On Thursday July 10, 2014, the Columbia City Police Department began
investigating a fatality vehicle crash that occurred in front of Don
Franklin Ford on Hudson St.
Deputy BJ Bray was assisting the CPD with
traffic control when he received a call to Greensburg Road where another
vehicle crash had just occurred. During the course of investigating the
two separate crashes, Deputy Bray and Officer McCarol discovered the two
crashes were somewhat related. Both vehicles had been purchased that
morning from a car lot on Greensburg Road.
Deputy Bray was investigating a single vehicle crash on Greensburg Road
just past Lampton Lane. The operator, Nathan Horton, did not know the
address where he was currently residing. Deputy Bray took Horton home
hoping to retrieve an address off a mailbox or a neighbor.
Once they
arrived at the residence which was located off of Old Portland Road, the
neighbors came and confronted Horton about items that they had found in
bags on the side of the road. The items were suspected to be stolen and
possible owners were contacted by the neighbors. Horton denied any
involvement in any thefts that may have occurred. Horton, originally from
New York, was staying with friends. His friends advised him that he was no
longer welcome and Horton stated that he would go back to New York.
Sheriff Moss received a phone call from the Baker family in Portland
stating that the property that was found was theirs and their residence
had been broken into and a safe had been stolen with a large sum of money
inside.
Deputy Bray responded to the scene to investigate the burglary. He
located the safe that had been stolen from Mr. Baker’s residence in the
back yard of Robert Salina’s residence on Portland Road. The safe had been
broken open and was empty. Deputy Bray attempted to make contact with
someone in the residence but was unable to do so. A search warrant was
obtained for the residence.
Deputy Bray and Sheriff Moss made entry into the house and found numerous
pieces of property and a large sum of money that belonged to Mr. Baker.
Deputy Bray knew that Salina was the victim that was involved in the
vehicle crash that Officer McCarol was investigating. He made contact with
Officer McCarol and found that Salina had a substantial sum of money with
him.
