Plymouth Police make weekend arrests including OWI, habitual traffic violator & warrant

The Plymouth Police Department reported a busy weekend, making multiple arrests between early Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon for offenses ranging from operating while intoxicated to outstanding warrants.

Early Saturday morning, at approximately 1:50 a.m., officers were dispatched to the intersection of North Michigan and Jefferson streets following reports of a driver asleep at the wheel.

Officer Witkowski located 41-year-old Matthew C. Bowen of Plymouth sitting in the driver's seat of a vehicle stopped at a red light. Witnesses reported that Bowen had slept through several green light cycles. Following an investigation, police determined Bowen had been operating the vehicle while intoxicated. He was taken into custody and transported to the Marshall County Jail.

Shortly after, just past 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, Officer Enyart conducted a traffic stop at Michigan and Washington streets on a motorcycle with an obstructed taillight and license plate.

During the stop, officers discovered the passenger, 48-year-old Bianca Mendez of South Bend, had an active warrant out of St. Joseph County for failure to appear. Mendez was transported to the Marshall County Jail, where she was held awaiting transport back to St. Joseph County.

On Sunday afternoon at approximately 2:35 p.m., Officer Wallace initiated a traffic stop on a GMC Sierra pickup truck traveling east on U.S. 30. The stop was conducted after a records check revealed the registered owner had a license status of Habitual Traffic Violator.

Officers verified the driver was the registered owner, 31-year-old Andrew Bennett of Michigan City. Bennett was taken into custody without incident, transported to the Marshall County Jail, and held on a $1,500 cash bond for the Habitual Traffic Violator charge.

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. All suspects 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.