Justin Lynn Rossman

David Edgar Sommerville

Also sentenced in Skinner Field break-in

By Judy Reed

Three men were sentenced earlier this month in connection with stealing and concealing the monument last fall from Veteran’s Park that was erected in honor of fallen hero SPC. Timothy Brown.

The Brown family discovered the monument was missing Saturday, October 22, and called police. Thieves broke the statue, taking the helmet, rifle, and dog tags. Only the boots were left on the memorial stone. Police suspected the same culprits took the statue as broke into concessions at Skinner Field just a day prior. They posted surveillance footage of the break-in, featuring three young males, and asked media to share the photos. Within days, suspects in the thefts were arrested.

Police found the statue in a shed on the property of Tracy Lyn Coleman, 45, in the 100 block of E. Muskegon, along with several items in the home from the Skinner Field break-in.

Police arrested David Edgar Sommerville, 17, Austin Lee Coleman, 20, and Justin Lynn Rossman, 27, all of Cedar Springs, on Thursday, October 27. All three were charged in the Skinner Field break-in, and Sommerville and Rossman were charged with the monument theft. The older Coleman was arrested the next day on receiving and concealing stolen property. He reportedly admitted to police that he knew the rifle and helmet were stored in his shed, and that he had told one of the defendants to get it out of there. Rossman reportedly told police that Sommerville stole the rifle and helmet and hid them in the storage shed.

Both Rossman and Sommerville pled guilty to breaking and entering and receiving and concealing stolen property of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000.

Sommerville was sentenced to 240 days in jail, 30 months probation, and ordered to pay $500 in fines, and $2,143 in restitution. He was credited for 190 days time served.

Rossman was sentenced to 240 days in jail, 30 months probation, 80 hours of community service, $500 in fines, and $2,143 in restitution. He was credited for 103 days served. His expected release date is in mid May.

Tracy Lyn Coleman

Austin Lee Coleman

Tracy Coleman was sentenced to 64 days in jail, a year of probation, and ordered to pay $500 in restitution. He was credited 64 days for the time he served.

Austin Coleman, 20, was sentenced last week for the breaking and entering at Skinner Field. He pled guilty to breaking and entering with intent, and was sentenced to 240 days in jail, 30 months probation, and has to perform 120 hours of community service. He also was ordered to pay $2,143 in restitution, and was credited with 50 days served. He is expected to be released in mid July. He was sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Trainee act, which would allow his record to be expunged if he serves his sentence without any major missteps.

The Kent County Sheriff Department found the stolen monument and arrested suspects in the crime within days of its disappearance. Photo courtesy of the Kent County Sheriff Department.

By Judy Reed

The monument dedicated to the memory of fallen hero SPC. Timothy Brown was stolen in October from Veterans Park, and suspects in the case were arrested within days by the Kent County Sheriff Department.

The Brown family discovered the monument was missing Saturday, October 22, and called police. Thieves broke the statue, taking the helmet, rifle, and dog tags. Only the boots were left on the memorial stone. The family appealed to the public to have the suspects return the statue, no questions asked, but it did not appear.

The monument dedicated to SPC. Timothy Brown has been repaired and restored to its rightful place in Veterans Park. Post photo by J. Reed.

Police suspected the same culprits took the statue as broke into concessions at Skinner Field just a day prior. They posted surveillance footage of the break-in, featuring three young males, and asked media to share the photos. Within days, suspects in the thefts were arrested.

Police found the statue in a shed on the property of Tracy Lyn Coleman, 45, in the 100 block of E. Muskegon, along with several items in the home from the Skinner Field break-in.

Police arrested David Edgar Sommerville, 17, Austin Lee Coleman, 20, and Justin Lynn Rossman, 27, all of Cedar Springs, on Thursday, October 27. All three were charged in the Skinner Field break-in, and Sommerville and Rossman were charged with the monument theft. The older Coleman was arrested the next day on receiving and concealing stolen property. He reportedly admitted to police that he knew the rifle and helmet were stored in his shed, and that he had told one of the defendants to get it out of there. Rossman reportedly told police that Sommerville stole the rifle and helmet and hid them in the storage shed.

“We are proud of the work of our investigators as they worked tirelessly to bring SPC Brown’s Monument back into safe hands,” said the Kent County Sheriff Department in an announcement on their Facebook page.

Once the statue was recovered, DPW Director Tom Stressman had it repaired by a business in Minnesota that specializes in bronze monuments and memorials honoring law enforcement, fire/rescue, and the military.

City Manager Mike Womack said it would cost the city about $500 to have the $10,000 monument repaired, and they would probably seek to recover that cost as part of restitution on the part of the suspects.

The monument dedicated to SPC. Timothy Brown has been repaired and restored to its rightful place in Veterans Park. Post photo by J. Reed.

By Judy Reed

The monument dedicated to the memory of fallen hero SPC. Timothy Brown has been repaired and was reinstalled at its home in Veterans Park in Cedar Springs last week.

The Brown family discovered the monument was missing Saturday, October 22, and called police. Thieves broke the statue, taking the helmet, rifle, and dog tags. Only the boots were left on the memorial stone. The family appealed to the public to have the suspects return the statue, no questions asked, but it did not appear.

Police suspected the same culprits took the statue as broke into concessions at Skinner Field just a day prior. They posted surveillance footage of the break-in, featuring three young males, and asked media to share the photos. Within days, suspects in the thefts were arrested.

Police found the statue in a shed on the property of Tracy Lyn Coleman, 45, in the 100 block of E. Muskegon, along with several items in the home from the Skinner Field break-in.

Police arrested David Edgar Sommerville, 17, Austin Lee Coleman, 20, and Justin Lynn Rossman, 27, all of Cedar Springs, on Thursday, October 27. All three were charged in the Skinner Field break-in, and Sommerville and Rossman were charged with the monument theft. The older Coleman was arrested the next day on receiving and concealing stolen property. He reportedly admitted to police that he knew the rifle and helmet were stored in his shed, and that he had told one of the defendants to get it out of there. Rossman reportedly told police that Sommerville stole the rifle and helmet and hid them in the storage shed.

Once the statue was recovered, DPW Director Tom Stressman had it repaired by a business in Minnesota that specializes in bronze monuments and memorials honoring law enforcement, fire/rescue, and the military.

City Manager Mike Womack had earlier said it would cost the city about $500 to have the $10,000 monument repaired, and they would probably seek to recover that cost as part of restitution on the part of the suspects.

The Kent County Sheriff Department has recovered the stolen monument dedicated to fallen soldier Timothy Brown and arrested three suspects in connection with that crime and others. Photo courtesy of the KCSD.

by Judy Reed

Four Cedar Springs men were arrested last week in connection with two acts of theft and vandalism that recently occurred in the city.

Three of the men—David Edgar Sommerville, 17, Austin Lee Coleman, 20, and Justin Lynn Rossman, 27—were arrested Thursday, October 27, for a break-in at Skinner Field, and the theft and desecration of the monument of fallen hero SPC. Timothy Brown from Veterans Park. A fourth man, Tracy Lyn Coleman, 45, the father of Austin Coleman, was arrested on Friday October 28.

JUSTIN ROSSMAN

TRACY LYN COLEMAN

AUSTIN COLEMAN

DAVID SOMMERVILLE

The break-in at Skinner Field was discovered Friday morning, October 21. Pieces of cooking equipment were taken from the concessions stand, as well as food items. The suspects also took items out of the cupboards, refrigerator, and freezer and scattered them all over the floor. Other buildings on the property were also broken into.

The Brown family discovered the monument was missing Saturday, October 22, and called police. They also appealed to the public to have the suspects return the statue, no questions asked, but that never happened.

Police took video from the trail cam at Skinner Field and displayed video and photos of the suspects on their Facebook page and distributed the information to media, who also posted the photos online. Police received several tips in the investigation, which helped them to identify the three suspects shown in the video.

Police obtained a search warrant for a home owned by Tracy Lyn Coleman, in the 100 block of E. Muskegon. They found several items in the home from the Skinner Field break-in, and the stolen monument was also found on the property.

After they completed the search, they arrested David Sommerville, 17, and Austin Coleman, 20. The search then led them to arrest Justin Rossman, 27, who resided at Red Flannel Acres on Maple Street.

The three were arraigned on charges of breaking and entering a building with intent (for the Skinner Field break-in), and Rossman and Sommerville were also both charged with receiving and concealing stolen property worth more than $1,000 but not more than $20,000 (in relation to the stealing of the monument). Rossman is also being charged as a habitual offender.

On October 28, police arrested Tracy Lyn Coleman and he was arrested for receiving and concealing stolen property. He reportedly admitted to police that he knew the rifle and helmet were stored in his shed, and that he had told one of the defendants to get it out of there. Rossman reportedly told police that Sommerville stole the rifle and helmet and hid them in the storage shed.

“We are proud of the work of our investigators as they worked tirelessly to bring SPC Brown’s Monument back into safe hands,” said the Kent County Sheriff Department in an announcement on their Facebook page.

The Brown family is relieved that the monument has been found. “It’s great news!” said Dan Brown, who is Tim Brown’s uncle and the man who helped create Veterans Park and Tim’s monument. “I’m glad it’s back. The Kent County Sheriff Department did a great job.”

The community raised $10,000 in donations several years ago to fund the creation of the monument for Timothy Brown, who died in November 2005 in Iraq (see his memorial on page 5). Residents were outraged when they heard the monument had been stolen, and not only shared the suspect photos, but offered the Browns their support. “The community has been great,” remarked Dan Brown. “There has been such an outpouring of people just asking what they can do to help.”

According to Cedar Springs City Manager Mike Womack, the monument is city property, so they will pay to have it repaired. “We have been in contact with someone to fix the monument, which will cost the city approximately $500. We are thankful to the Sheriff’s department for the recovery of the monument that was stolen, otherwise it would’ve cost the City approximately $10,000 to replace,” he explained. “We will likely pay the $500 out of pocket and then seek restitution as part of any sentencing that might occur with the three individuals who were arrested for the crime.”

The way Timothy Brown’s statue looked in 2010. Parts of it were stolen last weekend. Post photo by J. Reed.

UPDATE 10/27: The three suspects in this case were arrested today and appear to have been responsible for the theft of the monument, the Skinner Field break-in, and the recent vehicle larcenies. The statue and many other items have been recovered. More info to come.

By Judy Reed

On November 4, 2005, while engaged in combat operations in Habbaniyah, Iraq, Timothy Brown, a 2002 Cedar Springs

The way the Timothy Brown statue looked after someone stole the replica rifle, hat and dog tags. Post photo by J. Reed.

graduate, was killed when a land mine detonated near his humvee. The community mourned the sacrifice of their local son. But the family, led by Timmy’s uncle Dan Brown, turned their grief into something good: the creation of Veteran’s Park, in honor of all Veterans. And in September 2010, a monument was dedicated in Tim’s honor at Veteran’s Park in Cedar Springs.

The replica dog tags have been stolen a couple of times from the statue, but on Saturday, October 22, his family discovered something worse: someone had stolen the replica rifle, hat, and dog tags from the statue, and left only the boots.

The monument, which came from the Fallen Heroes Memorial Foundation, cost $10,000. It was paid for through donations from the community and fundraising.

Police and the family are asking for the statue’s return, either to City Hall or the Veteran’s site, no questions asked. If you have any information on the whereabouts of the statue, please contact the Kent County Sheriff Department at (616) 632-6100 or Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345.

Police believe that the suspects who took parts of this statue may be involved with other larcenies in the area.

UPDATE 10/27: Three suspects in this case have been arrested. More info to come.

The City of Cedar Springs has seen a rash of larcenies in the last week, including articles stolen from the Timothy Brown monument at Veteran’s Park, a break-in at the Skinner Field concession stand, and numerous larcenies involving unlocked vehicles.

The Sheriff Department is asking for your help by reporting any suspicious activity you see, particularly after dark. This can be reported by calling (616) 632-6100.

They would also like to remind all residents to:

• Remove all valuables from vehicles. Never leave purses, wallets, electronics, jewelry or other valuables in your vehicle.
• Lock your vehicles. The vast majority of vehicle larcenies are from unlocked cars and trucks. Locking your vehicle is the easiest way to prevent becoming a victim.
• Report any suspicious activity. Police need your help to be the “eyes and ears” in our community. When you observe someone or something suspicious, contact (616) 632-6100 immediately. The assistance of our residents is necessary to successfully investigate these incidents.

Residents gathered at cemeteries and other locales Monday to remember those who died in the service of our country, and all those that have made our freedom possible.

The American Legion Glen Hill Post #287 held services at Elmwood, Solon, and East Nelson Cemeteries and the Cedar Springs Veterans Park. Assisting with the  service was the American Legion  Honor Guard, the American Legion Women’s Auxiliary, the Sons of the American Legion and the Boy Scouts.

Services were also held in Algoma Township and Sand Lake. The Cedar Springs Historical Society held their annual cemetery walk in Elmwood Cemetery on the Sunday before Memorial Day.

Fox 17 Meteorologist Kevin Craig does the weather from Cedar Springs.

By Judy Reed

Cedar Springs got some positive publicity this week from a Grand Rapids area television station.

Fox 17 meteorologist Kevin Craig did a story on Cedar Springs Tuesday evening for the channel’s West Michigan Stories segment. He did the interviews about a month ago, and then did live teasers from The Kent Theatre Tuesday evening. He started out by doing the weather outside of the Kent, and then talked to people inside before each segment.

Kevin Craig interviews both Rose Powell (right wearing granny cap) and her mother-in-law Alice Powell (left wearing top hat) about their Red flannel wear.

Craig called Cedar Springs “the epitome of giving” for the way the residents pulled together to raise $50,000 towards the new library this year, as well as funding the $60,000 for the digital projector at the Kent Theatre. He also talked about the donations that were raised for Veterans Park. Librarian Donna Clark talked about the library in the segment, and both Len Allington and Jack Clark were interviewed about the Theatre.

The Red Flannel Festival Queen and Court and Cindy Patin were interviewed for a segment on the Festival.

Kevin Craig at the Kent Theatre ticket booth.

A few dozen people showed up despite the snow to be a part of the festivities. The Kent handed out free popcorn, and the Red Flannel Festival gave away t-shirts and buttons.

You can find the stories online at Fox 17’s website at www.fox17online.com.

This rolled backward into Cedar Creek Monday afternoon. Post photo by J. Reed.

Police say a driver was not at fault when her car rolled across the street and into a creek Monday.

Police were called about 3:45 p.m. Monday on a report of a car in Cedar Creek at Veterans Park, in Cedar Springs.

According to Officer Chad Potts, a car rolled backwards out of a driveway, across Oak Street, through Veterans Park, and into Cedar Creek.

Police said the driver engaged the emergency brake after pulling into the driveway and going into the house, but it may have had a malfunction. No one was in the car when it rolled, and no one was at the park, so no one was injured. The car rolled between a tree and a light pole in the park before coming to rest in the creek. The car sustained some damage to the driver side when it scraped against the pole, and the park grounds sustained some damage when the car was pulled out of the creek by the towing company. The dirt in the park was replaced.

Officer Potts said that once they reset the fuel gauge, the car started right back up.

The driver was not cited.