Sentencing was set for April 24 for a 19-year-old Merrillville man who has pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in the shooting death of a 39-year-old Gary man. Officials say 39-year-old Bryan McCoy suffered a fatal gunshot wound inside his home on East 48^th Avenue in April 2011. Police allege the suspect, Angel Garcia, who was 17 at the time, shot the victim during an argument that turned physical. Garcia faces eight years in prison as part of the plea agreement. Charges of murder and murder in the perpetration of a robbery will be dismissed as part of the agreement if accepted.
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Officials say a 28-year-old Illinois State Trooper was killed last night when his police car was apparently struck by a semi on the Tri-State Tollway in Northbrook. Illinois State Police say James Sauter was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash was still under investigation.
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Mayors across the nation on Thursday held a National Day to Demand Action press conference, to demand action to stop gun violence in our communities. In Gary, Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson was joined by Police Chief Wade Ingram, Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter, as well as leaders of the faith community, and the mother of 18-year-old Charles Wood and 19-year-old Shaqwone Ham, both of Gary, two teenagers killed by gun violence on Sunday, March 17^th. Prosecutor Bernard Carter says parents need to start taking for responsibility for their children, and learn how what your children are doing, and who they associate with.
Mayor Freeman-Wilson says today is just the beginning, calling for background checks, a ban on assault weapons, regulating the use of guns, while still keeping Second Amendment rights in tact and implored concerned residents to stand up and say, “We've had enough”, and to sign the “Call to Action” petition.
For a link to the petition to demand action from Congress, click http://www.demandaction.org.
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Governor Mike Pence will be spending Monday in St. Joseph County, for Dyngus Day. According to his office, Governor Pence will attend a Dyngus Day lunch at the St. Joesph County GOP Headquarters in South Bend, at 12:30pm EDT. The Governor is scheduled to join South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, at M-R Falcons at 3pm EDT, and then the pair will travel to Z-B Falcons for an engagement at 3:45pm EDT.
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The subject of firearms and firearms safety will be addressed the second week of April at the Schererville Town Hall. Schererville Police invite the public to attend their first quarter “Crime Watch Meeting” of 2013, on April 11^th, at 7pm.
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Drivers southbound on I-65 should plan to exit the interstate before the State Road 2 Lowell exit.  According to INDOT, an overturned semi in the median ditch about four miles south of the Lowell exit at mile marker 236, is causing a major backup both directions.  At last report the left lane and left shoulder southbound I-65 was blocked with the shoulder to be closed until around 9 p.m. tonight.  Traffic heading northbound on I-65 was backing up to past State Road 10.
  
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One person is dead, another seriously injured after a passenger vehicle collided with a garbage truck early this afternoon in Center Township. The LaPorte County Sheriff's Office reports a vehicle, driven a 68 year old woman was heading east on County Road 300 North, toward Johnson Road, and failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection, hitting a northbound garbage truck. A 70 year old man, a passenger in the vehicle that failed to stop, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the 68 year old female driver was airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital for her injuries. The Sheriff's Office reports none of the three-occupants of the garbage truck were injured, and the crash remains under investigation. The names of those in the passenger vehicle are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
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Police in Dyer today report a residence was allegedly burglarized while the homeowners were inside. Dyer Police report the incident occurred early this morning, between 4 and 5am, in the 26-hundred block of Tulip Tree Lane. Authorities say the alleged thief reportedly went through an unlocked door and took a purse and electronics. The incident remains under investigation.
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About 40 people were waiting outside the courtroom, and when the doors open this afternoon, they learned 20 year old Dustin McCowan was sentenced to 60 years in prison for murdering former girlfriend, 19 year old Amanda Bach, in September 2011. The parents of deceased read their witness statements, asking for the maximum sentence for McCowan. After sentencing, Sandra Bach, Amanda's mother, gave a final public statement, saying she has no sympathy for McCowan or his family, and their loss is no where near as great as ours. Defense Attorney's for McCowan say their client will file an appeal after 30 days through a public defender.
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Kankakee Valley REMC is making necessary repairs to a power pole broken on the northeast corner of HWY 2 and 100 South in Porter County.  According to Amanda Steeb, Communications Director for the utility, Approximately 2,000 members living in or around this area are currently experiencing an outage as REMC's crews are on the scene making the necessary repairs.  Kankakee Valley REMC says it appreciates it's members patience as the utility works quickly and safely to restore power.
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