Staff Report
WARSAW — A special prosecutor is reviewing and investigating circumstances involving a traffic incident involving Kosciusko County Councilwoman Kimberly Cates, 59, of Syracuse.
The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office confirmed today that they conducted a traffic investigation involving Cates on March 9, 2024.
“Information in regards to that traffic investigation was sent to the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office for review,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement Tuesday.
Kosciusko County Prosecutor Brad Voelz confirmed on Monday to the Times-Union that “my motion to appoint a special prosecutor has been granted by the judge.”
“Once a special prosecutor files an oath and acceptance, further investigation and decision will be entirely in his or her hands. This procedure is necessary to avoid any appearance of impropriety, and, for that reason, attorney ethics prevents any further comment from this office,” Voelz said.
The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office has “been advised by the special prosecutor that no other information will be released until the case is reviewed and their investigation is complete,” said a statement from the Sheriff’s Office.
Cates told the Times-Union last month that any questions regarding the incident should be directed to her attorney, Scott Reust. Reust’s office indicated Monday that he was on vacation this week.
News Now Warsaw has not previously published a story about the traffic incident because there has been no local court documents made available to the media.
Exactly why Cates did not go through the normal booking process at the jail is unclear.
Cates represents District 1 on county council and is not up for re-election this year.
