LA PORTE - A LaPorte man who contracted West Nile Virus last summer has died. Ronald Lawson never returned home after falling ill. He died Friday night at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne. "He'd have good days and he'd have his bad days," said his wife, Cleda Lawson. The 66-year-old Lawson contracted the virus in August. Infected mosquitoes transmit the virus to humans and family members speculated he must have contracted West Nile while sitting on the front porch of his home in the 100 block of Laurel St. Early symptoms included extreme weakness, sore throat, shortness of breath and high fever.

A  home on the property of The Red Barn Experience in LaPorte - a venue for events such as weddings - was destroyed by fire Friday night. The fire broke out around 6 p.m. Firefighters told a WSBT photographer at the scene it started in the basement, and was hard to fight because the house was built in the 1850s and has a lot of additions. Smoke could be seen for miles as 70 to 80 firefighters from four departments worked to extinguish it. Crews were at the scene until about 1:30 a.m. Saturday.

Police say a man on the LaPorte County top ten most wanted list for being a “sexually violent predator” was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama. The LaPorte County Sheriff's Department was notified by the U.S. Marshals Service on Tuesday that Maurice Ward was found and arrested in Birmingham without incident. It is unknown if Ward will face charges in Birmingham. He is going to be extradited back to LaPorte to face charges for failing to register as a sex offender - a Class C felony - as well as parole violation.

Prime Rib... baked potato...they're not foods you would typically see on a school lunch menu, but that's exactly what some lucky Rolling Prairie Elementary students feasted on Thursday. Not at school - at a local restaurant. It's all part of a program that teaches manners and basic dining skills. There are some lessons you have to go beyond the classroom to teach. "We hope it inspires them to try new things and have experiences that they've not had before," said Melissa Kuczmanski, who teaches "Manners and Basics of Dining" at the school.

Police in the city of LaPorte say a man caught a thief in his home and was slashed with a box cutter during the struggle that followed. Detective Matt Drangmeister told WSBT this happened around 8:30 Thursday night in the 800 block of Kingsporte Avenue. The homeowner arrived at his house and found the suspect inside. As he was struggling with the suspect the homeowner was slashed on his chest, arms and face. The victim's wounds were superficial, according to Drangmeister.

It's been a long time since LaPorte diver Josh Arndt felt disappointment. "The last high school meet I didn't win," he recalled, "was my sophomore year. " That's a streak of 38 straight first-place finishes, heading into state this weekend.  "I pride myself most on the hard work I put into it," he said. "The streak doesn't come with just getting on the board and doing it. " The streak also includes last year's state title.