Around The Region

Lawsuit claims GM didn't accommodate employee's disability\nFORT WAYNE-- General Motors Corp. discriminated against an employee who has only one leg by failing to accommodate for his disability, a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission contends.\nThe lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Fort Wayne, also alleges that Thomas Turley Jr., an employee at GM's plant in Roanoke, Ind., was passed over for a permanent position as punishment for filing a complaint with the EEOC.\nThe original complaint alleges that starting in April 1997, GM failed to provide adequate accommodation to Turley, who uses crutches to move around, EEOC attorney Jamie Darin Prenkert said. Turley should have been given a cart to help him get to the break area and to the restroom, Prenkert said.\nGM spokesman Brian Akre said Thursday the company had not yet been served with the lawsuit and could not comment.\nTurley is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages as well as a permanent injunction to prevent the company from engaging in discriminatory practices.\nPorter County jailer\nfaces battery charge\nRENSSELAER, Ind. -- A Porter County jailer faces a battery charge for allegedly handcuffing his teenage daughter's ankles together to prevent her from leaving the house.\nDavid Lanari, 42, was arrested on a battery charge Sunday night and later released on bond from Jasper County Jail.\nWheatfield police said they went to Lanari's Wheatfield home about 7:45 p.m. Sunday after someone called authorities to report that Lanari's daughter was being held in handcuffs.\nWheatfield patrolman Richard Trail said he found the 15-year-old girl lying face-down on the couch with her ankles handcuffed.\nFour other children and Lanari's wife also were in the house, said Trail, who said he saw red marks and scratches on the teen's ankles after removing the handcuffs.\nThe teen has been placed under the custody of Jasper County child protective services.\nPorter County Sheriff David Reynolds said Lanari, who has worked four months as a county jailer, will be fired if he is convicted of battery.\nFormer dean\nof children's home\nmakes plea bargain\nRUSHVILLE, Ind. -- A former dean at the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's Home will admit to contributing to the delinquency of a minor under a plea agreement with prosecutors.\nTerry J. Best, who was dean of boys at the state-run school, will plead guilty to the misdemeanor count in return for the dismissal of five counts of felony drug possession, one felony count of neglecting a dependent and one misdemeanor count of possessing marijuana.\nBest, 43, was charged after a student party nearly two years ago on the school's campus outside Knightstown, about 25 miles east of Indianapolis.\nIf Rush Circuit Judge Barbara Harcourt accepts the plea recommendation, Best's sentence will be one year in jail with all but 90 days suspended, and the time will be served on electronically monitored home detention. He then would have a year on probation.\nRush County Prosecutor Paul Barada Jr. said the state is only able to prove the delinquency count.\nBest was arrested in December 1999 after being indicted by a grand jury. He allegedly had supervised a graduation party in May 1999 in which students were allowed to consume alcoholic beverages and smoke cigarettes.\nThe party led to a state police investigation, and officers found drugs, drug paraphernalia, prescription drugs, lingerie and pornographic materials in Best's office. He was suspended without pay and later resigned from his position. He cannot work for the state in the future.