Willshire man sentenced for police chase

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A county man involved in an ill-fated chase with Van Wert Police late last year appeared in court for a sentencing hearing on Wednesday.

Jesse Stemen, 36, of Willshire, was sentenced by Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Judge Martin D. Burchfield to 18 months in prison with credit given for 294 days already served for receiving stolen property, a fourth degree felony, plus 180 days in jail with credit for 180 days already served for domestic violence, a first degree misdemeanor. Those charges were unrelated to the December chase.

He was also to sentenced to 36 months in prison with credit for 132 days already served for aggravated possession of drugs, a third degree felony, and 36 months in prison for aggravated trafficking in drugs, also a third degree felony, with credit for 132 days already served. Judge Burchfield ordered the two sentences run concurrently, but consecutive to the first two sentences for a total aggregate prison term of 54 months. Stemen was also ordered to pay court costs.

Stemen and a co-defendant, Alicia Funkhouser, 36, of Willshire, were arrested December 19, after a Van Wert police officer saw Stemen in a vehicle and knew of a warrant out for his arrest. The officer activated his overhead lights but the driver, Funkhouser, sped away then ran a red light at Shannon St. and Fox Rd. and caused a head-on collision with another car.

The two ran from the accident and tried to hide from the police in a detached building near Taco Bell. However, the Van Wert Special Response Team was in the area training at the time. While Stemen and Funkhouser were hiding in the building, the SRT deployed a drone to locate the two hiding inside. They refused to surrender, so the Van Wert County Sheriff’s deputy gave commands and then released the the department’s K-9. Funkhouser sustained bite marks and both she and Stemen were taken into custody.

While investigating, police found a significant amount of meth in the car.

Funkhouser recently entered a guilty plea to one count each of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and an amended charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs, both felonies of the third degree.

Judge Burchfield ordered a pre-sentence investigation in the case and set sentencing for 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 28.