54 year old Vincent S. Carnegie of Argos appeared in Marshall Superior Court I Wednesday morning with his attorney Tom Black for a plea agreement.
Carnegie’s case dates back to May 26, 2017. The Probable Cause Affidavit accuses Carnegie of breaking and entering his former girlfriend’s home and then driving her between Plymouth and Argos where she eventually escaped and a passing sheriff’s deputy found her. Later in the day police located Carnegie on King Road just north of 9th Road. He was armed with a handgun, at times aiming it at officer and threatened to kill himself. In a skirmish with officer Carnegie shot himself and was airlifted from the scene to the trauma center in South Bend.
Vinnie Carnegie also had an unrelated charge from 2015 of Theft from Newmar Corp. in Nappanee. It was alleged that he drove a 2016 RV estimated to cost $500,000 off the lot.
The final case was a misdemeanor battery and domestic battery from an incident at the Eagles Lodge a few days prior to the May 26th incident.
Carnegie was in court last November for a plea agreement where he was expected to plead guilty to burglary and theft with the remaining charges being dismissed. In the courtroom he withdrew his guilty plea commenting that he would not admit guilt to the crimes.
On Wednesday, April 18th Superior Court I Judge Robert Bowen told Carnegie he had the right to a trial and that one was set for the near future. After reading the terms of the plea agreement Judge Bowen asked Carnegie if he understood the terms, and he said yes. He told him the charges and sentencing for the three crimes: Theft as a level 5 felony sentenced to 3 years; Burglary as a level 4 felony sentenced to 6 years and Resisting Law Enforcement as a level 6 felony with a 1 year sentence. Carnegie admitted guilt to all three charges with the kidnapping, auto theft, pointing a firearm and the battery charges being dismissed.
The Burglary and Theft charges will run consecutively, while the Resisting Law Enforcement will run concurrently to the Burglary charge, meaning 9 years in prison. Carnegie will have to serve 75% of his sentence. He has already been incarcerated for 321 days and those days will be applied to his time under Indiana law. He was also charged a $1 fine and costs for each case and will not serve probation upon his release.
A $3,000 cash bond posed for the theft of the RV charge will be applied to his past due child support obligation as the Newmar Corporation was reimbursed by insurance and regained possession of their RV.
