On Thursday afternoon, April 15th, Indiana State Police Sergeant Greg Day of the Bloomington District A.C.E.S. (Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Section) was notified that Lance P. Dawson Jr., 19 years old of South Bend, Indiana was possibly hiding out in Bloomington.

Dawson, who was wanted on an active homicide-murder warrant that was issued on April 7th from St. Joseph County, had been tracked to the emergency room at IU Health Bloomington by utilizing various investigative techniques.

Through those techniques, Sgt. Day, along with A.C.E.S. team members Troopers Richard Klun, Caleb Garvin, Allen Deel, Matt Hatchett, and Chance Humphrey began planning a safe attempt at the apprehension of Dawson.

While conducting surveillance, Trp. Garvin observed Dawson and two other males exit the hospital and get into a 2004 BMW sport utility vehicle. As the BMW exited the emergency room parking garage, Sgt. Day pulled directly behind the vehicle, while other troopers and South Bend Police officers surrounded it.

A high-risk stop was conducted in the parking lot of the hospital before the BMW could get onto a busy city street where pursuit would have been extremely dangerous to the public. Dawson, who was in the backseat and armed with a handgun, complied with officer commands and was taken into custody without incident.

Officers from South Bend took custody of Dawson and transported him to St. Joseph County.

Sgt. Day commended the team effort and praised the involved officers for great police work that led to a safe and peaceful conclusion.

Sgt. Day would also like to thank the Bloomington Police Department narcotics detective division for their assistance as well.

Any questions regarding the actual homicide should be directed to the South Bend Police Department.

Tuesday morning at approximately 6:15 a.m., Trooper Dennis Griffin was dispatched to a rollover crash on I-65 southbound lanes at the 220 mile-marker. 

Preliminary investigation by Trooper Griffin shows that a gold 2002 Ford pickup side-swiped a 2016 Freightliner semi-truck/trailer. 

After the initial impact, the pickup crossed the southbound lanes and drove off the roadway and into the west ditch where it overturned several times.  The vehicle came to a rest on its wheels in a field. 

The driver, identified as Dustin P. Schilling, 28, from Indianapolis, IN, was extricated from the vehicle and flown to South Bend Memorial Hospital by Lutheran Air.  The driver of the Freightliner was not injured. 

Several good Samaritans who saw the crash take place stopped to assist the injured driver.  The vehicle was towed by Village Motors.

Assisting at the scene was the Rensselaer Fire Dept., Phoenix Medics and Village Motors Towing.

Today, the Indiana State Police arrested a 74-year-old Hanover, Indiana man after a search warrant was served at his home on Ten Cent Road in rural Jefferson County, Indiana.

The investigation, conducted by Detectives with the Indiana State Police-Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, began two months earlier when a cyber tip was received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 

The cyber tip indicated that Vic Weil, age 74, Hanover, IN had possibly engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old child.

Investigators conducted a search warrant at Weil’s residence this afternoon.  Weil was then located at his place of employment in Madison, Indiana where he was taken into custody. 

Weil was arrested and transported to the Jefferson County Jail where he was incarcerated on initial charges of Sexual Misconduct with a Minor and Child Solicitation, both Level 4 Felonies.  Weil will soon make his initial appearance in the Jefferson County Circuit Court.

The investigation is ongoing.

The Indiana State Police-Internet Crimes Against Children Unit was assisted by the US Secret Service and the Madison Police Department.

This afternoon, Detectives from the Indiana State Police Organized Crime and Corruption Unit arrested Jeremy R. Crane, 38, of Bedford, following an investigation into official misconduct that allegedly occurred on October 3, 2020, in Lawrence County. 

The investigation started when Bedford Chief of Police, Terry Moore, contacted the Indiana State Police after becoming suspicious about the collection of evidence during an investigation by Crane.

Upon the conclusion of the investigation by Detective Craig Starr, all findings were turned over to a Special Prosecutor for review.

As a result, Senior Prosecuting Attorney, David O. Thomas, filed the following two charges in Lawrence County Court:

• Official Misconduct (False Reporting), Level 6 Felony
• Official Misconduct (Obstruction of Justice), Level 6 Felony

Crane was taken into custody without incident and incarcerated in the Lawrence County Jail. 

All requests about his employment should be directed to Bedford Chief of Police, Terry Moore.

A New Castle woman was arrested Monday evening after she caused a three-vehicle crash on State Road 3 at the intersection of Riley Road in New Castle.

Trooper JT Burns responded to the area and found three cars blocking the right two northbound lanes of State Road 3. Trooper Burns began to assess the scene and was approached by a local ER doctor who had witnessed the crash. The doctor instinctively began to triage the drivers of the damaged vehicles. She informed Trp. Burns that two of the drivers appeared to be uninjured however, the driver of one vehicle appeared to be non-responsive and was fading in and out of consciousness. The female driver was transported to the Henry Community Health Hospital for treatment.

During his investigation, Trp. Burns learned Melissa K. Terry, 48, New Castle, IN was driving a 2012 Mitsubishi northbound on State Road 3. She later admitted she was reaching for a bag on the passenger side floorboard. She didn’t see two cars which were stopped at the stop light at the intersection of Riley Road. Terry’s vehicle struck the rear of a 2017 Fiat driver by Lisa Kimmey, 52, New Castle, IN causing it to strike a 2017 GMC truck driven by Gerald Creager, 73, Eaton, OH.

During his investigation Trp. Burns found a rock like substance, a powder like substance, and paraphernalia associated with drug use in Terry’s vehicle.

Terry was found to be wanted on active arrest warrants from both North Carolina and Virginia.

Terry was evaluated and released by the ER staff before being transported to the Henry County Jail.

Arrested and Preliminary Charges:

• Melissa K. Terry, 48, New Castle, IN

1. Possession of Methamphetamine – Level 6 Felony
2. Possession of Narcotic Drug – Level 6 Felony
3. Operating While Intoxicated (Endangerment) – Class A Misdemeanor
4. Public Intoxication – Class B Misdemeanor
5. Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated (Controlled Substance) – Class C Misdemeanor
6. Possession of Paraphernalia – Class C Misdemeanor
7. Virginia Warrant – Full Extradition (Possession of Dangerous Drugs)

Trp. Burns was assisted by the New Castle PD, Henry County SD, New Castle EMS, New Castle FD, Henry Community Health Hospital ER, and Affordable 24 Hour Towing