Posted on 05/27/2009 5:18:35 PM PDT by Chet 99
Story Updated: May 22, 2009 at 10:37 PM EDT
GOSHEN — It was a case of mistaken identity in Goshen, as SWAT officers knocked down the wrong door Thursday. Officers were searching for a suspect accused of impersonating a police officer. Instead, they found an elderly couple who had no idea what was happening.
The SWAT team meant to hit the house next door.
Instead, the brunt force of their battering ram wad focused on Harvey Borntrager's front door.
Dents still marked the inner door to the Borntrager's home Friday. The handle of what used to be a screen door is now missing; its glass is now shattered.
Harvey, 68 and his wife Lydia, 63, had just pulled into their driveway on County Road 40 when it all went down.
"I had just got backed in there, and here comes this black vehicle real quick like before I even know what was going on," Harvey explained. "We barely made it out of the truck when they were out of their truck and on the porch."
In a split second, they hit the door.
"The door was down before I even got to talk to anybody," Harvey said. "And I thought, what? What in the world is going on?"
Turns out, the answer wasn't quite what he expected.
"They said, they got a search warrant, and they asked me if I live here," Borntrager said. "I said, yeah, I live here. Then, he asked me what me address is, and I told him what it is."
"He kind of paused for a little bit," Borntrager continued. "Then, he asked me again. And, then he says, well, I think we're at the wrong house!"
They were. SWAT meant to hit the house next door, said Goshen Police Adjutant Joseph Brown in a news release Friday.
"The Goshen Police Department Emergency Response Team, while assisting the Elkhart Police Department in the execution of a search warrant on County Road 40 in Elkhart County, made a forced entry into a wrong residence," Brown wrote.
"The Elkhart Police Department had no involvement in the error, and the Goshen Police Department accepts full responsibility," Brown continued.
Goshen Police administrators are conducting an internal investigation to determine what circumstances led up to the mistaken entry, Brown said.
Brown wouldn't comment to WSBT on camera about the incident, saying only "We made a mistake. There's nothing left to say."
But there are plenty of leftover feelings for Harvey and his wife.
"I can't say I'm angry, you know? But I'm a little upset. [Lydia] was very shook up. If we would've been in the house when they broke in, she might've had a heart attack. She was shaking all night," Borntrager said.
The city has offered to make things right.
"They were very apologetic, and all that. And, I think rightfully so. We've hired Bail Construction to fix the door, and the city will be paying for it," Borntrager said.
"The important thing is, nobody got hurt. Anything that went wrong with the door can be fixed. But, I'm hoping it wouldn't ever happen to anybody else. It's not a fun thing to go through," he continued.
Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill says Robert Revoir, 39 was arrested after police eventually served the search warrant on the home next door.
Revoir's probably cause hearing was held Friday, and he now faces preliminary charges of impersonating a public servant and unlawful use of body armor. Both are class D felonies.
Witnesses told Elkhart Police that Revoir had identified himself a police officer while working as a repo man. He remained in the Elkhart County Jail Friday evening on $10,000 bond, and is scheduled to appear in court on May 29.
In the meantime, the Borntragers are just concentrating on moving on.
"Some people have said we should sue the city and all that, but I don't have any plans to do that," Borntrager said. "I just want to get my front door fixed."
Imagine that. They seem to have been able to serve a search warrant without surprise tactics and breaking down a front door in full Navy Seal swat gear.
How quaint.
Well, they have a swat team. Now they HAVE to use them.
Is that how the expression “Land O’Goshen!” got started?
Your dogs will be dead, and you’ll be in jail (or dead)... and if you’re dead, there won’t be anyone to contradict the lies they’ll come up with to cover their behinds...
Or just catch him when he's leaving or coming home.
LOL.
One other thing that really bothers me here, is that these men have their identities hidden.
Anyone that has paid attention over the last few decades knows that community policing has been the big push. You have officers walking beats, talking to the populace, forming neighborhood watches. Essentially they are developing repore with the public.
Then you have one of these armored vehicles go screeching into a home to break the door down, and a paramilitary operation explode right next door. Can I just say right here, that would not endear me to the local police department.
If we’re talking about terrorist suspects, by all means. If we’re talking about a guy who bragged that he was a police officer, this is massive overkill.
Body armor is not for the untrained.
I don’t get this no knock swat team assault business. Can the LEO on the site help us out? If the guy isn’t home, they don’t get him. If he is appraching his house and sees the door bashed down, he’s likely to suspect the police are there and will flee. What’s the point? Can’t they id the guy. Stake out the place. Wait for him to come home. Then nab him before he gets inside and suits up in his super fortress where he can defend against an assault? I see stupid here.
Yes, my dogs will gladly sacrifice for the greater good. But, don't assume I would be the one who was outgunned. When I "properly arm myself", I properly arm myself.
Jail, maybe. Dead, no way.
So they, the UBER SWAT Local Yokel Anti Terrorist and UFO Watch unit can’t just ask the guy to
A. Not say he is a cop
B. Or ask him if he said so.
C. Or just charge him and serve him and see him in court and have a he said, he said case
But TWO police departments, say 10 guys, three or four supervisors, three or more vehicles, a judge, a warrant issued by the prosecutors office....
WTF.
Those town have way.....way too many cops and not enough good McDonald’s counter help.
Paramilitary SWAT should not exist in the United States.
That guy top left looks to be living the dream, that will soon be someone’s nightmare. This older couple was very fortunate IMO.
The peasants aren't allowed?
The music from Benny Hill started in my mind as I read this. In one skit, he is a cop and they knock down the wrong door only to realize that the 6 has turned over and now is a 9.
Seriously, as a fireman, it is amazing how poorly (or not at all) many houses are marked. Makes it even more fun after dark. I would think that SWAT would send someone by to confirm an address, as they generally have some advanced notice.
Goshen is the county seat of Elkhart County, Indiana
It can no longer be ignored.
So body armor is OK for cops, sheriff’s, government workers, but not taxi drivers, convenience store clerks, and repo men, etc that get shot and killed too?
Some lives are more equal than other lives.
I bet it is a EN-forced seat belt and water flotation, for safety state too.
The difference between the Keystone Kops and so much of “Lawr Enforcement” today is that the Kops weren’t dangerous.
Yes, I know there are good police. You just can’t tell the difference by looking.
Well, now I know why you're not a cop.
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