10-19-2017 Police Reports; Handgun investigation continues at Coloma schools;

Police Reports

By Annette Christie

Handgun investigation continues at Coloma schools

 The Coloma Township Police Department continues to investigate a handgun in the school complaint made Monday, October 9 in the Coloma School District.  Chief Jason Roe said that the department has conducted multiple searches of the school and surrounding grounds, but they have been unable to locate a firearm. “We are continuing to investigate and are hoping to be able to turn the case over to the prosecutor later this week or by next week,” Roe said.

At approximately 9:50 a.m. on Monday, October 9, the Coloma Township Police Department was notified that the Coloma Junior High School was going into lockdown after reports that a student in the building had a weapon. Coloma High School was also placed into lockdown as a precaution because the schools are connected.

The student believed to be involved in the incident was isolated and detained. While speaking with other students and staff, officers learned that several students observed the suspect in possession of a weapon, possibly a small pistol, shortly before the incident was reported to staff.

Officers from Coloma Township and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department conducted a thorough search of the school and surrounding grounds. A Sheriff’s Department Canine Unit also assisted with the search. No weapon was ever found. The student was released to his mother.

Coloma Township Police activity

Coloma Township Police Officers investigated 225 complaints in the month of September including 10 non-aggravated assaults, 11 driving law violations, 47 non-criminal assists, 22 suspicious situations, and 31 other agency assists. In all they made 21 arrests, two felonies and 19 misdemeanors.

The department made 70 traffic stops and issued 19 citations.

There were 271 business property checks and nine ordinance investigations.

Watervliet Township Police activity

The statistics for Berrien County Sheriff Deputies Puffer and Goff that provide police service for Watervliet Township are as follows: For the month of August they made eight misdemeanor arrests and two felony arrests. There were 37 traffic stops made with 19 citations written. The two assisted other agencies 14 times. They completed 74 building checks. In all there were 47 complaints for the month and eight follow ups.

For the month of September Goff and Puffer made 13 misdemeanor arrests and seven felony arrests. Puffer noted that most of those arrests were the results of traffic stops where there were warrants or drugs, etc. The two made 38 traffic stops and wrote 27 citations.   In all there were 39 complaints and nine follow ups.

Puffer would like to remind residents to keep their eyes open and if they see something suspicious in their neighborhoods, they should call police for assistance and to check it out. He noted that a lot of the seasonal residents of the township are gone for the winter.

Bailey acquitted of murder

A Berrien County jury found Derek Bailey of Coloma not guilty on the charge of murder.  Bailey was charged in the death of 37-year-old Nicholaus Kling of Eau Claire on May 1 in Benton Township.

Bailey was the front seat passenger in a car driven by his girlfriend Jade Roy, when as they turned down the road towards Roy’s residence, they were confronted by Kling.  The interaction between Roy, Bailey, and Kling ended with Kling dead.

Bailey never denied drawing a firearm and shooting Kling, who was outside the vehicle, but he said he did so in self-defense. Kling was shot three times, once in the chest, once in the abdomen, and once in the face.

Bailey was the current boyfriend of Jade Roy and Kling was her ex. During the trial in the Berrien County Trial Court, Roy told the court that she had been at Kling’s house earlier in the day and that she told him that she was going to date another man.  She said Kling had sent her text messages and called her multiple times after she left his home.  She said she told Bailey that he may or may not be at her home when they got there.

Roy said that as she turned onto Benton Center Road, Kling was standing in the road with his vehicle nearby. She told the Court that he got in front of her vehicle and so she stopped her car.  Roy testified that Kling pointed to Bailey and said that he was going to —- kill him, which she said he repeated again as he proceeded around the car to Bailey’s side. She said that she saw Kling punching Bailey but that he was blocking it with his arm and the next thing she knew, Bailey shot him.

Bailey, who testified, told the court that he feared for his life.

Ultimately, the jury believed Bailey, rendering a not guilty verdict for the open murder charge.  He was convicted of carrying a concealed weapon and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Bailey is currently free on bond and will be sentenced on the only charge he was convicted of on November 20.