The Van Wert County Courthouse

Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025

Chase defendants remain in jail

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A Willshire woman charged in connection with a pursuit in Van Wert made her initial court appearance on Friday.

Bond for Alicia Funkhouser, 36, was set at $50,000 commercial surety or 10 percent cash for fleeing and eluding, a third degree felony, and OVI, a first degree misdemeanor. After setting bond, Van Wert Municipal Court Judge Jill Worthington scheduled a preliminary hearing for Funkhouser for 9 a.m. Friday, December 27.

Funkhouser and Stemen

Funkhouser was arrested Thursday afternoon after two chases along S. Shannon St. and Fox Rd. She was driving a car with Jesse James Stemen, 35, of Willshire as a passenger. A Van Wert police officer noticed Stemen in the car and knew of a warrant out for his arrest. When the officer activated his overhead lights, Funkhouser took off and accelerated at a high rate of speed southbound on S. Shannon St. When she came to the intersection of S. Shannon St. and Fox Rd., she ran a red light and caused a head-on collision with another vehicle.

Funkhouser and Stemen then ran from the accident and tried to hide from the police in a detached building at a residence directly to the south of Taco Bell in the 11000 block of Fox Rd, which prompted a response from the Van Wert Police Department’s Special Response Team, which had met for training on Thursday.

While Stemen and Funkhouser were hiding in the building, the SRT deployed a drone to locate the two. They refused to surrender, so the Van Wert County Sheriff’s deputy gave commands and then released the the department’s K-9, Ellie.

Funkhouser sustained bite marks and both she and Stemen were taken into custody. Both were taken by EMS to OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital for treatment from the accident, then were transported to the Van Wert County Correctional Facility.

Stemen is being held on a probation violation stemming from a domestic violence charge in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court earlier this year. Records from the Van Wert County Clerk of Courts Office indicate Stemen will remain in jail until an appearance before Common Pleas Court Judge Martin D. Burchfield on January 8.

More charges could be filed against the duo. Van Wert Police Chief Doug Weigle said a significant amount of meth was found in their vehicle after the chase. The narcotic is being sent to the lab for an official weight and testing. Once those results are returned, both could face additional felony charges.

POSTED: 12/21/24 at 12:13 am. FILED UNDER: News