The Indiana DNR Division of Law Enforcement is looking for highly motivated, outdoor-centered individuals to fill Indiana Conservation Officer (ICO) positions across the state.

Anyone interested should first read “Become a Conservation Officer” at on.IN.gov/dnrlaw and complete the pre-screening test under the “Apply” link. Successful completion of the pre-screening test by midnight June 3 is required to receive an application for the hiring process.  

To be qualified to pass the pre-screening test, you must be a United States citizen and be 21 years old by Oct. 28. You also must be able to pass minimum Indiana Law Enforcement Academy physical fitness requirements as listed at  IN.gov/ilea/physical-fitness-standards.

Conservation officers comprise Indiana’s oldest state law enforcement agency. ICOs are fully recognized Indiana police officers who enforce and uphold all DNR rules and regulations as well as all other Indiana state laws. ICOs spend most of their time on the job enforcing fishing and hunting regulations, conducting marine boat patrol on Indiana’s waterways, and patrolling DNR properties to keep them safe and family friendly.

In addition to traditional law enforcement work, ICOs also engage in specialty areas, including scuba, K-9, search and rescue, swift water rescue, and many more.

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Force Construction Company plans to close S.R. 39 over Cammie-Thomas Ditch on or after Monday, April 4, to complete a bridge deck overlay project in northern Washington County.

The bridge is located between S.R. 256 and Mt. Eden Rd., and is expected to remain closed for up to 75 days, through mid-June. Traffic should follow the official detour, which is S.R. 256 to I-65 to S.R. 56 at Scottsburg (Exit 29). 

Two additional S.R. 39 structures are also included on the $1.4 million rehabilitation contract:

• S.R. 39 bridge over Pond Creek, 3.89 miles south of S.R. 250 in Jackson County (superstructure replacement, approx. 90-day closure)
• S.R. 39 box culvert with bridge, 7.72 miles south of S.R. 250 in Jackson County (structure replacement, approx. 30-day closure)

Work will not begin in Jackson County until after the first bridge is complete. The contract was awarded in August 2021 with a completion date of October 31, 2022. INDOT reminds drivers to use extra caution, avoid distractions, and consider worker safety when traveling through active construction zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

Indiana Department of Transportation Contractor Beaty Construction Inc. plans to begin work late next week on a $5.1 million bridge replacement contract that includes two bridges on S.R. 60 in Washington and Clark Counties.

Crews are scheduled to start at the S.R. 60 bridge over South Fork Blue River, located approximately half a mile west of S.R. 335, just outside of New Pekin, in Washington County.

On or after Friday, April 1, S.R. 60 will be reduced to one lane at the bridge with temporary signals to control traffic. The signals are expected to remain in place through late October 2022.

Work is planned to begin in early July to replace the S.R. 60 bridge over Money’s Branch (4.21 miles west of Grant Line Rd.) in Clark County. Temporary signals will also control traffic at this location through the fall.

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

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Force Construction Company plans to begin work on or after Monday, April 4, on a $2.4 million bridge rehabilitation project on U.S. 31 in Jackson County.

The project includes deck overlays on two bridges located approximately four miles south of Seymour, one over Vernon Fork Muscatatuck River and the other over a drainage ditch near I-65.

Construction will occur in two phases for each bridge. Traffic will be restricted to one lane with temporary signals during construction. A 45 mph speed limit will also be in place. Work will occur on the bridges separately, starting with the bridge over the Muscatatuck River through early August. Both bridges are expected to be complete by October 31, 2022.

The contract was awarded to Force in August 2021 for a total of $2,418,040.21. INDOT reminds drivers to use extra caution, avoid distractions, and consider worker safety when driving through active construction zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Dave O’Mara Contractor Inc. plans to begin work on or after Monday, April 4, to patch, mill and repave a section of S.R. 46 in Bartholomew County.

Work is planned between S.R. 7 and just east of S.R. 9. Resurface work will take place under single-lane closures with flagging.

The $3.7 million contract also includes a pipe replacement between U.S. 31 and C.R. 450 E. State Road 46 is expected to close for up to seven days in early May while crews replace the pipe.

Traffic will be detoured along U.S. 31, S.R. 7, U.S. 50 and S.R. 3 during the closure. Access will be maintained for local residents.

The contract was awarded to Dave O’Mara last fall and is expected to be complete by the end of October 2022. INDOT reminds drivers to use extra caution, avoid distractions, and consider worker safety when traveling through active construction zones.

All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Dave O’Mara Contractor Inc. plans to begin work to resurface a nearly seven-mile stretch of S.R. 135 as early as Friday, April 1, in Jackson County.

Crews will start with patching, followed by milling and asphalt paving under lane closures with flagging. Construction is planned on S.R. 135 from U.S. 50 to the north junction of S.R. 58 at Freetown.

The project will be completed under two separate contracts awarded to Dave O’Mara in July 2021 and are expected to be complete by late July 2022.

INDOT reminds drivers to use extra caution, avoid distractions, and consider worker safety when traveling through active construction zones.

All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

ISP is investigating after a Valparaiso man wanted in connection with a double homicide crashed shortly after a Trooper attempted to stop his car.  

Around 5 a.m. Friday, area law enforcement was advised to be on the lookout for a gold Buick passenger car and its driver in reference to a double homicide that occurred late Thursday night in Evansville, Indiana.

While searching for the car, Trooper Dakota Novak spotted a car matching the description backed into a hotel parking spot just north of I-64 in Corydon, Indiana.

Trooper Novak noted that the car was occupied and requested assistance before approaching the car. A short time later the car pulled out of the parking spot and Trooper Novak followed just as Harrison County Deputies also arrived.

After the Buick turned north onto State Road 135, Trooper Novak attempted to stop the car, however, the car sped off at a high rate of speed, and Trooper Novak advised he was in pursuit. In a matter of seconds, the gold Buick crossed over the center line and drove off the west side of the roadway.

The car then ramped over a driveway and became airborne before striking a utility pole and coming to rest upside down off the west side of the highway. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene by the Harrison County Coroner.  

A crash reconstruction team arrived to investigate the crash and detectives from the Evansville Police Department were also contacted.  

The investigation reveals that the driver was, in fact, the suspect wanted in connection with the two murders in Evansville on Thursday evening. The suspect has been identified as Samuel Aaron Robb, 30, of Valparaiso, Indiana.  

The crash investigation is ongoing, and an autopsy is scheduled for Monday morning. Further information on the actual cause of death is expected to be released following the autopsy and this news release will be updated pending the official autopsy report.  

The Indiana State Police was assisted by officers with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, The Harrison County Coroner’s Office, and the Harrison Township Fire Department.  

Three individuals were arrested on various charges including dealing in methamphetamine following a late-night investigation by Sellersburg Troopers.  

Just before Midnight on March 24th, Troopers Kyle Taylor and Mackenzie Benham, along with Scottsburg City Officers Troy Ford and Cody Newsome arrived at a 2nd Street address in Scottsburg to locate 36-year-old Morgan Richey, who was wanted on a warrant for Dealing in Methamphetamine.

Upon arrival, the officers located Richey along with Lisa Spaulding (50) of New Albany and Kane Hernandez (25) of Fishers Indiana.

After detaining Richey, Trooper Taylor observed approximately 120 grams of methamphetamine in the living room in plain view.  

As the investigation continued, officers located approximately 12 grams of methamphetamine and 3.5 grams of cocaine on Lisa Spalding.

It was also discovered that Hernandez had an active warrant for strangulation out of Madison County, Indiana

All three were arrested and transported to the Scott County Jail without further incident. The charges for each are listed below.

Morgan Richey, 36, Scottsburg:

• Dealing in Methamphetamine -2 counts (Warrant)
• Dealing in Methamphetamine – Level 2 Felony
• Possession of Methamphetamine – Level 3 Felony
• Possession of Cocaine – Level 6 Felony
• Maintaining a Common Nuisance – Level 6 Felony
• Possession of Marijuana – B Misdemeanor
• Possession of Paraphernalia – A Misdemeanor

Lisa Spaulding, 50, New Albany:

• Possession of Methamphetamine – Level 3 Felony
• Possession of Cocaine – Level 6 Felony
• Possession of Paraphernalia – A Misdemeanor
• Possession of Marijuana – B Misdemeanor

Kane Hernandez, 25, Fishers IN:

• Warrant for strangulation and possession of Marijuana