Three arrested in separate Mercer County Common Pleas cases

Three individuals are facing charges in Mercer County Common Pleas Court following unrelated incidents in late March.

Devan M. Thobe of Celina is charged with domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony, and resisting arrest, a second-degree misdemeanor. According to court documents, the alleged incident occurred March 26 at a residence on Kensington Lane.

Authorities say Thobe is accused of striking a household member during an argument. A responding officer with the Celina Police Department reported the victim stated she was hit in the throat with a closed fist.

Police later located Thobe nearby, where he allegedly fled on foot before being taken into custody. Court records also indicate a prior domestic violence conviction in Auglaize County in October 2025, which elevates the current charge.

Chandler L. Martin of Celina is charged with strangulation, a fourth-degree felony, and domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor. The charges stem from a March 30 incident.

According to an affidavit, the victim told officers Martin grabbed her clothing and dragged her into a bedroom, where she reported she could not breathe. Officers noted visible redness on her neck, face, and arms.

Police say the incident occurred at a residence on Legacy Lane. The victim, who told officers she is pregnant, was able to leave the home with a young child and report the incident. Martin was later arrested by the Celina Police Department.

Larry D. Duke of Pennville, Indiana is charged with aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony.

According to the Mercer County Sheriff's Office, the charge follows a March 26 traffic stop involving a vehicle that had reportedly fled law enforcement in Indiana.

Deputies located the vehicle stopped along State Route 29. After making contact with Duke, he was taken into custody.

During an inventory and later search of the vehicle, investigators say they found methamphetamine weighing approximately 1.97 grams, along with drug paraphernalia.

All three cases remain pending in Mercer County Common Pleas Court.