Thursday, September 16th, 2021
Celina man lauded for his help with an arrest
By Leslie Gartrell
CELINA - A Celina man has been commended by the Celina Police Department for his help in stopping a suspect from escaping police on Wednesday.
Brian Moeller assisted patrolman A.J. Poppe early Wednesday morning when Skyler Lawrence, 26, Portland, Ind., resisted arrest and attempted to escape after an attempted traffic stop, according to a news release from Celina Police Chief Tom Wale.
Police received a call at 8:30 a.m. of an erratic driver coming into town on Frahm Pike from State Route 118. Officers found the vehicle, a 2007 Cadillac SUV, and tried to stop it on Summit Street, according to the release.
The vehicle turned into the Marathon service station on North Main Street at Summit Street, and Lawrence, who was driving, fled from the vehicle on foot southwest to the Plaza parking lot. Poppe caught Lawrence in the parking lot.
Lawrence aggressively resisted Poppe's arrest and attempted to escape, according to the release. Moeller ran from his nearby business, Gentlemen's Quarters, and reportedly helped Poppe gain control of Lawrence.
Lawrence was found to have multiple warrants in Jay County, Ind., for dealing in methamphetamine. He also had suspected methamphetamine on his person, and more was found in the vehicle from which he had fled, according to the release.
Christian Mae Scott, 20, Portland, Ind., a passenger in Lawrence's vehicle, was found to be in possession of suspected fentanyl, according to the release. While being processed into jail, more suspected fentanyl reportedly was found on her.
Wale in the release thanked Moeller for his assistance and also the citizen who reported the dangerous driving to central dispatch.
"Help from our citizens keeps us all safer," the release concludes.
