This morning, officers from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department and troopers from the Indiana State Police Lowell Post were dispatched to a theft of a tractor-trailer from the Love’s Truck Stop located on S.R. 10 east of I-65. 

Officers spoke with the victim who had been inside the truck stop and determined when the driver went outside, his truck was missing. During the investigation, officers were able to determine that the vehicle was at another truck stop located in Remington, IN. 

This truck stop is approximately 30 miles south of where the original theft took place.

Officers soon determined that the vehicle was again traveling south on I-65 and notified troopers at the Lafayette Post. 

Trooper Corey Brown located the vehicle traveling southbound near the 152 mile-marker in Clinton County.  Trooper Brown noticed that the vehicle had been altered from the original theft. 

Numbers on the trailer had been freshly spray painted over, the license plates had been switched, and a different tractor had been hooked up to the trailer.

A traffic stop was initiated on the vehicle and the driver was taken into custody without incident. 

The driver, Dalwy DeArmas Rodriguez, 36, from Louisville, KY, was transported to the Clinton County Jail where he is preliminarily charged with Possession of Stolen Property- Level 5 Felony. 

Charges will be filed in Jasper County by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department.

The company who owned the product in the trailer reported that the contents inside the stolen trailer were valued at $914,000.00. 

All the property was recovered and undamaged.

At approximately 11:00 a.m., Trooper Kurtis Jones located the original stolen semi-tractor abandoned northbound at the 232 mile-marker on I-65.  That vehicle was later released to the original victim. 

Assisting agencies: Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Department, and Zore’s Towing.

All suspects are presumed innocent until/unless proven guilty in court.

The Louisville and Indiana Railroad plans to close the S.R. 258/6th Street rail crossing in Seymour for repairs starting as early as 6 a.m. on Tuesday, August 30.

The crossing is located just west of S.R. 11 at Indianapolis Avenue, and is expected to reopen the evening of Thursday, September 1.

Traffic may use the detour route, which follows S.R. 58, I-65 and S.R. 11.

This work will be rescheduled if needed due to inclement weather. Motorists are reminded to slow down, use extra caution, and drive distraction-free in and near work zones. 

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Dave O’Mara Contractor Inc. plans to close S.R. 39 for up to 30 days starting on or after Tuesday, September 6, for a box culvert replacement project in Washington County.

Contractors will be working just north of S.R. 56 near Little York. Traffic will be detoured along S.R. 56, I-65 and S.R. 256. 

The $1.3 million contract was awarded to Dave O’Mara in January and also includes a structure replacement project on S.R. 56, located 1.75 miles east of S.R. 39, that is currently scheduled to begin later this year in Scott County.

INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use caution and remain vigilant of workers and equipment in active construction zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change. 

Indiana State Police detectives have arrested Melissa Wade, 48, of Mt. Vernon, for allegedly shooting her husband during an argument that occurred inside their residence on August 26.

Wade has been released from Deaconess Midtown Hospital and is currently being held without bond in the Posey County Jail.

Herbert Wade is still being treated for his injuries.

Wade is charged with:

1. Attempted Murder, Level 1 Felony
2. Aggravated Battery, Level 3 Felony
3. Battery with a Deadly Weapon, Level 5 Felony

Friday night, August 26, at approximately 8:42, Posey County 911 Dispatch received a call from a residence located at 160 SR 62 West in Mt. Vernon reference to a man and a woman who had been shot.

Moments later, Mt. Vernon Police arrived and located Herbert Wade, 58, on the living room floor with a gunshot wound.

Melissa Wade was in a rear bedroom with a gunshot wound.

A male juvenile relative was also inside the residence during the shooting, but he was not injured.

Indiana State Police detectives have been investigating the shooting.

According to detectives, Herbert and Melissa Wade were married and were involved in an argument when Melissa Wade allegedly shot Herbert Wade in the chest with a handgun.

Detectives believe Melissa accidently shot herself in the leg.

They were both transported to Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville.

Investigating Officers: Sergeant/Detective Chandler, Detective Wilson, Sergeant Clamme, Sergeant Staggs, Trooper Roberts, and Trooper Vennekotter, Indiana State Police

Assisting Agencies: Mt. Vernon Police and Posey County Sheriff’s Office

The Indiana State Police is currently assisting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the investigation of an airplane crash. The crash took place at the French Lick Airport.

At approximately 9:09 p.m. on Saturday, August 27, 2022, Orange County Dispatch received 911 calls reporting that a small plane had crashed at the French Lick airport. When officers and first responders arrived at the scene, they located a single-engine fixed wing plane on fire.

The preliminary investigation revealed that there was one occupant in the plane who was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Orange County Coroner. The victim’s name is being withheld until proper identification and notification has been made to their next of kin.

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been contacted and the crash scene will be turned over to them upon their arrival. The Indiana State Police will continue to assist the FAA, however, any determinations made relating to the cause of the crash will be released by their agency concluding a thorough investigation.

The Indiana State Police were assisted by the Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, Orange County Sheriff Department, French Lick and West Baden Police Departments, French Lick and West Baden Fire Departments, Orange County Rural District #1 Fire Department, and the Orange County Coroner.

An investigation by Indiana State Police has led to a Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputy being charged with two felonies after he allegedly sent an accusatory email falsely identifying himself as another officer who currently works for the New Albany Police Department.  

Arrested was Ralph M. Weaver, 37, of Lanesville, Indiana.

The warrant was for one count of Identity Deception and one count of Obstruction of Justice. Both charges are Level 6 Felonies. 

Weaver voluntarily turned himself into the court on Monday afternoon.  

Ralph Weaver is currently employed as a Sheriff’s Deputy with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department and was a former New Albany City Police Officer. 

In May of 2022, an individual sent an email to several area recipients, including officers at the Indiana State Police Post in Sellersburg, the Floyd County Prosecutor’s office, The Floyd County Sheriff, the Floyd County Courts system, and two Louisville news broadcasting stations.

The email’s author identified themselves as a particular and current New Albany police officer.

The email made allegations of officer misconduct at the New Albany Police Department.

It also alleged that although the sender had reported the allegations, the issues were not being addressed.

The sender not only identified himself as a particular New Albany Officer but also included a telephone number and identifying information about his family.  

Upon receipt of the email and at the request of the Floyd County Prosecutor’s Office, ISP detectives began a probe into the allegations.

First, ISP Detective Mike Bennett contacted the New Albany officer listed as the email’s author.

That officer advised that he had not sent the email and had no knowledge of such communication being sent.

Detective Bennett then started investigating possible identity deception while continuing to look into the allegations mentioned in the email with the assistance of additional State Police Detectives.  

After investigating the identity deception, Detective Bennett submitted his findings to the Floyd County Prosecutor.

As a result, on Monday, August 29, the Floyd County Superior court issued an arrest warrant for Weaver. 

During the concurrent inquiry by State Police Detectives regarding the alleged offenses in the initial email, detectives found the New Albany Police Department and the Indiana State Police had previously addressed or investigated those issues. The Floyd County Prosecutor discussed the results with the investigators and concurred with their findings.