Plymouth Police make multiple traffic-related arrests mid-week

The Plymouth Police Department conducted several traffic stops on Wednesday and Thursday that resulted in arrests for various licensing violations, ranging from driving without ever receiving a license to operating with a suspended status.

Unsecured Juvenile Leads to Unlicensed Driver Arrest The first incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, April 8. At approximately 2:00 p.m., Patrolman Thornton located a vehicle near the intersection of Harrison and Jackson Streets after observing that a juvenile passenger was not properly secured inside. During the subsequent investigation, officers discovered that the driver, 35-year-old Karen Julissa Mungia Matute of Plymouth, was operating the vehicle without ever having obtained a driver's license.

Conditional License Violation on U.S. 30 Later that same afternoon, at 4:10 p.m., Officer Lovely initiated a traffic stop on a black Mercedes SUV traveling on U.S. 30. During the stop, the officer determined that the driver, JunJun Zheng of Columbia City, was operating the vehicle in violation of the terms of his conditional license. Zheng was taken into custody and transported to the Marshall County Jail, where he was lodged for the violation.

Suspended Driver Stopped at Major Intersection The following morning, Thursday, April 9, at 10:48 a.m., Officer Krynock observed a traffic infraction and stopped a vehicle near the intersection of U.S. 30 and U.S. 31. The driver, identified as 40-year-old Dajaun I. Lastrapes of Fort Wayne, was found to be driving with a prior suspended license status. Lastrapes was arrested and lodged in the Marshall County Jail on a charge of driving while suspended with a prior conviction.

Readers are reminded that charging information supported by an affidavit of probable cause is a mere allegation that a crime has been committed and that there is only probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. They are presumed innocent throughout the proceedings and are entitled to be represented by counsel and entitled to a trial by jury at which the State is obligated to provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt before a judgment of guilt may be made.