Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson announced today that she will step down as Secretary of State. Secretary Lawson has notified Governor Holcomb and will submit a formal resignation once Governor Holcomb selects her successor and the successor is ready to serve.

“I have dedicated the last 32 years of my life to public service,” said Secretary Lawson. “I have served with all of my heart and soul. It has been an honor to serve, but it is time for me to step down.

“Like many Hoosiers, 2020 took a toll on me. I am resigning so I can focus on my health and my family. I will work with Governor Holcomb to ensure our next Secretary of State is up to the task and has the tools and resources to hit the ground running.”

Secretary Lawson was first appointed Secretary of State on March 16, 2012, by then-Governor Mitch Daniels. She successfully ran for election in 2014 and 2018. She is the longest-serving Secretary of State in Indiana history and Indiana’s 61^st Secretary of State.

As Indiana’s chief elections officer, she focused on ensuring the integrity and security of our state’s elections. She championed sweeping election reforms and led the effort to clean Indiana’s voter rolls.  Thanks to her efforts, all Indiana counties now have access to cybersecurity tools to protect not only elections but every county and the entire state from adversaries who seek to destroy our republic.

A tireless advocate for increasing Indiana’s financial literacy and protecting Indiana investors, Secretary Lawson educated Hoosiers about smart money decisions and fought for stringent penalties for white-collar criminals. She directed substantial innovation and leveraged cutting-edge technology to improve how businesses interact with the government by leading the charge on the state’s business one-stop portal.

INBiz is now a nationally recognized portal that serves as businesses’ single point of contact for registration, filing, reporting, and making payments across state agencies.

Prior to serving as Secretary of State, Lawson served in the Indiana Senate for sixteen years, where she accomplished significant legislative success. Respected across the aisle, she quickly earned the admiration of her colleagues and made history in 2006 when she was selected as the first woman to serve as Majority Floor Leader in the Indiana Senate.

Before joining the Indiana Senate, Lawson served as Clerk of the Hendricks County Circuit Court for eight years. During her tenure, she was named elections administrator of the year by the Indiana State Election Board and clerk of the year by the Indiana Clerk’s Association, both in 1993.

As a public servant, Lawson has been a true inspiration to women in government, an agent of change for Indiana counties, and a determined advocate for the prevention of diseases that would rob us of our loved ones.

In addition to her public work, she and her husband Jack own Lawson & Company, an auctioneer and real estate company.

Two juveniles were killed in a Valentine’s Day accident in Orange County.

Sunday at approximately 8:20 PM, the Indiana State Police investigated a fatal crash on County Road 500 North.

A westbound 2006 Pontiac on County Road 500 North lost control and left the south side of the roadway.

The vehicle flipped multiple times before landing on its roof in a field. There were four juvenile occupants in the vehicle, two of which were deceased at the scene.

The other two occupants were taken to local hospitals for treatment. 

The crash is still under investigation by the Indiana State Police.  

When more information becomes available, there will be updates on WSLM and WSLMRADIO.COM.

Assisting at the scene were, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Paoli Police Department, and Orleans Police Department.

Friday, February 12th, Indiana State Police arrested Christopher Dillon, 54, of Washington, for Possession of Child Pornography, a Level 5 Felony.

Indiana State Police Detective Jarrod Lents initiated a criminal investigation on February 1st and developed probable cause to arrest Dillion. Dillion was arrested and taken to the Dubois County Jail.

This is an on-going investigation.

Jasper City Police Department assisted with the investigation.

The Deaver Road overpass is expected to close on or after Thursday, Feb. 18, as crews begin demolition work over I-65 south of Columbus.

The bridge will remain closed through mid-June (120 days) for superstructure replacement as part of the latest added travel lanes project on I-65.

The official detour for the closure will follow C.R. 175 W. to C.R. 450 S./S.R. 58 to C.R. 300 W. In addition, overnight lane closures are scheduled Tuesday, Feb. 16, on I-65 at the overpass from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for placement of concrete barrier wall.

Starting the following week, intermittent closures will take place on I-65 during demolition operations. These will also take place overnight between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., weather permitting.

During this period one direction of I-65 will close for up to 20 minutes at a time while overhead work is in progress (up to seven days).

Motorists are encouraged to utilize alternate routes or allow extra time to reach their destinations. A 55 mph speed limit will be in place throughout the entire work zone for the duration of the project.

Previously scheduled shoulder restrictions at Denois Creek and Opossum Creek have been moved to later in the project.

The superstructure replacement on Deaver Road marks the start of work on a $65 million contract that includes the addition of a third travel lane on I-65 between S.R. 58 and S.R. 46, bridge widening and rehabilitation, structure replacement, and asphalt resurfacing from the Driftwood River Bridge to U.S. 31 at Taylorsville. Additional lane closures and restrictions are possible starting as early as mid-March. The contract was awarded to Force Construction in October and is expected to be complete in summer 2023.

Motorists are reminded to slow down, use extra caution, and drive distraction-free through all work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

Today, February 14, 2021, a Georgia truck driver was arrested on numerous charges after leaving the scene of a crash on I-65 in Jackson County, Indiana.

At approximately 10:30 am, Trooper Tia Hunt responded to a semi tractor-trailer parked on the shoulder of I-65 Northbound near the 53-mile marker, just north of Seymour, Indiana.  When Trp.

Hunt arrived on the scene, the driver, Kendarius C. Poole, age 29, Riverdale, Georgia, indicated to Trp. Hunt that he just had flat tires that needed to be repaired and had not been involved in a crash. 

Trp. Hunt observed the vehicle had fresh damage from a recent crash. 

Trp. Korry Clark located fresh damage to a guardrail approximately two miles south that matched the damage to Poole’s truck and trailer.

During further investigation, Trp. Hunt obtained information that Poole was possibly in possession of marijuana. 

Trooper Randel Miller ad K-9 Jinx responded to assist.  Jinx alerted to the odor of illegal drugs coming from the vehicle. 

During a search of the truck, suspected marijuana and synthetic urine were located.

A search warrant was obtained to draw Poole’s blood for evidence of Poole operating the vehicle while intoxicated. 

After the search warrant was served, Poole was arrested on charges of Leaving the Scene of a Crash, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Synthetic Urine, Operating While Intoxicated, and Operating While Intoxicated-Endangerment.

Kendarius Poole was transported to the Jackson County Jail where he was incarcerated pending his initial court appearance in the Jackson County Superior Court.

Trooper Hunt was assisted by Troopers Korry Clark, David Owsley, Seth Davidson, Randel Miller, and K-9 Jinx.    

A Corydon man was arrested on multiple charges Saturday evening after leading officers on a short pursuit and crashing into a beanfield south of Corydon.  

Around 7:50 pm Saturday, Trooper Jeremy Simcoe attempted to stop a black 1999 Infiniti Q45 passenger car for speeding near Capital Avenue and Walnut Street in Corydon.

The vehicle initially started to pull into a parking area but then quickly sped off in the direction of the Harrison County Fairgrounds.

The car continued south on Old Highway 135 at speeds over 90 miles per hour, running multiple four-way stop intersections occupied by other motorists.

The vehicle later turned west onto Fairview Church Road. The pursuit continued on Fairview Church Road for several miles before the car drove off the roadway and into a beanfield, crashing and coming to rest in a heavy thicket.

The driver, identified as Gregory Steiner, 25, of Corydon, Indiana, was taken into custody after exiting the vehicle. During a search of the crash scene and vehicle, officers located approximately 4.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine in separate packaging, some of which was found in a plastic vile hidden inside a flashlight handle.  

Gregory Steiner was cleared by medical personnel before being remanded into the custody of the Harrison County Jail. Steiner is charged with the following: 

1.  Dealing in Methamphetamine – Level 3 Felony 
2. Possession of Methamphetamine – Level 5 Felony 
3. Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle – Level 6 Felony 
4. Criminal Recklessness with a Vehicle – Level 6 Felony
5. Reckless Driving – A Misdemeanor
6. Resisting Law Enforcement – A Misdemeanor

Trooper Simcoe was assisted by Trooper Nathaniel Newton and Officers from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department.