Veteran’s Day 2015 will have even more meaning for the 46 recruits of the 75th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy.
Early this morning each recruit was pinned with their ISP Collar Insignia by Superintendent Doug Carter and Chief of Staff, Colonel Mark French. The pinning took place early this morning at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center where the recruits have been putting into practice what has been learned over the past 20 plus weeks of training in an academy environment.
Now, having earned their ISP collar insignia, these recruits are a mere eight days from graduation day on November 19, 2015. Graduation day will mark the transition from being a recruit to becoming probationary troopers, after which they will report to their assigned state police posts throughout Indiana. Once at their assigned post they will complete an additional three months of field training before starting solo patrol duties.
For those interested in embarking in a career with the Indiana State Police, applications are being accepted for the 76th Recruit Academy planned to start in 2016. For more information on how to apply click this link to see the news release issued Nov. 9th announcing that applications for the position of trooper are now being accepted.
Supt. Doug Carter (left) and Col. Mark French (right) placing the ISP collar insignia on an unnamed state police recruitClose up of the ISP Collar InsigniaISP Recruits and Training Staff just prior to the pinning of the ISP collar insignia
Four Scott County Residents have been arrested in connection with the Saturday killing of an Austin jewlery store owner.
Christopher M. Caudill, 31, Water Tower Road, Austin, IN, was arrested and charged with Resisting Law Enforcement, Possession of Methamphetamine and Dealing in Methamphetamine.
Christopher CaudillGinger CoxJames Matthew CaudillPatricia Caudill
James Matthew Caudill, 21, Water Tower Road, Austin, IN. was arrested and charged with Auto Theft, Unauthorized Entry of Motor Vehicle.
Ginger Lee Cox, 23, Water Tower Road, Austin, IN. was arrested and charged with Auto Theft, Unauthorized Entry of a Motor Vehicle.
Patricia A. Caudill, 50, Water Tower Road, Austin, IN. was arrested and charged with Assisting a Criminal.
At this time investigators believe they have at least one person of interest in custody associated with the Robbery and Murder of John Turner.
No other information is available at this time. Information will be released as it becomes available.
Yesterday at approximately 2:30 pm, officers from the Indiana State Police, Austin City Police Department and Scott County Sheriff’s Department went to 5221 Water Tower Road just north of the Austin City Limits. Officers went there to execute a search warrant and locate James Matthew Caudill and Ginger Cox. Both of these subjects were wanted out of Scott County for auto theft.
When officers arrived at the residence, James Matthew Caudill and his brother, Christopher M. Caudill were in a wooded area near the home and were taken into custody by troopers. Ginger Cox was located hiding inside of the residence and was also taken into custody by troopers.
After a search was completed on the residence and property, money, jewelry and other items were located allegedly associated with the Robbery/Murder of John Turner that occurred Saturday afternoon November 11th.
Saturday afternoon shortly after 3:30 pm, someone entered John’s Coin and Jewelry Shop located at 61 West Main Street in Austin and robbed, shot and killed the shop owner, John M Turner, 79, from Austin. John was located by a family member in the shop and 911 was called. The Austin City Police Department and the Scott County EMS responded to what they initially thought was a medical emergency.
When a doctor and the Scott County Coroner’s Office examined John M. Turner at the hospital, they noticed a wound on the victim’s head that was not consistent to the medical issue as first thought and more consistent with foul play. The investigation immediately turned into a death investigation with the Austin City Police Department requesting the assistance of the Indiana State Police. Indiana State Police Crime Scene Technicians and detectives processed the crime scene then immediately began following leads.
Monday an autopsy was performed on John M. Turner at the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville, KY. The autopsy revealed the preliminary cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head of John M. Turner.
The official cause of death will not be determined until all of the autopsy results are complete which usually takes up to six weeks.
An armed robbery turned deadly for the owner of a jewelry store in Austin, IN on Saturday afternoon shortly after 3:30 pm.
Police are looking for someone who entered John’s Coin and Jewelry Shop located at 61 West Main Street in Austin and robbed, shot and killed the shop owner, John M Turner, 79, from Austin.
John was located by a family member in the shop and 911 was called.
The Austin City Police Department and the Scott County EMS responded to what they initially thought was a medical emergency.
When a doctor and the Scott County Coroner’s Office examined John M. Turner at the hospital, they noticed a wound on the victim’s head that was not consistent to the medical issue as first thought and more consistent with foul play.
The investigation immediately turned into a death investigation with the Austin City Police Department requesting the assistance of the Indiana State Police.
Indiana State Police Crime Scene Technicians and detectives processed the crime scene then immediately began following leads.
Earlier today, an autopsy was performed on John M. Turner at the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville, KY.
The autopsy revealed the preliminary cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head of John M. Turner. The official cause of death will not be determined until all of the autopsy results are complete which usually takes up to six weeks.
With this additional information the case is now being investigated as a Robbery/Murder investigation. Anyone with information on this crime is encouraged to contact the Indiana State Police at 1-800-872-6743 or 812-246-5424. All callers can remain anonymous.
The Scott County Sheriff’s Department, the Scott County Prosecutor’s Office and the Scottsburg City Police Department are also assisting in the investigation.
The driver who plowed into a lighted sign at Casey’s General Store at the corner of SR60 and Tarr Avenue Friday evening at approximately 5:43p is now in jail on charges of reckless driving, operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II narcotic and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Woodrow “Buddy” Cheatham III, 26, 1706 East Delaney/Millport Road, Vallonia, IN, was traveling westbound on State Road 56 when he crossed the center line and traveled about 150 feet in the wrong direction and then swerved into Casey’s General Store, striking their sign nearest the road.
According to a witness at the scene, Cheatham “looked dazed. He was in our lane. We had to swerve and miss him. Look like he might have had a heart-attack or something. He was staring out into space.”
The sign was demolished and pieces of brick was scattered all over the roadway. Washington County EMS and the Salem Fire Department were called to the scene. Traffic was backed up for about 30 minutes.
Cheatham was driving a 1985 Pontiac, which came to a stop near Baird Mobile Homes in the westbound lane. Briana Prewitt, 18, was in the vehicle with Cheatham at the time of the accident.
According to Officer Nigel Smith, when he and Officer Tim Miller arrived at the scene, they observed extensive damage to the vehicle. “I observed numerous individuals standing around the driver’s side of the vehicle helping [Cheatham] from the vehicle,” Smith wrote in his report.
Smith said Cheatham advised he did not know what happened and that he did not remember hitting anything.
“He said he was hurting all over,” wrote Smith. “I immediately observed Cheatham’s eyes to be dilated and glassy. [His] speech was slurred as well.”
Smith noted in the report that while Cheatham was in the ambulance, his bluish-green glass smoking pipe fell out of his pocket. Upon further investigation and testing at St. Vincent Salem Hospital, Cheatham tested positive for Benzodiazepines, a psychoactive drug.
Cheatham indicated he didn’t know how he tested positive for Benzodiazepines, but did admit to have been smoking spice, but not prior to the accident.
Smith arrested Cheatham, escorted him from the hospital after treatment and he was booked into the Washington County Detention Center.
After several months of investigating a Salem man has been arrested on charges of dealing drugs.
Carl Ernest Hart, 30, 217 S. Teresa Street, Salem, was arrested on November 5th, 2015 at approximately 11:29am by the Washington County Drug team.
The arrest led from a several month long drug investigation, according to the Drug Team. Assisting agencies included: Salem Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Department, and the Washington County Prosecutors Office.
Hart was arrested at the above residence for his outstanding warrants, which were three counts of dealing in a narcotic drug, all level 5 felonies.
Hart was transported to the Washington County Detention, and is being held on a $30,000 cash only bond.
Campbellsburg First Responders, Washington County EMS, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and Campbellsburg Town Marshall David Nicholson all responded to a three-vehicle crash in Smedley at 6:15am on Wednesday.
According to Deputy Alan Taylor, Harold Elliott, 91, Campbellsburg, was taken by helicopter ambulance to University of Louisville hospital with head trauma.
Elliott was driving a 1997 Dodge Dakota.
James Stalker II, 28, Mitchell, was travelling eastbound on State Road 60 in a 1989 Maroon Toyota pickup, when Elliott pulled out from Smedley Road.
“Stalker tried to swerve around him,” said Taylor. “He couldn’t avoid it.”
Stalker’s vehicle left the road on the north side, drove into a ditch and then crossed 60 to come to a stop on a ridge on the southside.
In a second accident, Terry Pointer, 54, Clarksville, was travelling westbound on 60 and as he approached the accident scene he saw Stalker’s vehicle on the side of the road and looked over.
“I think he was distracted and then hit the rear passenger side of Elliott’s truck,” said Taylor.
Washington County EMS transported both Elliott and Stalker to St. Vincent Hospital where Elliott was flown to Louisville. Stalker was treated for a laceration on his left eye.
Trick or Treating started early for three Washington County teens who stole a local truck, took it for a ride around the county and crashed it into the front porch of a Poplar Street resident early Halloween morning in Salem.
According to Salem Police Officer Ronnie Mays, a 2004 Gray Ford Ranger was stolen from Dawalt Funeral Home Friday evening, Oct. 30.
The teens — including a 17-year-old Eastern High School student, and two 13-year-olds from Salem – took the truck for a joy ride around Pekin and Campbellsburg before returning to Salem early Saturday morning, said Mays.
The vehicle belonged to Adam Kelly, and according to Mays, was totaled.
“Apparently he miscalculated his turn from Posey to Poplar Street,” said Mays, and crashed the truck into the front porch of a home belonging to Robert Fletcher, 306 West Poplar.
Mays said both airbags deployed.
“The boys ran and neighbors in the area tried to catch them but couldn’t,” he said. Police were called to the scene a little after 10a on Saturday.
Mays said several people have reported break-ins lately in the area and a vehicle at the Robert Bennett residence next to Dawalt Funeral Home had been burglarized.
“The 17 year old is a slow learner,” said Mays. According to police, the older teen had just spent two years in juvenile detention and had recently been released. He had previously stolen a vehicle belonging to Dr. Kalyn Carty and had crashed it into her yard two years ago.
The driver of the vehicle was not injured, but one of the passengers was taken to the hospital for treatment of a broken finger.
Mays warned residents to not leave anything of value in their vehicle and to keep vehicles parked outside locked when not in use.
Scott County – On Tuesday, November 3, 2015, at approximately 6:19pm, officers from the Indiana StatePolice in Sellersburg responded to a report of a Personal Injury crash northbound on I-65 in Scott County near the 27 mile marker.
A preliminary investigation reveals that a black 2009 Toyota Corolla driven by Charles Oatten, 20, of Westland, Michigan, was traveling southbound on I-65 approaching the 27 mile marker when the vehicle lost control for an unknown reason. The vehicle travelled off the east side of the roadway, crossing over the median and entered the northbound lanes of I-65. The vehicle then struck a northbound 2013 Kenworth Semi-truck driven by Randy Wolke, 58, of Coon Rapids, Minnesota. After striking the semi-truck the vehicle crossed into the right-hand lane and struck the rear tandem wheels of a 2015 Peterbilt driven by Michael Smith, 23, of Indianapolis. The Toyota was pushed north approximately 100 feet and came to rest in the median of I-65.
Charles Oatten was flown to U of L Hospital in Louisville, KY and is currently listed in critical condition. No other drivers were injured in the crash.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. I-65 Northbound is currently closed at the 19 mile marker and traffic is being diverted north on US 31 to Scottsburg.
The Indiana StatePolice were assisted by units from the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, and units from the Scottsburg Fire Department.
November 4, 2015 — If you have questions about the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) and the options they may have for insurance beginning in 2016, then plan to attend one of these information sessions at St.Vincent Salem Hospital over the next few months.
Open enrollment begins November 1, 2015 and goes through January 31, 2016. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the average cost of ACA insurance will LOWER in Indiana by more than 12%, the biggest drop across the country! In addition, St. Vincent Salem is now part of the Anthem Marketplace Plan. In 2016, Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St.Vincent is the only “in network” children’s hospital in Indiana in the Anthem Marketplace.
Licensed Indiana Navigators will be available to do on-site screenings to see if a potential applicant may qualify for Medicaid first, then will assess them for the Health Insurance Marketplace plans and help guide them through their available options. **Licensed Indiana Navigators have the responsibility of remaining neutral when advising people about their options; they will present all of the available options to the individual, then leave it to the person to make their own choice about which insurance carrier and plan they wish to choose, if Representatives from various managed care organizations will be on hand to assist with specific questions about their plans which are being offered in Washington County and surrounding counties where people may see specialists or other providers.
