Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a fatal Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) accident that occurred last night in Hendricks County.

At approximately 10 p.m., responders were dispatched to private property near the 7300 block of West U.S. 36 near Danville.

On the scene, responders located Chase Lynch, 20, of Danville, unresponsive. Lynch was transported to IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where this morning he succumbed to his injuries from the accident.

Preliminary investigation showed that the ORV that Lynch was operating struck a ditch in a cornfield causing the machine to flip and Lynch to be ejected.

Lynch was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, which is still under investigation. Indiana Conservation Officers strongly encourage riders to always wear a helmet and use necessary safety equipment when operating an ORV.

Abandoned-recreation-area hike, April 18 at Patoka Lake

Trek on and off-trail to discover an abandoned recreation area within Patoka Lake’s Newton-Stewart State Recreation Area on a guided hike on April 18 at 1 p.m. The hike will reveal the original purpose of the location.

Hikers should wear sturdy footwear, long pants, and insect spray, and arrive no later than 12:45 p.m. Advance registration is required, and space is limited. Call the Nature Center at 812-685-2447 to reserve a spot by Friday, April 16 at 1 p.m.

The entrance fee of $7 per vehicle for Indiana residents and $9 for out-of-state vehicles is required for Newton-Stewart SRA, which is located north of Wickliffe on State Road 164. For more information regarding this program and other interpretive events, please call the Nature Center at 812-685-2447.

Patoka Lake (on.IN.gov/patokalake) is at 3084 N. Dillard Road, Birdseye, IN 47513.

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating an off-road vehicle (ORV) accident that injured a male juvenile.

The accident occurred yesterday evening on private property in the 6200 block of East County Road 450 South at approximately 6:19 p.m.

The 13-year-old operator of the ORV lost control after making contact with another rider’s dirt bike. His ORV then collided with a tree, causing the ORV operator to be thrown from his machine.

He was transported by ambulance to Saint Elizabeth Hospital in Lawrenceburg due to inclement weather and later airlifted to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

The extent of his injuries is unknown. He was not wearing a helmet or any other protective riding gear at the time of the accident.

Conservation officers were assisted by the Friendship Fire and Rescue, and Ripley County EMS.

Conservation officers remind everyone to wear a helmet and protective riding gear when operating an ORV. Indiana law requires all operators or passengers on an ORV who are under 18 to wear a DOT-approved helmet.

For more information on ORV laws and safe operating procedures, see https://www.offroad-ed.com/in/handbook/ and https://www.in.gov/dnr/outdoor/4431.htm

The Orleans Town Council has set this week April 12-17 as “Town-Wide Pride Clean Sweep Week,” and is encouraging all its residents to participate in the spring clean-up efforts.  

Town crews are picking up large items of discard free of charge. Discard items should be placed curbside for easy pickup.  In addition, a large dumpster has been set at the Orleans Town Garage for resident use as well. 

The dumpster will be available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. and until 12 Noon on Saturday. 

Orleans Town Residents are welcome to bring any unwanted or junk-type items they want to dispose of and place in the dumpster.

To arrange for pick up of items or for more information on the “Clean Sweep” contact the Orleans Town Offices at 812-865-2539 or visit the town online at www.town.orleans.in.us

Sunday afternoon a 52-Year-Old North Vernon man was arrested in connection with a shooting incident earlier this morning in Scott County. 

An Indiana State Trooper and a Conservation Officer made the arrest in a wooded area near where the original incident took place just off Terry Road in Scott County.

At approximately 1:30 pm, ICO K-9 Smoky and his handler, ICO Jim Schreck, along with ISP Trooper Brett Walters, located the subject hiding in a wooded area a short distance from the original scene. 

The suspect, identified as Todd A. Lacey, 52, of North Vernon, Indiana, was taken into custody without further incident. 

According to the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, Lacey was not injured in the arrest and was found laying in a wooded area near where the pursuit ended.

At this time, no suspect weapon has been located; however, Lacey was found to be in possession of ammunition at the time of his arrest.  

Toddy Lacey was transported to the Washington County Jail and is currently charged with Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle, a Level 6 Felony. 

Indiana State Police Detectives were called to investigate a police-involved shooting early Sunday morning, after a Scott County Deputy reported being fired upon and returning fire. 

Around 5:45 Sunday morning, a Scott County Deputy was on patrol on SR 256 near Terry Road when he observed an off-road vehicle (ATV) turn east on SR 256 from Terry Road without stopping at the stop sign.

The deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on the ATV, but the vehicle fled into a nearby field. 

Shortly after entering the field, the deputy advised the ATV to stop, and the deputy exited his patrol vehicle and continued the pursuit, approaching the suspect on foot. 

The deputy reported that he heard what he believed to be gunfire, and the deputy returned fire as he took cover behind a nearby house trailer. 

When responding officers arrived, they did not locate the suspect near the ATV and established a perimeter. 

Further attempts to locate the suspect were unsuccessful.  

The Scott County Sheriff’s Department then requested the assistance of Indiana State Police detectives and crime-scene technicians from the Sellersburg Post. 

As the investigation continued, ISP detectives were able to identify a possible suspect after speaking with residents in the area. 

Indiana Conservation Officers (ICO) offered the assistance of their search canines (K-9) and assisted troopers and deputies in conducting a more in-depth search of the nearby wooded area where the suspect was believed to have fled. 

This investigation is ongoing. 

The Indiana State Police was assisted by Indiana Conservation Officers and officers from the Scott County Sheriff’s Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.