GOSHEN — An Elkhart man was sentenced to 18 months alternative placement for stealing his child’s mom’s car.
Police reported that the woman contacted police on Feb. 8 to report that Kevin N. Starr, 32, had been at an appointment and had someone watching her kids when Starr came by for his scheduled parental visitation. The woman said he left for a brief trip and went she came back, the child was alone and the mother’s vehicle was missing.
Later that day, the babysitter reported that Starr told her he’d taken the vehicle to make money doordashing, and it had been crashed in Michigan later in the day.
Starr was sentenced on Wednesday on auto theft, a Level 6 felony, to 18 months at the Indiana Department of Corrections to be served alternatively at Elkhart County Community Corrections with a recommendation of Work Release.
ANGEL G. LUNA SOTO
An Elkhart man had an initial hearing in Elkhart County Circuit Court on Wednesday, charged with auto theft.
On Monday, Aug. 25, police responded to a stolen vehicle at Martin’s Supermarket, 1527 Bashor Road, Goshen.
Police found the black Ford Escape near Lassus, 1001 Pike St., and followed it down Wilkinson before activating their emergency lights after confirming the license plates.
The driver immediately braked and began to step out of the vehicle. Police ordered him to step fully out of the vehicle and show his hands, to which the driver said he could not, according to a probable cause affidavit. The driver did get fully out of the vehicle then, and the vehicle began rolling away so the officer told him to put the vehicle in park and then walk backward toward him, the affidavit reads.
The officer noticed that the driver, identified as Angel G. Luna Soto, 23, of Elkhart, did not follow commands well and made unusual comments, the affidavit reads.
Soto was arrested and back at the police station, he reportedly told police that the owner of the vehicle, someone he said he knew from previous interactions, was acting unusually, with a “zombie-like” walk, with his hands up horizontal in front of him.
Soto told police that he was from Elkhart and wanted to get back to Elkhart, but only had his bicycle and that the driver was going to give him a ride home, but the conversation with the driver confused him.
Soto couldn’t explain how he got into the vehicle, but the victim did later confirm to police that Soto had said he needed a ride home before getting into his vehicle and leaving, the affidavit reads.
Soto was appointed a public defender during his initial hearing in Circuit Court on Wednesday, where he also attempted to explain to the judge that there was a misunderstanding. He was told to speak to his attorney as the PD’s office is now appointed.
His pretrial conference is scheduled for Oct. 1, trial status conference for Nov. 12 and jury trial for Dec. 8.