On August 20, 2021, Lieutenant John Hartman served an outstanding arrest warrant at the Scott County Sheriff’s Office.  Jonathan Chilton, 36, of Seymour, IN, was arrested on an outstanding arrest warrant for Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. 

On August 20, 2021, First Sergeant Johnney Coomer assisted the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police by observing for a motorcycle that had fled from them on I-65.  Shortly thereafter Sergeant Coomer observed what he believed to be the suspect motorcycle and attempted to make a traffic stop.  The driver of the motorcycle refused to stop and led Sergeant Coomer and other deputies on a pursuit that went back into Clark County where the motorcyclist crashed. 

Shortly thereafter the driver, Dylan Everett, 22, of Clarksville, IN, was taken into custody and transported to the hospital for evaluation.  Once complete Dylan Everett was arrested for Resisting Law Enforcement Using a Vehicle, Resisting Law Enforcement, Reckless Driving, Criminal Recklessness and Operator Never Licensed.  Everett was incarcerated at the Scott County Jail. 

On August 21, 2021, Deputy Kacey Reschar and First Sergeant Johnney Coomer were dispatched to a residence in rural Scott County for a disturbance.  Upon arrival, an investigation led to the arrest of Kristopher Bridgewater, 54, of Scottsburg for Domestic Battery and Intimidation. 

Friday, a criminal investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Wendell Beachy resulted in the arrest of Gregory Berkshire, 57, rural Logansport, IN.

Berkshire surrendered to sheriff’s deputies at the Cass County Jail. He was served a Cass Circuit Court arrest warrant alleging two class A felony charges for child molestation.

On July 29, 2021, Beachy started an investigation after receiving information that two girls had possibly been molested in Cass County.

During the investigation, evidence revealed that Berkshire had allegedly, on multiple occasions, molested a then five-year-old girl and a six-year-old girl.

The purported crimes occurred in 2011 in Cass County.

All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Paul H Rohe Company will be closing State Road 9 for a small structure replacement over Horse Creek beginning on or after Thursday, August 26.

The road will be closed between Schaefer Dr and Hartsville Pike through late September. Motorists should seek an alternate route. The official detour will follow State Road 252, I-65, U.S. 31 and State Road 46.

A 39-year-old Shoals man is dead after a shooting Monday afternoon and a Loogootee man is in jail on murder charges. 

When officers arrived, they found an adult male with a gunshot wound.

The male, Jeremi Jones, 39, of Shoals was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Once on scene Troopers and local law enforcement began investigating, and found enough probable cause to arrest Kiesten Jones, 23, of Loogootee.

Kiesten Jones was transported to the Martin County Jail and Incarcerated on the charge of Murder

At approximately 2:20 p.m. today, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of shots fired at a residence at 827 Main Street, Shoals. 

The Indiana State Police have been asked to lead this investigation.

At this time there is not a threat to the public. There is no other information to release currently.  This is an ongoing investigation.

Agencies assisting at the scene were the Martin County Sherriff’s Department, Shoals Police Department, Martin County Coroner and Martin County EMS. 

The West Washington School Board voted 6-1 at a special meeting this evening to move all classes online beginning Tuesday, August 24 thru Sept. 7 to curb the increasing numbers of students who have tested positive with Covid-19.

Board member Carrie Cambron voted against the decision. 

The move comes less than three weeks since the start of the school year, which has seen the number of Covid cases grow “exponentially,” according to Superintendent Keith Nance.

The move will also put a halt to extracurricular activities including football until at least Sept. 7 – which takes this week’s Clarksville game off the schedule and their first conference matchup with PLAC opponent Mitchell on Sept. 3. 

Nance said the schools will begin working on a plan right away to return to school in a safe manner. 

The school’s original plan posted in July showed that West Washington would not require students to wear a mask except for on the school bus which has been recommended by the CDC. Since then, the school has asked students to wear masks at school, but there has been no statewide or local mandate to enforce that.

By the first of August, most Indiana counties began seeing an increase in Covid cases, which mirrors August 2020 when the start of school saw an increase in cases around the country. 

More than 3,500 students in Indiana tested positive for COVID-19 last week, the Indiana Department of Health reported earlier today.

The department reported 3,504 new student positive cases as of last Friday.

Health officials update the dashboard weekly on Mondays at noon.

According to the Indiana State Health Department, there are less than 5 students that tested positive with Covid-19 at the elementary school and 13 at the Jr. and Sr. High School.

Nance said that number has doubled and will be reported to the state on Tuesday.

“The numbers over the course of the last seven days – and specifically over the weekend – and today…the number of Covid cases have grown exponentially,” Nance said. 

“We have a high number of absenteeism and a high number of Covid cases,” said Nance. “It is my recommendation that we go to a virtual schedule beginning tomorrow and returning on September 7. During that time we would expect staff to report to have virtual instruction ready and follow the school schedule. We expect classes to proceed daily. We will also offer grab-and-go food for pickup at the school.”

Nance said in the meantime the school will work to formulate a plan to return and what mitigation strategies would be used.

“We’re already in touch with East Washington and Salem Schools to come up with a plan that we can hopefully agree on universally that would not only impact not just our own individual schools but the community as a whole here in Washington County,” said Nance. 

Nance also said that due to the number of covid cases and contact tracing that goes beyond the classroom that goes into the extracurricular programs, the school will be suspending those programs during those days as well.

“We will look to a plan to return once we’re back in school in person,” he said. 

Nance said the decision was not something that was an easy thing to recommend.

“This was not something we wanted to see happen. It’s kind of like reliving a bad dream,” he said. “We’re hoping to put a stop to this and get back on the right track. I think the best way to do that is to put a halt to in-person instruction until Sept. 7”

The board posted they would meet in executive session earlier today and originally indicated the executive session would be held from 6p to 6:30p but remained inside their meeting room until after 7:15p when they opened to the public. 

The public session was less than five minutes long. 

Funds applied to “Meat” the Need Initiative to pay meat processing fees on donated deer

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division has awarded Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry a grant in the amount of $75,000 from its Sportsmen’s Benevolence Fund.

According to Feeding America, approximately 883,260 Indiana residents regularly struggle with food insecurity – 274,080 of which are children. Deb Treesh, Executive Director of Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry, said that the funds received will be used to pay processing fees on donated deer, with the meat being given to agencies serving food-insecure residents within Indiana.

“More than ever, families are struggling to buy groceries. Food banks, pantries and soup kitchens work to protect the most vulnerable and under-served in our communities and these agencies continue to face increased demand,” said Amber Zecca, Fund Development Director of Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry.  “To donate, farmers and hunters just need to take their livestock or deer to a local participating meat processor (call ahead to schedule livestock). After processing, local food banks and pantries are called to pick up the donation. There is absolutely no charge to donors.”

“The DNR’s contribution will allow us to continue and expand on our mission of hunger relief by providing over 240,000 more meals through local hunger relief agencies. We are so grateful for the continued support of our efforts in responding to the needs of those in the community facing hunger.” said Debra Treesh, Executive Director of Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry.

For more information, please visit www.HoosiersFeedingtheHungry.org or call (260)233-1444.