A Scottsburg business owner was arrested Friday, June 2 on several felony charges following an Indiana State Police investigation that began in March.  

John Christopher Gibbs, , 57, Louisville, Kentucky, owner of Gibbs Innovative Manufacturers Inc.(GIM Inc.), located in Scottsburg, Indiana allegedly defrauded vendors of over $302,000.00 in this case.  

Gibbs was arrested and charged with:

1. Corrupt Business Practices, Level 5 Felony – one count.
2. Fraud, Level 5 Felony – Five counts 
3. Theft, Level 5 Felony – Three counts 
4. Fraud, Level 6 Felony – Two counts 
5. Theft, Level 6 Felony – Four counts 

In March, a business vendor and potential fraud victim contacted Detective Tim Denby with the Indiana State Police Special Investigations Section.

The vendor alleged fraudulent business practices by John Christopher Gibbs.

The vendor stated Gibbs paid for services rendered with a fraudulent check.

The check in question was for an amount over $10,000.

As a result of his subsequent investigation, Detective Denby believed Gibbs knowingly wrote the check the day after Gibbs closed the associated checking account.  

As the investigation continued, Detective Denby learned of multiple other vendors who were potential victims and owed large payments by GIM Inc. for work completed at the GIM, Inc. factory in Scottsburg.

Those vendors included various contractors in southern Indiana and a locally based financial institution.

Kentucky State Police (KSP) detectives arrested John Gibbs Friday at a Simpsonville, Kentucky, hotel he was using as his residence. KSP also arrested John Christopher Gibbs on related warrants from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia.  

The Scott County Indiana Prosecutor’s Office, The Kentucky State Police, and the Louisville Metro Police Department assisted in this investigation. 

This morning, a suspect stole a school bus from the Cincinnati, Ohio area and led police from numerous Indiana police departments on a chase that lasted nearly an hour before the bus became disabled and the suspect was arrested.

At approximately 10:15 am this morning, the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post was contacted by Ohio authorities who relayed information that a yellow 2021 school bus had been stolen from the Cincinnati area and was currently being tracked while it traveled westbound on I-74 near Batesville in Ripley County, Indiana. 

A Batesville Police Officer and two Indiana State Troopers located the vehicle and followed it as it entered Decatur County, Indiana. 

The troopers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle.  The suspect and lone occupant of the vehicle, Chad Avery Murdock, age 32, Cincinnati, Ohio, did not stop and fled from the officers in the vehicle. 

The vehicle eventually went off road into numerous fields and yards. 

The bus drove on numerous county roads as well as US 421 and SR 9 during the pursuit. 

Numerous officers from multiple departments joined the pursuit as the bus entered Shelby County.

Officers were eventually able to deploy a tire deflation device successfully which caused the tires on the bus to deflate. 

At approximately 11:15 am, officers boxed the bus in as it drove through another field, causing Murdock to stop the bus near County Road 25 East, just south of Shelbyville in Shelby County, Indiana. 

Murdock was then taken into custody without further incident.

Multiple police vehicles were damaged due to collisions with the bus during the pursuit. 

Multiple fields and yards also sustained damages due to Murdock’s actions.

Neither Murdock nor any of the police officers involved were injured during the incident.

Murdock was transported to the Decatur County Jail where he was incarcerated on preliminary charges of Resisting Law Enforcement, Criminal Recklessness with a Vehicle, Possession of Stolen Property, and Criminal Mischief. 

Additional charges are possible.

Detectives with the Indiana State Police are investigating after a suspect shot a New Albany police officer while the officer was investigating a prior shooting in the city.

ISP detectives believe a female victim reported a shooting incident earlier Tuesday morning in the 400 block of Green Street in New Albany. 

No person was struck or injured in that incident; however, officers with the New Albany Police Department began looking for 29-year-old Barry Sowders of New Albany concerning that incident.  

At approximately 11:30 Tuesday morning, a vehicle matching the suspects was located near the 1400 block of Grant Street in New Albany. 

Sowders exited the car when officers approached, and officers observed a handgun in Sowder’s possession. 

When officers attempted to detain Sowders, he fled on foot, and the officers gave chase. 

As officers pursued, Sowders fired a handgun at two officers, striking Corporal Andrew Byrne. 

Corporal Byrne then returned fire, striking Sowders.  

Detectives believe Barry Sowders continued to flee on foot and fired again at a third pursuing officer. 

Sowders was then able to evade officers but officers from multiple departments responded and began setting a perimeter around the location. 

Additionally, officers at the scene of the shooting provided medical aid to Corporal Byrne.  An ambulance then transported Officer Byrne to University Hospital in Louisville.  

An ISP and LMPD helicopter responded to the scene as officers continued to search for Sowders.  At approximately 12:30 pm, a group of officers from multiple agencies located Sowders lying on the front porch of a Market Street residence a short distance from the shooting. 

Officers and emergency medical personnel treated Sowders for gunshot wounds, who was then taken into custody and transported to University Hospital by ambulance.  

New Albany Police Chief Todd Baily requested ISP investigate the police-involved shooting.  This investigation is ongoing; however, as of the writing of this news release, Barry Sowders has been released from the hospital and is currently incarcerated at Jefferson County Metro Corrections in Louisville, pending his extradition to Indiana. 

Sowders is being held on a warrant for three counts of attempted murder and resisting law enforcement.  

Corporal Andrew Byrnes is currently listed in Fair condition at the University of Louisville Hospital.  

This is an ongoing investigation, and more information will be released as it becomes available.  

Detectives and crime-scene technicians from the Indiana State Police- Sellersburg Post were requested to investigate the death of an inmate housed at the Harrison County Jail in Corydon.

The preliminary investigation reveals that at approximately 6:00 a.m. Thursday, corrections officers with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office located a male inmate, Joshua Dale Kepley, 42, of Harrison County, unresponsive upon entering his cell to deliver breakfast.

Corrections officers immediately began providing medical assistance and requested EMS respond to assist.

Emergency personnel were unable to revive Kepley.  He was pronounced deceased at the scene by Harrison County Hospital EMS personnel and the Harrison County Coroner’s Office responded to the jail.

The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office requested the Indiana State Police investigate the death.

The investigation also found that Kepley was incarcerated on a Felony – Neglect of Dependent charge and other warrants after being arrested on Wednesday.  That arrest occurred when officers responded to an overdose call involving Kepley.  Following his arrest, Joshua Kepley was transported to the Harrison County Hospital and medically cleared before being jailed Wednesday night.  Kepley was housed in a communal cell with other inmates during his incarceration.

An autopsy was conducted Thursday morning through the Harrison County Coroner’s Office. The results of the autopsy, as well as toxicology results, are pending; however, no foul play is suspected at this time.

The investigation is ongoing.

The Harrison County Coroner’s Office assisted the Indiana State Police in this investigation. 

Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews plan to begin chip seal operations on S.R. 60 in Washington County, starting on or after Thursday, May 18.

Crews will be active from the intersection of S.R. 56 and S.R. 60 in Salem to west of Saltillo Road. 

Chip seal work typically lasts three to four days per location depending upon weather.

During operations, existing pavement is coated with liquid asphalt, which seals cracks and provides waterproof protection.

This extends the service life of the roadway and lowers maintenance costs.

Once the seal coat is complete, loose aggregate is applied and swept from the road. After a curing period, crews will return to fog seal the new driving surface and apply pavement markings.

Chip seal is a cost-effective pavement preservation technique that is utilized across the state of Indiana, saving an estimated six to 14 dollars in taxpayer expenditures for every dollar invested in extending the life of a roadway.

INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, avoid distractions, and consider worker safety when traveling through active work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.