A 19-year-old Newburgh man was arrested last night for reckless driving and resisting law enforcement after a brief chase.

The driver was identified as Cameron Shepherd, 19, of Newburgh.

1. Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle, Level 6 Felony
2. Reckless Driving, Class A Misdemeanor

Last night at approximately 7:30, Senior Trooper Finney was patrolling US 41 near CR 925 South when he observed a 2011 Toyota Scion traveling northbound at 107 mph.

Trooper Finney immediately activated his emergency lights and attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver continued north at a high rate of speed.

The driver turned east onto Coal Mine Road and then north on CR 10 East. Trooper Finney located the vehicle parked partially in a driveway and front yard of a residence.

The driver was ordered out of the vehicle and arrested without further incident.

Further investigation revealed the registration on the vehicle was expired and he didn’t have insurance for the vehicle.

Shepherd is currently being held on bond in the Gibson County Jail.

Arresting Officer: Senior Trooper Michael Finney

Assisting Officers: Trooper Lukeman, Trooper Widner and Trooper Boeckman

Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews plan to close lanes of I-265 at three bridges in Floyd County next week to complete patching work.

Motorists can expect single-lane closures in both directions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting Monday, Jan. 11, weather permitting. Locations scheduled for repair include I-265 over Slate Run Creek, Jacobs Creek, and Silver Creek, between I-64 and I-65.

Patching is expected to take approximately four days to complete but is temperature-dependent. Work may be rescheduled or extended if needed due to weather. Motorists are reminded to slow down, use extra caution, and drive distraction-free in and near work zones. 

More than 128,000 Hoosiers have received a first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to Indiana Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver.

Nearly 600 have received a second dose, making them fully vaccinated.

Weaver said during today’s press conference that vaccines for those Indiana residents aged 80 and over would begin this Friday (see related story).

This week, vaccines were made available to firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, and Department of Corrections officers.

In Southern Indiana, here are the number of residents that have received the vaccine, as of Tuesday, Jan. 5:

• Lawrence County – 569
• Jackson County – 741
• Jennings County – 267
• Orange County – 346
• Washington County – 317
• Scott County – 253
• Clark County – 2224
• Floyd County – 1531
• Harrison County – 572
• Crawford County – 85

Washington County – along with 56 other counties around Indiana – turned to Red today on the State of Indiana’s Covid 19 map and some schools will be changing to reflect the high rate of spread of the virus. 

West Washington School Corporation will move to a hybrid mix of in-person and virtual education. 

Salem and Eastern Schools will continue in-person classes. 

Effective today – January 6 – the Indiana Department of Revenue’s (DOR) Clarksville District Office, located at 1200 Madison St. Suite E., is temporarily closed, additional information will be provided soon.

Most customer requests can be addressed without visiting a district office location.

Customers who would typically visit our Clarksville office are encouraged to take advantage of our online service options, including:

• Individuals can pay their taxes online, both in full and as part of a payment plan, with DORPay at DORpay.dor.in.gov or set up a payment plan with INtax pay at INtaxpay.in.gov.
• Businesses and corporations can pay their bill, set up a payment plan, file and send secure messages with INTIME at INTIME.dor.in.gov.
• Customers can contact DOR through the online customer email form.

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) issued the following statement regarding today’s joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College results as required by the Constitution:

“As Congress meets to formally receive the votes of the Electoral College, I will uphold my Constitutional duty and certify the will of the states as presented. The people voted and the Electoral College voted. Congress must fulfill its role in turn.

“Like so many of my patriotic constituents and colleagues, I too wish the results of this election were different. I strongly supported President Trump and his agenda for the last four years. I campaigned hard for him. But upon assuming this office, I took a solemn, inviolable oath to support and defend our Constitution, just as I did as a United States Marine. I will not violate that oath.

“Congress’ role in the presidential election process is narrow by design. The states are responsible for their own elections, and for determining the resulting electors. Congress has no authority to do anything other than certifying states’ Electoral College votes as reported. For Congress to supplant the will of a state’s certified electors for its own would be unconstitutional and set a dangerous precedent, damaging the integrity of and future respect for the Electoral College. This is not an empty warning. Democrats have already shown the political will to subvert our institutions through calls to pack the Supreme Court, eliminate the filibuster to weaken the Senate and abolish the Electoral College itself. It would be a grave mistake to join them in this effort. 

“However, with several states implementing various changes to their systems of election integrity this year, I see value in establishing a bipartisan Election Integrity Committee charged with reviewing the 2020 election and making recommendations to state legislatures to improve the security, integrity, and administration of federal elections. That’s why I will join my colleague Senator Tim Scott in introducing legislation that would create such a committee. We must ensure appropriate safeguards are in place at the state and local level, similar to those we have in Indiana, to restore voters’ trust.”

Shortly before midnight Tuesday, a Clarksville man led state troopers on a vehicle pursuit through two counties which ended in a crash in Columbus where the driver was taken into custody.

Andrew Moore, 18, Clarksville, was arrested on charges of Resisting Law Enforcement in a Vehicle-Level 6 Felony, and Reckless Driving, Class A Misdemeanor. 

He was transported to the Jackson County Jail where he was incarcerated, pending an initial appearance in the Jackson County Circuit Court.

The incident began when Trooper Derek Eggers, Indiana State Police-Versailles, conducted a traffic stop on a 2004 Toyota passenger car on I-65 Northbound near the 55-mile marker in Jackson County. 

After the vehicle stopped, Trp. Eggers was approaching the vehicle on foot when the driver fled the scene northbound on I-65.

Trooper Eggers pursued the vehicle, which entered Bartholomew County. 

The vehicle exited I-65 at exit 68 at Columbus. 

After exiting the interstate, Moore’s vehicle collided with another passenger car traveling westbound on State Road 46. 

The driver of the second vehicle was treated for minor injuries. 

After the collision, Moore initially fled from the vehicle on foot before eventually being taken into custody.

Trooper Eggers was assisted by other troopers with the Indiana State Police-Versailles District along with officers from the Columbus Police Department and Bartholomew County Sheriff’s