5 arrested in weekend traffic stops across Marshall County

Officers from the Plymouth Police Department and the Marshall County Sheriff's Department made several driving-related arrests over the weekend, stemming from traffic stops across the county.

The first arrest came Friday morning, August 21, at approximately 9:15 a.m., when Marshall County Sheriff's Deputy Truty initiated a traffic stop for a moving violation on U.S. 30 near Iris Road. The driver, 21-year-old Valdecir Ribeiro Guox Itzep of Columbus, Ohio, was found to be operating the vehicle without a valid license. He was taken into custody and transported to the Marshall County Jail on a charge of operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a license. His cash bond was set at $100.

Less than two hours later, at 10:50 a.m., Plymouth Police Officer Krynock stopped a vehicle at 9A and Suter Roads for a traffic infraction. The driver, 31-year-old Jonathan Joe Ramirez of South Bend, was found to have a driver's license status of suspended-prior. Ramirez was lodged in the Marshall County Jail.

On Saturday evening, August 22, at approximately 7:45 p.m.,  Officer Witkowski with the Plymouth Police Department conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 31 at 12th Road. The driver, 43-year-old Deshawn L. Davidson of South Bend, was found to be operating the vehicle with a suspended license. Davidson was taken into custody and transported to the Marshall County Jail, where he was booked on a charge of operating while suspended.

The weekend's fourth incident occurred Sunday evening, August 23, at 7:34 p.m., when the Marshall County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a moving violation in the area of U.S. 31 and 16th Road. Upon further investigation, both the driver and passenger were found to be in possession of marijuana.

The driver, 32-year-old Warren Keith Highbaugh Jr. of Indianapolis, was arrested and booked into the Marshall County Jail for driving while suspended-prior and possession of marijuana. The passenger, 25-year-old Jontae Devaughn Williams, also of Indy, was arrested and booked for possession of marijuana. Both were charged with Class A misdemeanors and held on $500 cash bonds.

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.