Early Saturday morning, at approximately 12:04 a.m. Deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to State Road 135 North, near Spurgeon Road, in reference to a two-vehicle crash with injuries and entrapment.

Also responding was the Salem Fire Department and Washington County E.M.S..

According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, evidence at the scene indicated that a 2017 Chevy Silverado was being driven North bound by Harley Gilstrap, age 43 of Salem, when it collided with a South bound 2001 Chevy Silverado that was driven by Tony Mitchell, age 46 of Salem.

Mitchell was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Gilstrap was flown to U of L Hospital by air ambulance for treatment of serious injuries.

Crash reconstructionist from the Indiana State Police were called to the scene to assist with the investigation. The highway was closed for more than five hours while the crash scene was being investigated.

Deputy Lucas Gray is the lead investigator and was assisted by Sheriff Brent Miller, Deputy Tory Hildreth, the Washington County Coroner’s Office and the departments previously mentioned.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation at this time.

Two Lexington, Indiana men were charged in the Southern District of Indiana on charges related to their alleged possession of more than 5 kilograms of cocaine.

According to court documents, Pablo Vazquez-Salazar, 47, of Lexington, and Betza Campos-Vazquez, 32, of Lexington, were being investigated by federal agents on suspicion of illegal drug trafficking.

On August 25, 2021, the Indiana State Police observed the vehicle Vasquez-Salazar and Campos-Vazquez occupied speeding on I-65. A state police K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. Officers discovered a white powdery substance inside the vehicle which was suspected to be cocaine.

A search warrant was later executed at the residence Vasquez-Salazar and Campos-Vazquez reside. During the search, a large amount of suspected cocaine, suspected marijuana, a rifle, and other material commonly used in the distribution of illegal substances was found. In total, over 10 kilograms of cocaine was seized from the two men.

Vasquez-Salazar and Campos-Vazquez have been charged with possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. If convicted, they face up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine and at least 5 years supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Indiana State Police.

Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Wheatley is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A Jeffersonville man was killed Wednesday afternoon after the motorcycle he was riding was struck by a semi-truck and trailer on I-265.

 Around 2:43 Wednesday afternoon, Indiana State Police and other Clark County emergency responders received 911 reports of an injury crash between a motorcycle and a tractor-trailer along westbound I-265 near the I-65 interchange at the seven-mile-marker. New Chapel Ambulance service was one of the first to respond to the scene and advised the crash was, in fact, fatal. 

Troopers from the Sellersburg post, officers from the Clarksville City Police Department, and state highway workers from the Indiana Department of Transportation closed a portion of westbound I-265 and diverted westbound traffic onto northbound I-65 as an ISP crash reconstruction team conducted the investigation.  

 The preliminary investigation reveals that a green 2021 Harley Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle, driven by John Billman, 52, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, was entering westbound I-265 from the northbound I-65 onramp. At the same time, a 2012 Freightliner tractor-trailer, driven by James Mayfield, 51, of Andrews, North Carolina, was westbound on I-265, approaching the same onramp. Investigators believe the Freightliner crossed into the onramp at the same time the motorcycle was beginning to merge left towards the westbound lanes and struck the Harley Davidson.  

John Billman was pronounced dead at the scene by the Clark County Coroner’s office.   

Next-of-kin has been notified.  

James Mayfield was not injured in the crash.

Neither drugs nor alcohol is believed to be a factor in this crash.

 I-265 was closed until approximately 5:30 Wednesday afternoon.  

 This crash is still under investigation.  

In July of 2021, Indiana State Police Master Trooper Detective Brian Maudlin of the Putnamville State Police Post began an investigation into the former president and treasurer of the Cloverdale Community Youth League. 

During his investigation, it was discovered that both individuals had allegedly deprived the Cloverdale Community Youth League of over $21,848.51. 

Stephen D. Caulkins, age 41, of Cloverdale, was the president, and Amber D. Caulkins, age 37, of Cloverdale, was the treasurer for the Cloverdale Community Youth League, from 2018 through 2020. 

During their duties as the president and treasurer, they allegedly were not depositing funds into the bank accounts, in order to benefit in self-gain.

After reviewing the investigation, the Putnam County Prosecutor Timothy Bookwalter issued a summons for both parties to appear in Superior Court on October 27, 2021, at 9:00 a.m.

Summons and Charges:  

Stephen D. Caulkins, 41, Cloverdale, IN

• Theft, Class 6 Felony
• Conspiracy to commit theft, Class 6 Felony

Amber D. Caulkins, 37, Cloverdale, IN

• Theft, Class 6 Felony 
• Conspiracy to commit theft, Class 6 Felony 

Under the law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

On Wednesday, September 1, 2021, Detectives Tim Cummins and Ian Matthews from the Indiana State Police Bloomington Post along with several other Troopers including Indiana State Police SWAT served search warrants in Indianapolis regarding the homicide investigation of Angela M. Weisheit, which started in November of 2020 after her body was found in Brown County. 

The investigation has led to the following arrests and pending charges,

Paul S. Fox, 64, Indianapolis   

• Murder (Level 1 Felony)

Candy A. Lopez Ortega, 28, Indianapolis 

• Assisting a Criminal (Level 5 Felony)

Both individuals were incarcerated at Brown County Jail and the Indiana State Police was assisted by the Brown County Sheriffs Department, Brown County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Indianapolis Metro Police Department Homicide Division. 

November 21, 2020, at approximately 12:30 p.m., the Indiana State Police Bloomington Post was asked by the Brown County Sheriff’s Department to conduct a homicide investigation in their county. A 9-1-1 call was received by the sheriff’s department in reference to a deceased body being located near Bean Blossom Road and Bell Road.

While it’s early in the investigation, detectives do believe this is an isolated incident and there is no danger to the public. The identity of the victim is being withheld until positive identification can be made and until an autopsy is conducted to determine the exact cause of death.  

The investigation is being conducted by Indiana State Police detectives Tim Cummings, Ian Matthews, and First Sergeant Paul Suding, with the assistance of crime scene technicians Sergeant Jan Kruse and Darrell Terrell of the Bloomington State Police Post. 

The Brown County Coroner’s Office is also assisting. The investigation is ongoing and this is all the information currently available for release.  

Assisting Agencies: Brown County Sheriff’s Department and the Brown County Coroner’s Office

On August 31, 2021, Sergeant Robbie Lambert, Master Trooper Trey Lytton, Trooper Kaitlyn Green, and her K9 partner Drogos, Trooper Jonathon Villanueva, and Trooper Connor Giesler of the Indiana State Police All Crimes Policing Squad at the Jasper Post served a search warrant at 9953 S CR 540 E, Marengo, IN.

At the residence, Troopers found a male and female-identified as Terry and Kimberly Mosson. 

During a search of the residence, officers located numerous smoking devices, a mirror with a crystal substance on it, and a loose crystal substance on the floor of the home. The crystal substance on the mirror and the floor are both believed to be methamphetamine.

Officers also located approximately 72.10 grams of what is believed to be marijuana, approximately 511.40 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, $457 in US currency, a 12-gauge shotgun, a plastic bag containing a large amount of a crystal substance, a digital scale, and a Smith and Wesson .380 handgun.  

Dubois County Sheriffs Department and the Huntingburg Police Department assisted at the scene.

Terry and Kimberly Mosson were transported to the Orange County Jail and charged with the following:

1. Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 Felony
2. Dealing in a Schedule I Controlled Substance, Level 2 Felony
3. Possession of Methamphetamine, Level 3 Felony
4. Possession of a Handgun by a Serious Violent Felon, Level 4 Felony
5. Cultivating Marijuana, Level 6 Felony
6. Dealing in Marijuana, Level 6 Felony
7. Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Level 6 Felony
8. Possession of Marijuana, Level 6 Felony
9. Possession of a Controlled Substance, Class A Misdemeanor

All suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.