OTTAWA (TNS) — As the murder trial of Michael Luebrecht, accused of murdering his 13-month-old son in 2005, continued into its second day Tuesday at Putnam County Common Pleas Court, both of the victim's parents took the stand to offer testimony.

Luebrecht pleaded guilty to aggravated murder in 2005 for drowning his son, Joel, in a bathtub and has served 12 years in prison for the crime. Recently, Judge Randall Basinger allowed Luebrecht to change his plea to not guilty and have a jury trial to attempt to prove he committed the crime because of side effects of medications he was on for depression and obsessive compulsive disorder at the time of the murder.

Putnam County Prosecutor Gary Lammers rested the states case after the jury heard from the prosecution's final two witnesses, Sheriff Deputy Greg Westrick and Detective Marvin Schwiebert. Lammers asked the two men about Luebrecht’s emotional status on the day Joel was murdered. Both men said he seemed cold and emotionless and didn't seem intoxicated by substances.

During cross examination, defense attorney Danny Hill asked the deputy and detective if the sheriff’s office offers training in spotting people suffering from mental health medication side effects.

“I never heard of them offering training like that,” Schweibert said.

Later in the afternoon, Luebrecht took the stand. He described his history of mental illness to the jury, using a timeline his wife created as an aid. Luebrecht said he has massive gaps in his memory due to his medications.

The medications Luebrecht took from 1994 to 2004 were working, Amy Luebrecht said during her testimony. She said during that decade he was a great spouse and father until late 2004.

“He was talkative, fun, very courteous,” she said. “He loved to help people. He was a really nice guy. There were times he wasn't as talkative and helpful. He would sleep more.”

Michael Luebrecht said he didn't remember much from the time he was hospitalized from December 2004 to the day he murdered his son, though he remembers in clear detail killing Joel.

“There was a mission to kill Joel and that mission had to be done,” he said, describing the feeling as some outside force pushing him to commit the crime.

Luebrecht continued describing how he had filled the bathtub before going to the babysitters. He mimicked with his hands how he held the boy and then lowered his hands as he described lowering Joel into the bathtub and drowning him.

Amy Luebrecht said the man who killed their son wasn’t the Michael Luebrecht she married. The man she married was a good man who always worried about other people, was honest to a fault and loved his children. When she learned about what happened to her son it wasn't Michael Luebrecht she was angry with, she said. She was angry and devastated that the numerous doctors he saw, who kept changing his medication, had failed him.

During cross examination, Lammers challenged Luebrecht's self-characterization of being an honest man by pointing out the number of times he lied during the day his son was murdered. He lied to the babysitter about picking his son up for a doctor visit, Lammers said. He also allegedly lied to Jeff Dickman, the neighbor who came to help give Joel Luebrecht CPR, by telling him the boy fell into the bathtub.

Reach Bryan Reynolds at 567-242-0362.

___

(c)2018 The Lima News (Lima, Ohio)

Visit The Lima News (Lima, Ohio) at www.limaohio.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The National Weather Service in Cleveland has issued a wind-chill advisory for Huron County and the surrounding areas that will remain in effect until noon Saturday.

Here are details from the weather service:

Dangerously cold wind chills continue into Saturday morning. Arctic air will continue to settle into the region today, with

wind chill values ranging 10 below zero to 24 below zero overnight and Friday night.

Lake-effect snow will continue in the snowbelt with the heaviest focused in extreme northeast Ohio and inland northwest Pennsylvania, where moisture off Lake Huron will contribute to higher snowfall totals. Snow will continue through Friday night with a foot or more possible if a heavier band becomes stationary.

Northwest winds will average 10 to 20 mph today, with gusts to 25 mph. Northwest winds will average 5 to 15 mph tonight.

The cold wind chills will cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin tonight and Friday night.

A wind chill advisory means that cold air and the wind will combine to create low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and gloves.

HURON — Robert R. Lunato, 79, residing in Huron, died unexpectedly Thursday morning, January 4, 2018 at Firelands Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending at Groff Funeral Homes & Crematory.

NR01052018

WILLARD — Harold G. “Boomer” Welch, 86, longtime resident of Clarksfield and New London passed away on Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at the Willows at Willard.

He was born August 17, 1931 in Clarksfield, son of the late Dudley and Fannie (nee Case) Welch. Harold served in the U.S. Army in Germany during the Korean War. He was a member of the New London American Legion, Eagles and VFW.

Harold instilled in his family the value of being a hard worker. He was a heavy equipment operator, farmer and talented mechanic.

He is survived by his wife of over 60 years, Joanne (nee Farmer); brother, James Welch; children, Donna Welch, Denise Welch, Douglas (Rosanne) Welch, Dorinda Sue Welch and Chris Welch; grandchildren, Cory Mullins, Faith Welch, Kylee Welch, Briana Welch, Joseph Welch and Raymond J. Delphia III and great-grandsons, Bentley Mullins, Greyson Mullins and Kiaden Delphia.

A private service was held at the Clarksfield Methodist Cemetery. If desired, memorial contributions can be given to the New London American Legion Post 292, 185 North Main Street, New London, Ohio 44851 and online condolences to the Welch family may be made by visiting www.eastmanfuneralhome.com.

NR01052018

WILLARD — Jane Ann Carpenter, 78, of Willard died Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at Mercy Hospital, Tiffin. She was born January 20, 1939 in Shelby to the late Robert and Caroline (Berg) Fellows. Mrs. Carpenter was retired from Pioneer Rubber and was a member of the First United Methodist Church. She enjoyed puzzles, cheering on her favorite teams, the Cleveland Cavs and LA Dodgers and never missed games shows on TV. Jane enjoyed the beauty of butterflies and owls.

Mrs. Carpenter is survived by 2 daughters: Judy (John) Mizer of Willard and Janet (Earl) McCoy of Bangor, MI. 9 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, 1 brother: James (Brenda) Fellows of Shelby along with numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Gerald "Jerry" Carpenter in June, 2017, her parents and 2 brothers: Richard and Ralph Fellows

Friends may call Monday, January 8, 2018 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at First United Methodist Church, 401 E. Howard Street, Willard with the funeral services beginning at 12:00 PM. Pastor Darlene Robinson officiating. Burial will be held at Greenwood Cemetery, Willard. Memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church through the Lindsey Kocher Funeral Service, 323 Myrtle Ave, Willard. Online condolences may be made at www.lindseykocher.com

NR010502017

The recent frigid cold has made for a stressful beginning to 2018, and upcoming single digit temperatures have the potential to make it worse.

But all too often, motorists forget that there is something else in their life that is also enduring the harshness of winter: their vehicle.

“It’s not too late to take a look either give your car a quick inspection, or to get it into a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility,” said Scott Tennant, AAA East Central Director of Emergency Roadside Service Field Operations. “It’s better to check your vehicle sooner than later – before you are stranded with a dead battery, faulty wiper blades, or tires with low traction.”

Winter Car Care Checklist

Battery and Charging System – Have the battery and charging system tested by a trained technician. A fully charged battery in good condition is required to start an engine in cold weather. AAA members can request a visit from a AAA Mobile Battery Service technician who will test their battery and replace it on-site, if necessary. AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities can also test and replace weak batteries.

Battery Cables and Terminals – Check the condition of the battery cables and terminals. Make sure all connections are secure and remove any corrosion from the terminals and posts.

Drive Belts – Inspect belts for cracks or fraying. Don’t just look at the smooth top surface of the belt, but turn it over and check the grooved underside where most belt wear occurs.

Engine Hoses –Visually inspect the cooling system hoses for leaks, cracks or loose clamps. Also, squeeze the hoses to check for any that may be brittle or excessively spongy feeling and in need of replacement.

Tire Type and Tread – In areas with heavy winter weather, changing to snow tires on all four wheels will provide the best winter traction. All-season tires will work well in light to moderate snow conditions, providing they have adequate tread depth. If any tire has less than 3/32-inches of tread, it should be replaced. Uneven wear on the tires can indicate alignment, suspension or wheel balance problems that should be addressed to prevent further damage to the tires.

Tire Pressure – Check tire pressure more frequently during winter months. As the temperature drops, so will the pressures in the tires—typically 1 PSI for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The proper tire pressure levels can be found on a sticker located on the driver’s side door jamb. And, don’t forget to check the spare.

Air Filter – Check the engine’s air filter by holding it up to a 60-watt light bulb. If light can be seen through much of the filter, it is still clean enough to work effectively. However, if the light is blocked by most of the filter, replace it.

Coolant Levels – Check the coolant level when the engine is cold. If the coolant level is low, add a 50/50 solution of coolant and water to maintain the necessary antifreeze capability. The level of antifreeze protection can be checked with an inexpensive tester available at any auto parts store.

Lights – Check the operation of all headlights, taillights, emergency flashers, turn signals, brake lights and back-up lights. Replace any burnt out bulbs.

Wiper Blades – Blades should completely clear the glass with each swipe. Replace blades that leave streaks or miss spots. In areas with snowy conditions, consider installing winter wiper blades that wrap the blade in a rubber boot to prevent ice and snow buildup that can prevent good contact between the rubber blade and the glass.

Washer Fluid – Fill the windshield washer fluid reservoir with a cleaning solution that has antifreeze components for cold weather use.

Brakes – Have brakes inspected by a certified technician to ensure all components are in good working order.

Transmission, Brake and Power Steering Fluids – Check all fluids to ensure they are at or above the minimum safe levels.

Emergency Road Kit – Update the car’s emergency kit for winter weather. The kit should include:

• Bag of abrasive material (sand, salt, cat litter) or traction mats

• Snow shovel

• Snow brush

• Flashlight with extra batteries

• Window washer solvent

• Ice scraper

• Cloth or roll of paper towels

• Jumper cables

• Gloves, hats and blankets

• Warning devices (flares or triangles)

• Drinking water

• Non-perishable snacks (energy or granola bars)

• Extra clothes

• First-aid kit

• Basic toolkit (screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrench)

• Mobile phone and car charger with important numbers programmed in it, including a roadside assistance provider

WILLARD — Police in this city were asked to check on the status of a 69-year-old resident.

The man’s son called police Wednesday afternoon, saying he had received a message on Facebook stating his father was in Columbia, dead.

Police offers went to a Rae Court residence — the last known address for the man’s father — but no one answered the door.

Officers found a note on the door from the landlord stating the rent was past due.

A neighbor told police the man went to Columbia the day before Thanksgiving and never returned.

Zoe Greszler

BELLEVUE — A local man received an eight-year prison sentence for beating someone with a baseball bat.

Jordan R. Mellon was sentenced Wednesday in Huron County Common Pleas Court. Mellon also was ordered to pay $400 in restitutions.

Mellon, 32, of 147 McKim St., Bellevue, pleaded guilty to felonious assault on Nov. 14 after prosecutors agreed to dismiss charges of attempted murder and felonious assault.

The assault involved a “love triangle” that turned violent in Bellevue, resulting in one man being hospitalized and a woman being sent to prison.

Bellevue police say Lisa Miller lured the victim, Dustin Gurley, to a secluded place, where Mellon waited with a baseball bat.

Miller, 25, of 294 Southwest St., Bellevue, received a two-year prison sentence Dec. 15. She pleaded guilty to attempted felonious assault after prosecutors agreed to dismiss charges of attempted murder and complicity to felonious assault.

There was “a little bit of a love triangle” involving Mellon, Miller and the 31-year-old Gurley, who also resides in Bellevue, said Bellevue Police Sgt. Marc Linder.

On Sept. 1, Miller drove Mellon to the Bellevue reservoir so he could hide while she went to pick up Gurley under the pretense of a private discussion, the sergeant said. 

“She drove (Gurley) out there saying they wanted to talk about stuff,” he said. “Then she gets out of the car and that’s when Mellon surprises him and beats him with a baseball bat and broke his leg.

“Gurley managed to get away and ran into a field to hide. I guess Mellon couldn’t find him and they drove off. Luckily someone heard him yelling for help and found him in the field.”

Linder said the cause of the assault is unclear and that Miller “just said they wanted to fight,” but the complicated relationships might have played a part.

Gurley sustained a broken leg and several lacerations to the face, which required staples, Linder said. He might have suffered a fractured skull as well. 

“I believe he’s doing all right,” Linder said.

In late August, just prior to the assault, Gurley was indicted by Sandusky County grand jury on charges of failing to comply with police orders and receiving stolen property.

Gurley later pleaded guilty to failure to comply in exchange for the other charge being dismissed. He received three years of probation.

NORWALK — Thomas Edward Smith, 72, of Norwalk, passed away following a brief illness on Friday, December 29, 2017 in Cleveland Clinic. He was born December 16, 1945 in Washington DC and lived most of his life in Norwalk. He honorably served in the U.S. Army, was a Veteran of Vietnam, and received the Purple Heart medal. He was a member of Second Baptist Church of New London. Following 27 years of service he retired from Clevite Corp of Milan, Ohio where he was also a Union Rep. He enjoyed crossword puzzles, cooking, traveling, telling stories, spending time with his grandchildren, and playing cards with his wife.

Thomas will be sadly missed by his wife of 47 years, Carol L. Smith (nee Claytor); a daughter, Mocheet (Bobby) Whitt, and son, Thomas (Tiffany) Smith; 3 grandchildren, and one on the way; a brother-in-law, Clifford H. Ware, and sister-in-law, Vietta Smith; and a host of other loving relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred Bennett Smith and Ellen P. (nee Boyd) Smith; two brothers, Alfred C. Smith and James B. Smith; and a sister, Beverlene S. Ware.

Visitation will be held Saturday, January 6, 2018 from 10 a.m. until time of service at 12 p.m. at Evans Funeral Home, 314 E. Main Street, Norwalk OH. Rev. Melvin Blackburn is officiating with Bishop Steve Robinson giving the eulogy. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Norwalk. Arrangements entrusted to Brown-Robinson Funeral Home, 2652 Broadway Ave., Lorain OH 44052, (440) 244-1831. Online condolences made at www.brownrobinson.com

Jan. 5, 1943

The top stories in the Norwalk Reflector-Herald on this date in 1943:

Traffic arrest is regarded of much importance

Of more than usual importance from the viewpoint of traffic safety was the arrest of Roy Watts of Sandusky, bread wagon driver, on the charge of failing to observe a stop sign at the junction of Routes 60 and 18 near the Showalter filling station just south of Clarksfield. Watts was given a ticket last Saturday by Deputy Sheriff Lee Hudson and yesterday he was fined $5 and costs by Justice Howard James in Norwalk.

Watts was driving northward. Traffic officers point out that this is one of the most dangerous intersections in the county for the reason that motorists on Route 18 which curves off to the east at the juncture, drive directly into the northbound Route 60 lane, although they may be on their right side of Route 18.

It has been suggested that a red reflecting light be put up for night drivers and that the present stop sign be replaced by one of large size.

 Bernard Loyer receives wings

Members of the New London High School, residents of the town and others will be pleased to learn that Bernard Loyer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Amos Loyer, who is now stationed at Lake Field, Ariz., received his silver wings on Dec. 4, and is now the proud holder of the rank of 2nd lieutenant.

A graduate of NLHS class of 1937, Loyer was one of the most popular young men among his classmates. A studious young man, he graduated from the local school with honors.

Captain Miller placed in charge of U.S. air port

It has been learned that Airman Junior Miller, son of Judge and Mrs. E.S. Miler of Norwalk, is now a captain and that he is in charge of an airdrome in North Africa under Gen. Doolittle. Captain Miller made a good showing during his training period and gained recognition when he successfully made a forced landing of a plane that was forced down by bad weather near an eastern U.S. city. The captain has fitted himself for executive commanding service by making a study of air plane construction and materials.

Plan to train messengers for defense use

Charles Woodward announced today that on Thursday evening Jan. 7, at 7:00 there will be a committee started for training of boys for Civilian Defense messengers. This meeting will be held at the city council chambers. All boys from the age of 12 and older are asked to join. To be eligible for federal recognition and to wear the messenger insignia boys must take a course in first aid, fire defense, gas defense and a general course of instruction.

Coming Saturday — Jan. 6, 1942: Believe Japs came almost getting Norwalk LSE rails

— Compiled by Andy Prutsok

By Henry Timman

Norwalk’s official bicentennial year is over, and we can look around and find ever so many other towns and institutions marking a 200th birthday. One such institution is the Milan Presbyterian Church, which was organized April 25, 1818, as a Congregational Church at the house of William and Love Spears, who lived on the northwest corner of U.S. 250 and Mason Road.

There were just four other costituent members — Gilbert Sexton and his wife, Deborah, and William Adams and his mother, Eleanor Jackson Adams. Present at the organizational meeting were two Congregational pastors — Rev. William Williams and Rev. Alan Coe. The latter had a long and valuable connection with the Firelands, which I’ve written of in the past.

The little congregation grew quickly, and in 1823 moved into the village of Milan. Their meeting place was a schoolhouse on the lot where the town hall stands and here they soon voted to assume the Presbyterian form of government rather than the Congregational. After meeting for a time in another schoolhouse on West Church Street, it was decided to construct a church home in 1836.

This original church was an imposing Greek Revival building, but became one of the victims of the great fire of 1888 in Milan. It stood on the site of the present church and appropriately enough, it faced Church Street. Most of the “leg work” of church construction fell to Rev. Everton Judson, the pastor, in conjunction with Milan businessman Needham Standart. Rev. Judson had come to Milan in 1829 and remained there as pastor until his death in 1848.

In 1831, soon after his arrival in Milan, Rev. Judson conceived a plan for an institution of higher learning, and presented it to the Presbytery. He envisioned a “Manual Labor School” to train young men for college. At that time Ohio did not have the K-12 system, and a young person desiring higher education needed more training after the eighth grade to qualify for college. Note that this was not to be a coeducational school. That radical move was originated by Oberlin College a few years later.

Rev. Judson’s idea came to fruition in a three-story brick building about where the main entrance to the cemetery is now. Broad Street was opened as a very “broad street” to be an entrance to the school grounds from South Main. The school opened in 1832, but did not last long as a manual labor school. Most such schools were not a manual success, but Milan’s was an educational success for 25 years or more. Rev. Judson’s creation was known as the Huron Institute due to its then being located in Huron County, before Erie County was formed.

In 1858, it was leased for a Normal School to train teachers, and continued for several years after that. After standing empty for some years, it was razed in 1910. A plaque just inside the cemetery entrance reminds us of the school’s existence. I have read that a Milan citizen built a new home with bricks from the razed building, but I have never verified this. If so, some of the ancient bricks from 1831 still survive.

* * *

REMEMBER: My “Just Like Old Times” books are on sale at Colonial Flower and Gift Shoppe at 7 W. Main St. in downtown Norwalk. These preserve my earlier columns in permanent book form.

Henry Timman, an authority on Firelands history, resides in rural Norwalk.

The following real estate transactions represent the highest and lowest amounts recorded in Huron County for the week ending Dec. 29:

High: $1,600,000 - Rebel Yell LLC to KG Real Estate Properties LLC, 226 Milan Ave, Norwalk.

Low: $4,000 - Eberly Sisters LLC to Galen E. and Beth A. Eberly, trustees, 264 U.S. 224, Ripley Twp.

The full weekly listing of real estate transactions can be read in Saturday’s Reflector.

The National Weather Service in Cleveland has issued a wind-chill advisory for Huron County and the surrounding areas that will remain in effect until noon Saturday.

Arctic air settled into the region Thursday, creating wind chill values that range from 10 degrees below zero to 24 degrees below zero. The dangerously cold wind chills will continue into Saturday morning.

A wind chill advisory means that cold air and the wind will combine to create low wind chills.

These cold wind chills can cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin. Hypothermia also can occur if precautions are not taken. Those who must be outside are encouraged to make sure they wear hats and gloves.

Highs today and Saturday will be in the single digits while lows will be subzero — without wind chill values factored in.

There will be a brief warm-up beginning Sunday, when the high will be near 29. It will be even warmer Monday, as temperatures will rise above the freezing mark and into the upper 30s. Snow is forecast both days.

Beginning Tuesday, temperatures will dip back into the teens and 20s.

Today, the sun will rise at 7:56:04 a.m. and set at 5:16:28 p.m.

On Saturday, the sun will rise at 7:55:57 a.m. and set at 5:17:27 p.m.

Local forecast

Here is the Norwalk-area forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today - Partly sunny and cold, with a high near 6. Wind chill values as low as -23. West wind 11 to 13 mph.

Tonight - Mostly cloudy, with a low around -6. Wind chill values as low as -18. West wind 6 to 9 mph.

Saturday - Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 7. West wind around 7 mph.

Saturday night - Partly cloudy, with a low around -3.

Sunday - Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29.

Sunday night - Snow. Low around 25. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Monday - Snow likely. Cloudy, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Monday night - A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Tuesday - Partly sunny, with a high near 28.

Tuesday night - Mostly cloudy, with a low around 14.

Wednesday - Partly sunny, with a high near 22.