Sexual Assault

The following release was issued by Michigan City police on Sunday afternoon: There was a home invasion/sexual assault in the 2500 block of Bruce Dr. on October 26 th 2012 at 8:30pm.  The victim, a young lady pulled her vehicle into her garage, after she exited a young male armed with a weapon forced her into the house. The suspect [described as wearing a hoodie and about 5”7' tall] robbed and sexually assaulted the victim before jumping a fence and running northbound.  Anyone who might have information reference to this case or think they might have seen suspicious activity regarding the suspect during this timeframe of the incident is asked to please call the Michigan City Police Department (219)

The 6th and final wrestler in the Mishawaka High School sexual assault case had his trial before a juvenile judge on Thursday.   We've learned he was found not guilty of criminal deviant conduct but guilty of misdemeanor battery. The case has remained in juvenile court, so no one has been named. The 6 high school students were charged with trying to sexually assault a teammate 2 years ago. 4 of the 6 have either pleaded guilty or been found guilty so far. One of the wrestlers tried Wednesday is still waiting for the verdict in his case.

The sixth and last Mishawaka High School wrestler accused in the sex-type assault on a then 15-year-old teammate two years ago has been found guilty. Five of the six were found guilty or pleaded guilty of various charges in the case. Because all involved were juveniles at the time, none of their names are being released. Former Mishawaka wrestling coach Darrick Snyder resigned this spring. He was not charged in the case.

DETROIT (AP) - A 49-year-old man will serve one year in the county jail and three years on probation for having inappropriate sexual contact with a coma patient inside her room at a Detroit nursing home. Cornell Lowman was sentenced Thursday on fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and fourth-degree habitual offender charges. He earlier pleaded guilty in the case. He also will be registered as a sex offender. The Wayne County prosecutor's office says it sought a sentence of one to 15 years in state prison.

NOTRE DAME - It was a scare for local college students after another allegation of sexual assault on Notre Dame's campus Wednesday. Whether it's the sights or sounds, it's easy to understand why the paths around Saint Joseph and Saint Mary's Lakes are a Notre Dame favorite. "A lot of students run around there or walk around to get to their dorms," said Jenny Li . Li, a student at the university, said all of the things that make the area a beautiful place during the day keep her on guard there at night.

SOUTH BEND - The University of Notre Dame will host "A Time to Heal" dinner and discussion starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday as part of the campus' Sexual Assault Awareness Week activities. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for the event at Legends of Notre Dame, the campus restaurant just south of Notre Dame Stadium. A panel will discuss healing from sexual assault. Speakers will include: the Rev. Thomas P. Doyle, vice president for student affairs; Jessica Wroblewski, visiting assistant professor of religious studies at Saint Mary's College; Margaret Morgan, a master's of divinity student; and undergraduates Andrew Dolan and Mariah McGrogan.

GOSHEN — Students at Goshen College are watching their step a lot closer after allegations of a sexual assault on Tuesday. Amidst the hustle and bustle on the campus is a feeling of shock and concern. "The campus is definitely shocked. Goshen is a place that's very safe," said Hans Weaver, a student at the university. "Something like this never happens. " "It is really scary knowing that there's someone out there who could do something like that to someone," said student Lacey Wisseman.

The University of Notre Dame Security Police have released an image of the man they believe assaulted a female on Notre Dame’s campus early Saturday. Police believe the suspect is a white male, college-aged, between 6-foot-1 and 6-2 and muscular. He has dark, curly, gelled hair, blue eyes, an upturned nose, "somewhat tan skin" and is clean-shaven. The digital image is believed to be 75 percent accurate, police said, adding the man they seek has curlier hair than the sketch shows.

SOUTH BEND - A South Bend police officer who has been on the force for 19 months is accused of fondling two different women on separate occasions while on duty. Jeffery Chester, 26, is facing two counts of felony official misconduct and two counts of misdemeanor battery. Click here to read the court documents. Chester was arrested this morning and booked into the St. Joseph County Jail, according to St. Joseph County police spokesman Sgt. Matt Blank.

Police have released a sketch of a suspect in a Michigan City home invasion and sexual assault. The following news release was issued by Michigan City police Thursday night: There was a home invasion/sexual assault in the 2500 block of Bruce Dr. on October 26 th 2012 at 8:30pm. The victim, a young lady pulled her vehicle into her garage, after she exited a Black Male armed with a weapon forced her into the house where he committed sexual assault and robbery. On November 1 st 2012 the victim in this incident met with the Indiana State Police in order to generate a composite sketch of the suspect.

PORT HURON, Mich. (AP) - A 38-year-old woman has been charged with falsely reporting a rape at her eastern Michigan home, five months after a man convicted of sexually assaulting her in a different case was released from prison because of similar reports of bogus allegations. Sara Ylen told police last September that she was raped at her Lexington home, 80 miles northeast of Detroit. But she has been charged with filing a false report of a felony and tampering with evidence.

The University of Notre Dame is refusing to release results from a recent sexual assault policy survey that was taken by students. Some of the survey details were given to the university-owned, student-ran newspaper - The Observer. But when WSBT requested a copy of the survey and interviews about it, we were denied. The university said the only interview they would be doing on this survey and its results was with The Observer. They declined our request for more details.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) - What's in a name? Well, if it's "Sally," or "Mary," or "David," or "Steve," there can be a lot of assumptions, just based on the name and the gender the name suggests. But what about the name "Sandy"? What if you've never met Sandy, and don't have any clue as to whether Sandy is male or female? Say you hear a story about Sandy being sexually assaulted. Are your assumptions different based on whether you perceive Sandy as male or female?

It has been nearly 4 decades since a 17-year-old North Webster girl was sexually assaulted, murdered and her body dumped in the Elkhart river. The investigation spanned across Kosciusko and Noble counties. Now, 37 years later, the murder of Laurel Mitchell is considered a cold case.   All Sarah Knisley has of her older sister Laurel are pictures and memories. "She was in ballet," says Knisley about her older sister. "The girl was a klutz. Couldn't walk a straight line, but she could dance.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A group that helps victims of sexual assault wants Indiana legislators to enact a $5 tax for strip club customers. Erik Scheub of the Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault tells WRTV-TV ( http://bit.ly/12napZJ ) that two-thirds of the state's 92 counties offer inadequate services for survivors of sex crimes. The only state funding amounts to about $25,000 a year. Julian Center executive director Melissa Pershing says Indiana's rape crisis centers are "woefully underfunded.

No charges will be filed against Elkhart County Commissioner Terry Rodino. That word came Wednesday from the Allen County prosecutor. A woman accused Rodino of sexual assault, but the prosecutor said after an investigation they don't believe they can prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. "This office reviewed the investigation and determined that the alleged victim admitted to prior sexual contact with Mr. Rodino. Mr. Rodino also aknowledged some contact of a sexual nature,"  Prosecutor Karen Richards said in a news release.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A Michigan prisons spokesman says a parole board had no clear reason to reject a freedom request from a convict who later raped a college student and tried to burn down the house where she fled. Authorities say a sheriff's deputy shot 30-year-old Eric Ramsey of Mount Pleasant on Thursday morning after the abduction and sexual assault of a Central Michigan University student. Prison records say Ramsey was paroled last summer after serving the minimum five years for assault with intent to do great bodily harm.

KENT COUNTY, Mich. - Police in west Michigan say a sexual assault cold case from 1981 has been reopened and they have a suspect. The suspect is linked to a similar crime in Elkhart County. On December 17, 1981, a 23-year-old woman was at her Kent County, Mich. home when an unknown man knocked on her door. Police say the victim answered the door to the man who was said to be 18-19-years-old asking for directions. After a few seconds, the suspect pushed his way into the home and put a gun to the woman's head.

Police have released a sketch of a suspect in a Michigan City home invasion and sexual assault. The following news release was issued by Michigan City police Thursday night: There was a home invasion/sexual assault in the 2500 block of Bruce Dr. on October 26 th 2012 at 8:30pm. The victim, a young lady pulled her vehicle into her garage, after she exited a Black Male armed with a weapon forced her into the house where he committed sexual assault and robbery. On November 1 st 2012 the victim in this incident met with the Indiana State Police in order to generate a composite sketch of the suspect.

The following release was issued by Michigan City police on Sunday afternoon: There was a home invasion/sexual assault in the 2500 block of Bruce Dr. on October 26 th 2012 at 8:30pm.  The victim, a young lady pulled her vehicle into her garage, after she exited a young male armed with a weapon forced her into the house. The suspect [described as wearing a hoodie and about 5”7' tall] robbed and sexually assaulted the victim before jumping a fence and running northbound.  Anyone who might have information reference to this case or think they might have seen suspicious activity regarding the suspect during this timeframe of the incident is asked to please call the Michigan City Police Department (219)