The information provided allows for a timely snapshot of events in our community. The crimes reported here are preliminary investigations conducted in the field by deputies and may or may not be assigned to a Detective for further investigation. The information provided may be found to be incorrect or false after further investigation. Certain details of these incidents have been removed due to potential follow-up investigation into the incident and/or for privacy rights.
February 24, 2025, Press Release from the Van Wert County Sheriff's Office: The information provided allows for a timely snapshot of events in our community. The crimes reported here are preliminary investigations, taken in the field by deputies, and may or may not be assigned to a Detective for further investigation. The information provided may be found after further investigation to be incorrect or false. Certain details of these incidents have been removed due to potential follow-up investigation into the incident and/or for privacy rights.
33-year-old Nicholas Stemen waived his right to a speedy trial.
A toddler died last night in a car fire in Allen County. The Allen County Sheriff's Office reports that 3-year-old Lillyanna Stemen was in the back seat of the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. The vehicle was driven by her father, 33-year-old Nichols Matthew Stemen of Elida, Ohio. The sheriff's office reports that around 9:50 p.m. Wednesday, a 9-1-1 call came in of an irrational driver swerving and driving on a wheel rim.
No one was injured in the 2-alarm fire, but the blaze did cause an estimated $40,000 in damage to Chase Bank.