Man facing multiple charges for bad checks

A warrant has been issued for a Columbus man’s arrest after police say he wrote 28 checks totaling more than $37,000 on a closed bank account, including $2,711.12 owed to two local businesses and to a man who sold him a utility trailer.

Archie Horton, 46, was charged on Jan. 22 in Brown Circuit Court with two Level 6 felonies and four Class A misdemeanors for check deception and theft.

On Nov. 3, Officer Michael Horn was notified by a Gnaw Bone business owner that he’d received two bad checks from the same person, on Aug. 27 and 28.

Horton reportedly told the victim that a weed-eater, chainsaw and rototiller had been stolen from him and he needed replacements. He asked if he could write a check. He said he was hoping to get insurance money before he made the purchases, but he needed the equipment.

The owner later called Horton’s bank to see if the checks, for a total of $1,670.06, would clear. The teller informed him that they would not.

Horn contacted Horton, who told police the checks were a big misunderstanding and he would be in on Nov. 6 to take care of it. According to the police report, Horton did not arrive, and then failed to appear on Nov. 7, saying his car broke down in Michigan and he would be in on Nov. 9. He didn’t show up then, either.

Horn requested a subpoena for Horton’s bank statements, which showed that the account was closed in January 2020 and 28 checks had been written since, totaling $37,203.13.

On Dec. 1, Horn spoke with the owner of a Nashville business who said that Horton had written two bad checks on April 4 for tools, totaling $541.06.

On Dec. 11, Horn spoke to a man who reported a theft of a 2005 USC utility trailer. The owner had listed the item for sale in the paper for $500, and on Dec. 4, Horton had written him a bad check for it, the police report said.

Horn spoke with Horton again, who said he would return the trailer and turn himself in. As of Dec. 13, Horton had failed to appear at the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, and a warrant was issued for his arrest on Jan. 28.

Horton is facing four charges of Class A misdemeanors, plus a Level 6 felony for check deception and a Level 6 felony for theft.

Man faces felonies after fight, fleeing in truck

VAN BUREN TWP. — A Brown County man faces two felony charges and a misdemeanor charge after a physical domestic dispute.

Sgt. Chad Williams was dispatched to the area of Whitehorse Road after a caller reported a fight between two men on Dec. 4. The caller reported that were several children in the house and one of the men, later identified as Kyle Irwin, 29, had a knife.

While Williams was en route, he was notified that Irwin had left the home. Williams spoke with the other man at the scene, who had scratches on his face but refused EMS attention.

The man told police that Irwin had “flipped a switch” after an argument began escalating. He told police Irwin started attacking him and breaking things in the house. He told the children to get out so they could be safe.

Police found a broken TV inside and several things on the floor that shouldn’t be. The kids told police that Irwin got mad and threw a Mountain Dew bottle at the other man and then started hitting him. They told police that Irwin went into the kitchen to grab a knife, but the other man had left the room.

Irwin left the house in his father’s truck, which was reported as stolen.

Police found the truck abandoned near Irwin’s ex-girlfriend’s apartment in Columbus. She told police he had left the apartments after calling for a ride from a friend.

A warrant was issued for his arrest on Jan. 26.

On Jan. 22, he was charged with two Level 6 felonies, for domestic battery and conversion, and a Class B misdemeanor for criminal recklessness.