Murder trial set for Winfield nurse; man convicted of beating

Trial set for murder of nurse in Winfield

The murder trial in the death of a Winfield nurse is scheduled to begin October 28.

Raju Rawal, 67, of Merrillville, is charged with the murder of 36-year-old Haley Losinski on February 23, 2023. He made a brief court appearance on Friday.

A final pretrial conference is scheduled for October 15.

Man sentenced for corporal punishment

A former resident of a Gary nursing home was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday after pleading guilty but declaring mentally ill to punching the manager of his Miller Beach Terrace nursing home in her office on May 6, 2021.

Ronald Kownacki, 53, admitted false imprisonment and assault causing moderate injury.

In court he said he had not taken his medication at the time.

In Indiana, prisoners must serve 75% of their sentence. He will receive about 4.5 years credit for time already spent in prison and for time served.

According to records, Kownacki was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2009 for aggravated assault for beating, choking and pouring bleach on another woman's face.

Chicago man charged with child seduction

A Chicago man was charged with child seduction on Thursday.

Joel Nunez, 28, is not in custody and has been remanded in custody on $2,000 bail.

The victim, then 16, told Merrillville police in June 2023 that Nunez had been touching her inappropriately since January, when she was 15.

Illinois man pleads guilty to car chase but is mentally ill

An Illinois man faces two years in prison after pleading guilty to a July 2023 chase while being deemed mentally ill and then crashing into a group of police cars on Interstate 65.

Thomas Sanhamel, 46, of Aurora, admitted to attempted assault with a deadly weapon and resisting police on Sept. 16. He also faces 18 months probation.

If the judge accepts the guilty plea, prosecutors will agree to drop several charges, including attempted murder. His sentencing is scheduled for December 4.

According to records, he was released on Wednesday.

Sanhamel told police at the hospital that he was on his way to Indiana and did not stop because he “had done nothing wrong.”

Former Chicago Heights teacher pleads not guilty to child seduction

A former teacher at Bloom Trail High School in Chicago Heights pleaded not guilty Thursday in Crown Point to a child seduction case dating back to the early 2000s.

According to court documents, Ronald Giglio, 48, is said to have begun a long-term sexual relationship with a student when she was still a teenager. He faces up to six years in prison.

His next court date is November 21. His attorney, Robert Varga, said in court that Giglio will now face charges in Illinois.

According to the documents, he faces up to 15 years in prison. A spokesman for District 206 told the Daily Southtown that Giglio was fired in July following an internal investigation.

Cook County Assistant District Attorney Bridget O'Brien said that as recently as May of this year, students complained about Giglio's inappropriate behavior toward them.

The victim told police that she and Giglio had sex on multiple occasions in Illinois and Indiana. The relationship lasted for years until the victim told a therapist and realized what Giglio had done was wrong, court records say.

Illinois man steals $12,000 worth of Illinois State Police equipment

An Illinois man was charged Wednesday after a traffic stop on U.S. 30 near Grand Boulevard in Hobart revealed he stole $12,000 worth of Illinois State Police equipment.

Zachary Luker, 19, of Roscoe, is charged with Level 6 theft. He was not caught and was denied bail.

Police eventually found a radar unit, a camera system, a docking station and a fuel card in his white Chevrolet Tahoe.

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The Daily Southtown contributed to this.

Originally published: September 21, 2024 at 9:23 am