05192016 - News Article - Prosecutor wants state police to join Lake Station DUI probe

Prosecutor wants state police to join Lake Station DUI probe
NWI Times
May 19, 2016
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/crime-and-court/prosecutor-wants-state-police-to-join-lake-station-dui-probe/article_68ccfd41-a977-552b-b4ac-feb136259df2.html

CROWN POINT — The Lake County prosecutor is asking state police to investigate why a local court failed to report license restrictions to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

"I've asked them to investigate the Lake Station City Court in reference to the handling of the BMV suspensions," Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter said Wednesday.

"The state police have the option of going to the U.S. Attorney's office and other federal authorities as well as our office," he said.

Indiana State Police Master Trooper Aaron Correll, commander of the Lowell post, referred all inquiries to First Sgt. Al Williamson, who is responsible for criminal investigations and was unavailable Wednesday.

"I welcome the investigation," Lake Station Mayor Christopher Anderson said Wednesday.

He said the results of such an investigation would help the city's new initiative to reduce the risk of fraud through internal controls that would divide up key duties, such handing driver's restrictions, so that no one individual controls all aspects of the transaction.

Carter said earlier this week he is concerned the reporting failure could involve hundreds of drivers who should have had their driving privileges suspended.

State law requires courts to mail convictions for serious moving violations to the BMV, which assesses points for such convictions that remain on an individual’s driving record for two years and can result in license suspensions and higher insurance rates for the drivers.

Carter and Anderson said earlier this week Miranda Brakley, who was clerk of that city's court from 2008 to 2012 and a stepdaughter of former Mayor Keith Soderquist, was responsible for transmitting convictions and driving restrictions to the BMV over that four year period.

Brakley already is awaiting sentencing for a guilty plea in January to embezzling about $16,000 from the Lake Station City Court. Keith Soderquist, the former mayor and Brakley's stepfather, has pleaded guilty to trying to cover up the theft by trying to replace the missing money with other funds.

Thomas Vanes, Brakley's attorney, said Wednesday any investigation should look beyond his client, who he said wasn't solely responsible for sending court records to the BMV.

Vanes said several clerks worked in the court, including Lake Station City Councilman Neil Anderson, a brother of the mayor.

Neil Anderson said Wednesday he worked for the court for two years, Brakley was his supervisor and she handled the court records sent to the BMV.

Carter said his office uncovered the Lake Station City Court problem earlier this month during an investigation into why the City Court failed to submit to the BMV a 2011 reckless driving conviction for Randolph L. “Randy” Palmateer, 37, business manager for the Northwestern Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council.

Vanes said former mayor Soderquist complained to Carter's staff four years ago about how drunken driving plea bargains were being handled in Lake Station City Court, including Palmateer's.

"So none of this should be news to Mr. Carter," Vanes said.