America Today Staff 
Elias R. Thomas of East Chicago faces felony charges after police say he fired a rifle into an occupied apartment while a mother and her two juvenile children were inside. According to court documents, East Chicago Police responded on February 5, 2026, to the 4400 block of Olcott Avenue for a report of shots fired. … Read more
Joseph Edward Romano, 47, of Merrillville, faces felony charges after police say surveillance footage shows him breaking into a secured construction site on two separate occasions and later selling the stolen steel at a Gary scrap yard. According to the probable cause affidavit, Hammond Police responded to investigate two burglaries at a commercial construction site … Read more
Anthony John Coffey, 24, of Monee, Illinois, faces multiple felony charges after Lake County Sheriff’s officers say he led police on a high-speed chase across several Lake County roadways that ended on an interstate ramp in Highland, leaving an Indiana State Trooper seriously injured. According to the probable cause affidavit, the incident began around 2:30 … Read more
A Lake County jury found Hakeem Pittman guilty on multiple felony charges stemming from a child molestation investigation, and a judge has now sentenced him to 67 years in the Indiana Department of Correction. The court handed down the sentence in Lake County Superior Court. Pittman was convicted of the following offenses: • Count I: … Read more
Two Kanawha County school buses were involved in a minor crash Thursday morning. Authorities reported the incident shortly before 9:30 a.m. near Oakridge Drive and Greenbrier Street in Charleston. Officials said dozens of students were riding on at least one of the buses, but none appear to have been injured. First responders are evaluating the … Read more
A veteran from Putnam County will receive recognition at a national tribute event this spring, organizers announced. U.S. Army Capt. James McCormick of Scott Depot has been chosen as one of the nation’s 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project honorees during a mission set for April 27 through May 1, according to a news release from … Read more
A Ravenswood man was arrested Wednesday after police said he allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor dating back to 2018. James Paul DeNapoli II, 40, faces nine counts of third-degree sexual assault, according to a news release from the Ravenswood Police Department. Police allege DeNapoli had a sexual relationship with a child … Read more
Police said a traffic stop along U.S. 33 in Jackson County led to an arrest and the seizure of illegal drugs. Paul Richard Harris II, 49, of Columbus, has been charged with possession with intent to deliver both fentanyl and MDMA, according to a social media post from the Ravenswood Police Department. Officers stopped an … Read more
A Floyd County man received a prison sentence of more than 15 years on Thursday for drug trafficking offenses, prosecutors said. Justin Bryant, 35, of Martin, was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine and fentanyl, along with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according … Read more
As West Virginia works to safeguard nearly 6,000 children in foster care, lawmakers are weighing proposed changes to child welfare policy. “It’s all about the safety for the kids and to guarantee and ensure that the parents are doing what they tell the courts they’re doing,” said Del. Scot Heckert, R-Wood. Heckert is sponsoring House … Read more