John Hogan
WZZM 13 On Your Side
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Past articles by John:
Nearly 2 years after arrest, 71-year-old man found competent to stand trial
Hendrik J. Bouma is facing several felony charges stemming from a dispute with a neighbor in which he’s accused of deploying a stun gun. → Read More
Gift card for teen sex backfires; two-time offender gets 11 to 20 years in prison
Jeramy Vanderkodde was on probation for a 2017 sex sting involving a cop posing as a child; he’s going to prison for essentially committing the same offense again. → Read More
Man gets 16 years in prison for strangulation death of girlfriend in Kentwood
“Not only did you take her life, but you took away her nine-year-old daughter’s mother,’’ Judge Christina Elmore told 23-year-old Fredy Bautista. → Read More
Bill setting THC limit for driving called ‘feel-good number based on nothing’
Under the bill, it would be illegal to drive with a THC level of five nanograms or more; THC is the active ingredient in marijuana. → Read More
Man who 'overreacted' in shooting death of dog has to pay $5,000 restitution
Clarence McCoy fatally shot a dog named Breezy after it got into his yard last fall. The judge called the shooting "an aberration.'' → Read More
Lawmakers renew efforts to ban conversion therapy for Michigan minors
A state senator says mental health professionals should not work to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender preference, a practice she calls abusive. → Read More
Ninth defendant pleads guilty to participating in the 2020 Grand Rapids riot
Twenty-two people were charged in the May 30-31 riot in Grand Rapids; guilty pleas have been entered by nine of the defendants. → Read More
Threats to 911 dispatcher in Michigan brings new charges for ‘Yankee Patriot’
Jonathan J. Munafo is charged in the Jan. 6 Washington, D. C. insurrection; he’s now accused of threatening a 911 dispatcher in Calhoun County a day earlier. → Read More
Drag racer’s ‘wanton disregard’ brings prison time in deadly Wyoming crash
“You killed her. Why? Because you wanted to drag race with somebody,’’ Judge Mark Trusock said before sending Anthony Negron to prison. → Read More
Addict who shot up before crash gets prison in 'deadly act of recklessness’
“It’s a wonder you didn’t just topple over dead while driving,’’ a Kent County judge told Robert Verdier before giving Verdier 7½ to 15 years in prison. → Read More
Inmate seeks release for ‘tragic and horrible actions’ that killed dad and 2 kids
The May 3, 1996 crash killed a father and two of his children in Muskegon County. Phillip Gonzalez was drunk and fleeing police; he wants his freedom. → Read More
Grand Rapids traffic stop leads to large cocaine bust; part of upward trend
Cocaine seizures have increased across Michigan in recent years; state charges filed in a Grand Rapids case has a 34-year-old man facing up to life in prison. → Read More
Man kills cat and tosses it out the window; his children call 911, records show
Adam Bigham said he was defending his family “by throwing the cat to the ground’’ and kneeling on its stomach “until it went lifeless,’’ court records show. → Read More
Grand Rapids rioter gets 120 days in jail for ‘wanton and pointless’ vandalism
Adrian K. Baker is one of 22 people charged in the May 30-31, 2020 riot in Grand Rapids. In addition to jail, Baker has to pay for a smashed window. → Read More
Kent County awaits resumption of jury trials, including 44 murder cases
The pandemic has put many in-person court activities on hold, but safeguards are in place once Kent County gets a green light to resume jury trials. → Read More
Walmart losses exceed $250,000 in Michigan-based scam touching 35 states
Some items were bought, and legitimate sales receipts were then used to return high-end electronics that were stolen from Walmart stores across the U.S. → Read More
Wing and a prayer: Monarch butterfly fans seek official state status in Michigan
A bill has been introduced in Lansing to designate the monarch butterfly as Michigan’s official state insect; numerous previous campaigns have failed. → Read More
Kent County sees 11% spike in overdose deaths; pandemic shares blame
Kent County is not unique. Spikes in overdose deaths are being reported in cities and states across the U.S., with the pandemic being a factor. → Read More
Woman gets prison for killing terminally ill Grand Rapids man in May 2014
The 63-year-old victim was killed inside his Heritage Hill apartment; he was receiving hospice care for lung and kidney cancer. → Read More
Man who killed girlfriend on toilet and shot at police will stay in prison for life
After the murder, Adam Nolin shot at police several times, including while running along U.S. 131 in downtown Grand Rapids, before a police cruiser struck him. → Read More