Former library director improperly used credit card

Drug defendant, two others sentenced

VW independent staff

Three defendants were sentenced for various crimes during hearings held in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday, while in a separate and unrelated case, a man was found competent to stand trial. Judge Martin D. Burchfield presided over each of the hearings.

Cainan Burnett, 28, Van Wert, was sentenced to 6-9 years prison with credit for 184 days already served for aggravated possession of drugs, a second degree felony. He also also ordered to pay court costs and $7,500 fine. Burnett was arrested in early March after he was caught with what a bulk amount of meth during an early morning traffic stop on N. Washington St. He entered a no contest plea in July.

Tristan Thompson, 20, of Celina, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for abduction, a third degree felony; 36 months for having weapons under disability, a third degree felony, and 180 days in jail for assault, a first degree misdemeanor. The sentences will be served concurrently and Thompson was given credit for 119 days already served. He was also ordered to pay court costs.

Dylan Slagle, 22, of Van Wert, was sentenced to up to six months at the WORTH Center, three years of community control, 30 days in the county jail at a later date and 100 hours of community service for disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a fifth degree felony. He was ordered to seek and maintain employment, undergo a substance abuse assessment and treatment, and was ordered to pay partial appointed counsel fees, monthly probation fees and court costs.

Tyler Pessefall, 28, of Van Wert, was found competent to stand trial after an evaluation at Court Diagnostic in Toledo; A pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 23. Pessefall is charged with strangulation, a fifth degree felony, and assault, a first degree misdemeanor, stemming from an incident in early May.

Victim’s family asks for dismissal

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

There’s a new development in a lawsuit filed by a Van Wert man against his neighbor, who is a convicted sex offender.

Attorney Steven L. Crossmack, who is representing the plaintiff, is asking Visiting Judge Stephen R. Bruns to dismiss the case. Because of the nature of the matter (child sex offense), the VW independent has chosen not to publish the plaintiff’s name, even though it’s public record.

A notice of dismissal without prejudice was filed with the court on Tuesday. If granted, a dismissal without prejudice means the case could be refiled in the future.

The motion came approximately three weeks after the attorney representing David Bradford filed a motion seeking a dismissal (see story here).

Crossmack did not respond to a request for comment on his dismissal motion.

Last call for Reserve Drawing tickets

Submitted information

The Van Wert Service Club is making its last call for ticket sales for its upcoming Reverse Drawing, set for Saturday, September 19, at Walnut & Main Event Space, 223 E. Main St. in downtown Van Wert. The event is also listed on the Visit Van Wert community calendar.

This year’s event is extra special as the Van Wert Service Club celebrates 40 years of supporting and serving the Van Wert community.

The evening will begin with a happy hour at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. The reverse drawing will take place following dinner, with one lucky ticket holder having the opportunity to walk away with the $10,000 grand prize.

Tickets are $135 each, and anyone interested is encouraged to purchase soon before they are gone.

Proceeds from the event help the Van Wert Service Club continue its long tradition of giving back and supporting the local community.

For tickets or additional information, contact Mark Schumm at 419.203.0010, Jay Gamble at 419.203.2234, Keaton Brown at 419.516.7358, or Brian Greve at 419.203.1470.

Tickets can also be purchased through Venmo at @MARK-SCHUMM-1.

Crash involving trooper being investigated

VW independent staff/submitted information

A local highway patrol trooper and one other person were inured in a three-vehicle crash on U.S. 30.

According to OSHP spokesman Sgt. Ryan Purpura, the accident occurred shortly before 12 p.m. Monday on westbound U.S. 30 near the Marsh Road overpass in Van Wert.

A marked OSHP Dodge Durango, operated by a trooper, was following a slow-moving construction vehicle in the right lane on U.S. 30 when it was struck in the rear by a GMC Terrain. After impact, the GMC then struck a Ford F-150 in the left lane.

The trooper and the driver of the GMC, both sustained minor injuries and were transported by ambulance to OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital. The occupants of the F-150 were not injured.

The emergency lights on the OSHP Dodge Durango were in operation at the time of the crash.

This accident remains under investigation.

Fair underway!

The 170th annual Van Wert County Fair got underway on Tuesday and it was a day packed full of various events and all kinds of fun. The fair continues today and it’s Senior Citizens Day, with free admission for anyone 60 and over until 4 p.m. Bob Barnes/Van Wert independent

Unusual call handled by Van Wert PD

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

It’s safe to say the Van Wert Police Department receives a wide range of calls on any given day. Some are your “run of the mill” calls, the usual types of incidents that need a police presence and/or investigating and yes, sometimes enforcement action.

However, a call came in late Sunday morning that was hardly run of the mill. Just before 10:50 a.m., the police department received a call from a youth pastor at theCHURCH, in the 10000 block of U.S. 127 South, of loose goat outside the church. Dispatch was told the goat was quite possibly from the fairgrounds, which made perfect sense since setup was beginning for the Van Wert County Fair. Dispatch was also told the goat was friendly.

Officer Tyler Myers was dispatched to the church and the goat was located. The Van Wert PD doesn’t have vehicles in its fleet to transport farm animals, so the suspected escapee was treated like anyone who was taken into custody – the goat was placed in the back of the cruiser for transport.

Officer Myers and the pygmy goat arrived at the fairgrounds within minutes and custody was transferred to two people with the knowledge to handle a goat. Body camera footage shows when the back door to the cruiser was opened, the goat, now on a leash, jumped out with the assistance of the two people. After a short stroll, perhaps a stroll of shame, the goat was placed inside a pen for safekeeping.

Body cam footage also revealed that for Officer Myers, it was the first time to be dispatched to handle a loose goat.

It should be noted that the goat was tagged and its owner was eventually contacted.

It’s presumed the goat is still at the fair, along with other goats.

City street closures listed for September

Submitted information

Here is a list of Van Wert street closures that are planned for the month of September.

Sycamore St. from Jefferson St. to Washington St. will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. September 8-10 for their bell tower project.

S. Jefferson St. from Main St. to Central Ave. will be closed from 5-10 p.m. Saturday, September 12, for a Van Wert Freedom Cruise.

Main Street Van Wert’s Harvest Moon Festival event will be held from 4-11 p.m. Saturday, September 26. The street closure will be Main St., from 101 E. Main St., to 301 E. Main St.; East and West Court St.; 200 E. Main St., from S. Market St., to E. Crawford St., including the parking lot and 113 N. Market St., to Main St.

Cast set for upcoming VWCT musical

VW independent staff/submitted information

The chase is officially on.

Van Wert Civic Theatre has revealed the cast for the upcoming musical production of Catch Me If You Can, directed by Jerry Zimmerman with music direction by Terri Spencer and choreography by Noelle Warnement.

Fly high with Frank Abagnale, Jr. in this high-energy musical comedy based on the hit 2002 film and incredible true story. From pilot to doctor to lawyer, follow the world’s most charming con artist as he out runs the FBI in a globe-trotting chase filled with glamorous sets, spectacular dance numbers, and a swinging 60’s score. Can the law catch him, or will Frank fly away with it all? 

The cast features Ashton Szabados as Frank Abagnale, Jr., Nick Long as Agent Carl Hanratty, Drew Kantonen as Frank Abagnale, Sr., and Mary Ann Falk as Paula Abagnale. Cheyenne Weber stars as Brenda Strong alongside Kristin Lee as Carol Strong, Roger Rex as Roger Strong, and Nicole Merkel as Cheryl Ann, with Grant Boecker, Brian Hill, and Marcus Kerns appearing as FBI agents. 

The ensemble who play a variety of roles includes Amy Boley, Renae Boecker, Sean Carpenter, Anna Cassidy, Leah Garmatter, Dianna Hicks, Katelyn Knepper, Doug Long, Jr., Brianna Luginbihl, Nicole Merkel, Alea Rex, Kimmy Warnecke, Noelle Warnement, Joe Warnement, and Jerry Zimmerman. 

Get ready for an evening of big dance numbers, flashy sets, and an unforgettable cat-and-mouse game between Frank Jr. and the FBI. The box office will open to the public on Thursday, September 3. Admission is 18 with a senior discount ticket available for $16. 

Show dates and times September 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, and 26, 2026 at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees on September 20 and 27, 2026 at 2 p.m. at the Van Wert Civic Theatre, 118 S. Race Street. Reserve your tickets online at vwct.org or by calling 419.238.9689. 

YWCA offering free DV video series

VW independent staff/submitted information

The YWCA of Van Wert County is offering the community a free opportunity to better understand the complexities of domestic violence and the tactics abusers use to maintain control over their partners.

The online video series, Take the Wheel: A Crash Course in the Power and Control Wheel, features short, easy-to-digest videos that explain each section of the power and control wheel. Each video highlights specific behaviors commonly exhibited by perpetrators of intimate partner violence.

The power and control wheel, first developed in 1984, is a widely recognized tool that illustrates how abuse is a pattern of behaviors rather than isolated incidents. Its “spokes” represent various tactics used by abusers, including intimidation, emotional abuse, isolation, coercion and threats, economic abuse, minimizing, denying, blaming, and the use of privilege.

“The power and control wheel has long been the gold standard for identifying stereotypical behaviors abusers use to manipulate and control their victims,” said Julie Schaufelberger,YWCA Director of Outreach and Communication. “Most people are familiar with the physical aspects of domestic violence. The power and control wheel shows the full range of intimate partner violence and helps recognize red flags that might be overlooked.”

Beginning October 1, subscribers will receive links by email to view a 3-5 minute video highlighting a different segment of the wheel. Videos will be released twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout October – Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In total, participants will receive seven videos..

A discussion board will also be available, offering thought-provoking questions for participants to reflect on and discuss. Engagement in the forum is optional.

“The time investment is very small. In less than one hour total over the entire month of October, subscribers will gain valuable insight into the warning signs of abuse and learn practical ways to support survivors,” Schaufelberger said.

Community members may register by September 30 at: https://forms.gle/g9Yg4vd8nF3pqHsJ6. Additional details about the discussion board will be provided in a welcome email to all registrants.

The YWCA of Van Wert County is an agency of the United Way of Van Wert County and is partially funded by the VAn Wert County Foundation.

Tully Township Trustees change meeting

Submitted information

The next regular Tully Township Trustee meeting will be held a a week later than usual, 7 p.m. Monday, September 14, at the Township Hall, 6278 Mentzer Road, Convoy. The change is due to the Labor Day holiday.