By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Christian Hernandez Rodriguez

WARSAW — A Warsaw man will serve five years in prison for four criminal cases.

In the first case, Christian Hernandez Rodriguez, 32, 3699 N. 175E Lot 146, Warsaw, was charged with criminal mischief, a class A misdemeanor. He was charged with two counts of resisting law enforcement and possession of methamphetamine, all level 6 felonies; and possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor, in a second case. Hernandez Rodriguez was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and possession of methamphetamine, both level 6 felonies, in a third case. He was also sentenced on a probation violation in a methamphetamine possession case.

Five additional criminal charges and a separate methamphetamine possession case were all dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Hernandez Rodriguez was sentenced in Kosciusko Superior Court One on Monday, June 27. Gamal Hernandez interpreted the court’s proceedings for Hernandez Rodriguez.

On Jan. 16, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy received a criminal mischief report. A woman said she invited Hernandez Rodriguez over to retrieve his belongings. She said she had Hernandez Rodriguez trespassed from the property. While at the home, Hernandez Rodriguez became upset and broke a window. He then left the scene.

That same day, a KCSO deputy was patrolling near Argonne Road in Warsaw when he saw a driver try to hide his face as the deputy passed him. While the deputy followed the driver, he noticed the driver disregard a stop sign and fail to signal a turn southbound onto North McKinley Street. The deputy then pulled the vehicle over and identified its driver as Hernandez Rodriguez.

Hernandez Rodriguez was exhibiting nervous behavior and police requested a K9 unit.

While searching the vehicle, officers found drug paraphernalia and a bag containing 1.8 grams of methamphetamine. Hernandez Rodriguez said he had smoked methamphetamine about two hours prior to driving.

Upon arriving at a local hospital for an involuntary blood draw, Hernandez Rodriguez tried to walk away from officers. One of the deputies tried to gain control of him and he began to pull away. Hernandez Rodriguez also pulled away from both a deputy and a Warsaw Police officer while in the hospital.

On March 3, a Warsaw Police officer responded to a report of a reckless driver. The reporting person said a vehicle in front of them was turning onto Parker Street when it ran over the concrete median, throwing sparks. The vehicle crossed the center line of travel and almost hit a telephone pole while on East CR 200N.

The officer pulled the vehicle over and identified its driver as Hernandez Rodriguez; he was speaking rapidly and had red, bloodshot eyes.

Hernandez Rodriguez failed several field sobriety tests at the scene. A K9 unit alerted to illegal drugs in the vehicle. Through a search, officers found a plastic bag containing methamphetamine.

During court proceedings, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Sobek said Hernandez Rodriguez’s behavior was “simply not acceptable.”

“This was quite a series of events he engaged in, and I’m glad nobody was harmed or killed, including Mr. Hernandez Rodriguez,” said Sobek. “I want this to linger with him for a very long time so he learns and keeps learning.”

Defense Attorney Felipe Merino described Hernandez Rodriguez as a “changed person.”

“It’s not very often when I hear a defendant thank me for where they are,” said Merino. “His disposition, his health are so much better.”

Merino said Hernandez Rodriguez is eager to pay for what he’s done so he can go back to Puerto Rico and be with his family.

“I’m very sorry and I’m ready to take whatever you give me,” said Hernandez Rodriguez to Kosciusko Superior Court One Judge Karin McGrath.

For criminal mischief, Judge McGrath gave Hernandez Rodriguez a one-year sentence in prison. The entirety of the one-year sentence was suspended. He was ordered to pay $800 in restitution for the damage caused in the criminal mischief incident. Hernandez Rodriguez received two-year prison sentences for each count of resisting law enforcement, with both counts to run concurrently. One year on the resisting law enforcement charge will be executed while the other is suspended on formal probation.

He also received a two-year prison sentence for methamphetamine possession, with one year executed and one year suspended on probation. The methamphetamine possession charge will run consecutively to the resisting law enforcement charge. A two-month sentence for paraphernalia possession will run concurrently with the methamphetamine possession charge.

In the March case, Hernandez Rodriguez received one-year prison sentences for operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction and methamphetamine possession. Both counts will run consecutively. His driver’s license was also suspended for one year and he must pay $180 in restitution to the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office for a chemical test.

His one year of probation from a methamphetamine possession case was revoked, with the year now to be served at DoC.

All of Hernandez Rodriguez’s cases will be served consecutively to one another. He has a total of 128 days of jail time credit.

In total, Hernandez Rodriguez will serve five years in prison and two years on probation. One year of his sentence was suspended without probation.