Court Briefs: Three Local Cases End With Guilty Pleas

Three court cases in northwest Indiana ended with guilty pleas on Wednesday. One man from Gary could spend up to 45 years in prison after admitting he beat another man to death. Two other drivers avoided prison time after crashes that hurt or killed people.

Larry Buchanan, Jr., 43, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to voluntary manslaughter. That means he admitted to killing someone but said his mental health played a role. He also admitted to being a habitual offender, which means he has committed serious crimes before. If a judge accepts the plea, Buchanan will be sentenced on August 12.

The victim, Darryl Bradley, 55, died on December 27. Gary police had first responded to a beating on December 25 at around 8:50 p.m. on Jennings Street. Bradley's girlfriend told police that Buchanan was her relative and had been staying at their home for two months.

She said Buchanan had stopped taking his medication before the attack. He punched Bradley with his fists, and when Bradley fell to the ground, Buchanan stomped on him over and over. Then he knelt down and punched Bradley in the face again. The girlfriend tried to step in and stop it, but Buchanan threatened to hit her too. Police noted that he appeared heavily intoxicated and could barely stand up.

In a second case, a Lake Station man avoided prison time for a deadly crash that happened in August 2022. Cody Huseman, 38, pleaded guilty in February to causing the death of another person while driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher. That is the legal limit for drunk driving in Indiana. Judge Natalie Bokota sentenced him to three years on home detention and another three years on probation.

Indiana State Police responded to the crash just before 5 a.m. on August 8, 2022, at the Ripley Street exit off Interstate 80. Huseman was driving alone in a Buick Verano when he rear-ended a Subaru. Christina D. Booth, 58, of Portage, was a passenger in the Subaru and died the following day. Two other men were also in the vehicle.

The deputy prosecutor said Booth's family was surprised that charges were even filed. The defense lawyer described the case as odd because Booth already had health problems before the crash. He also told the court that Huseman was a military veteran and former police officer who wanted to take responsibility. Huseman briefly spoke in court and said he had been working hard on his struggles with alcohol.

In the third case, a Gary woman avoided prison for an injury crash in April 2023. Lateshia Adams, 45, pleaded guilty in May to criminal recklessness and driving while intoxicated in a way that endangered someone. Judge Salvador Vasquez sentenced her to 18 months in a work-release program and one year on probation.

A couple told investigators they were riding their Harley motorcycle north on U.S. 41 on April 15, 2023, and turning right on 117th Avenue in Cedar Lake when Adams' red Honda motorcycle crashed into them from behind. The man's wife was thrown off the Harley, and the Honda hit the man's right leg. His motorcycle fell on top of him briefly, and both were taken to the hospital. The wife suffered a head injury and road rash.

Adams was also taken to the hospital after the crash. She told investigators that the motorcycle in front of her braked suddenly and she tried to avoid hitting it. A toxicology test was taken because she had recently smoked marijuana. Criminal recklessness means acting in a dangerous way that puts others at serious risk of harm.