Minor charged in East Chicago homicide
A juvenile is facing a reckless homicide case for an East Chicago killing.
Police said the teen was arrested Sept. 19 in the Aug. 14 shooting death of Jontavis D. Pearson, Jr., 22, of East Chicago.
Officers responded around 7 a.m. for shots fired at an apartment building on the 3600 block of Superior Court. They found Pearson shot in the chest on the second floor. He was unresponsive and later pronounced dead at St. Catherine’s Hospital.
Police found 11 bullet holes in the apartment door. Bullets also pierced the neighboring apartment. The “person of interest” was arrested and later released. Charges need to be filed within 48 hours of an arrest.
Another arrest warrant was issued Sept. 11.
The teen is charged with reckless homicide, five counts of criminal recklessness, and dangerous possession of a firearm by a juvenile and is jailed at the Lake County Juvenile Center.
Anyone with further information can call Det. Gary Runde at 219-755-3855.
East Chicago school officials’ residential entry cases dismissed
Three East Chicago Central High School administrators were charged in October with residential entry after storming into a student’s home to demand items the student and two friends stole from the school’s locker room.
Now, their cases have been dismissed after each completed a three-month pretrial diversion agreement, records show.
East Chicago Central High School Principal Abrian E. Brown, of East Chicago, East Chicago Central High School Dean Corey D. Bailey, and East Chicago High School Varsity Basketball Coach Alaa Mroueh were charged Dec. 17, 2024, with residential entry.
Brown’s case was the last to be dismissed on Sept. 4. Both Bailey and Mroueh are in the process of getting their records expunged.
The student, who wasn’t named in the report, said around 9 p.m. on Oct. 25, he and two friends attended an East Chicago High School football game against Hanover Central High School and the Haunted Hallway event. The three of them admitted to police that they stole items from a locker room.
They left the school around 9 p.m. and walked to his home, the boy told police. About two hours later, the three school administrators came to the home and banged on the door, according to the affidavits.
The administrators left after receiving the stolen items: Two sets of AirPods, one headphone, two pairs of Crocs and a pair of pants, according to the affidavits.
Highland man charged with attempted murder
A Highland man is facing an attempted murder charge after shooting at his wife while she sat in a car inside the garage.
George Black, 65, is also charged with two counts of aggravated battery, one count of domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury and domestic battery by means of a deadly weapon.
Online court records indicate he is awaiting extradition to Lake County. His bond is set at $7,000 cash surety.
The shooting happened around 11:30 a.m. Sept. 19 on the 3700 block of Sandalwood Drive. The woman drove herself to the Highland Police Station for help.
The victim said she was with a female friend at a local motel and argued with Black when he showed up. They used location tracker apps for each other, records state. At some point, he left.
She was on the phone when she pulled into the home and parked in the garage, he said nothing before firing four shots into the windshield. The woman was shot in the chest and both arms.
Black was initially arrested after hitting a median on Torrance Avenue during a police chase.
He told the woman that “today is a good day to die,” and he would make her “famous,” records state.
Hobart man charged after hitting motorcyclist
A Hobart man is facing charges after hitting a motorcyclist, then fleeing the scene.
Michael Von Winkiel, 30, was charged with several felonies.
He is in custody, held without bail. A court date hasn’t been set.
Hobart Police responded at 7:45 p.m. Sept. 15 to the intersection of Ind. 51 and Division Street.
A witness told officers that a grey truck turning east onto Division Street hit the motorcycle going north on Ind. 51 before taking off.
The motorcyclist was grunting and “semi-conscious” on the ground. He was airlifted to the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Police used license plate readers to trace the truck, which was registered to Von Winkiel’s girlfriend. After first speaking to his relative, they arrested Von Winkiel on another warrant when he came to the door, records show.
In a police interview, Von Winkiel admitted he was driving on a suspended license when the crash happened.
The motorcyclist’s father said his son was severely injured and needed “complete reconstructive surgeries” for his wrists and pelvis.
Von Winkiel is charged with with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death or catastrophic injury, driving while suspended resulting in death or catastrophic injury, leaving the scene of an accident with moderate or serious bodily injury, driving while suspended resulting in bodily injury, one misdemeanor count of driving while suspended, and one class A infraction of operating a motor vehicle without financial responsibility (insurance).
Post-Tribune archives contributed.
mcolias@post-trib.com