The Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Section, the ISP Bloomington District A.C.E.S. (Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Section), and the Mitchell Police Department concluded a lengthy investigation last week into a methamphetamine and heroin dealing operation in Mitchell. 

ISP had received information that Joshua P. Clevenger, 46, was allegedly dealing both methamphetamine and heroin in Lawrence County. The investigation led troopers to apply for and receive a search warrant for Clevenger’s residence in the 1000 block of Warren Street in Mitchell.

Upon execution of the search warrant, troopers located over 200 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 7 grams of heroin/fentanyl, a small amount of marijuana, digital scales, drug paraphernalia, and over $1,300.00 of US currency.

Joshua Clevenger was arrested for Dealing Methamphetamine (Level 2 Felony), Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 3 Felony), Dealing Heroin (Level 3 Felony), and Possession of Heroin (Level 5 Felony). 

He was incarcerated in the Lawrence County Jail.

Troopers assisting DES with the investigation and search warrant execution included Caleb Garvin, Richard Klun and K9 partner Loki, Matthew Hatchett and K9 partner Axe, and Sgt. Greg Day. Lawrence County Highway Interdiction Officer Shaun Cabral and K9 partner Jack also assisted with the search warrant.

Anyone with information regarding illegal drugs is encouraged to contact the Indiana State Police Bloomington Post at 812-332-4411. Your tip can remain confidential and could save a life.

Thursday, a teacher with Southwestern High School in Hanover, Indiana was arrested on charges of battery and neglect of a dependent following an investigation into an incident that occurred in December 2019.

The investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Joe Loyd began on December 17, 2019, when the Indiana State Police was notified of an incident that occurred between a teacher and student at Southwestern High School. 

The investigation determined that Catherine L. Davis, age 39, Madison, Indiana, who is a special needs teacher at the school, got in an altercation with a 14-year-old student on two separate occasions on December 16th. 

During the first incident, Davis head-butted the student during an altercation in the school cafeteria. 

In the second incident later in the day, Davis pulled the same student onto the floor of the cafeteria after the food was spilled.

After the incidents were reported to the school administrators, the Indiana State Police was contacted to begin an investigation. 

At the conclusion of the investigation, the case was submitted to the Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office for review. 

As a result, a warrant was issued on Feb. 12 for Davis on two counts of battery and two counts of Neglect of a Dependent, all felonies.

Davis was arrested on Thursday without incident and transported to the Jefferson County Jail where she was incarcerated.

The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Indiana Child Advocacy Center in Madison, Indiana, Southwestern School Corporation, Indiana Department of Child Services, and the Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office.

A Richmond man was killed Friday morning when the SUV he was driving drove left of center on SR 1 and hit a box truck head-on.  Pendleton Troopers and Wayne County Deputies were called to SR 1, just north of Delaware St. in Cambridge City, around 11 a.m. this morning for a report of a two-vehicle crash with serious injuries.

The preliminary investigation by Master Trooper Dan Jones indicates a 2019 Honda CRV, driven by Nathan Bennett, age 22 of Richmond, was southbound on SR 1 when for an unknown reason the vehicle drove left of center.  The CRV hit a northbound box truck, driven by Carl Sawicki, age 59 of Kitchener, Ontario, head-on, with the front driver’s side of the CRV impacting the driver’s side front of the truck.

The driver of the CRV, Nathan Bennett, was pronounced dead at the scene.  A passenger in the CRV, Rachel Morrell, age 32 of Milton, was taken by medical helicopter to a hospital in Indianapolis with unknown injuries. The driver of the truck, Carl Sawicki, was taken to Reid Health Hospital in Richmond with what was believed to be non-life threatening injuries.

The crash had SR 1 closed for more than two hours as Crash Reconstruction Investigators Master Trooper Michael Bradbury and Master Trooper Coley McCutcheon assisted Jones with the crash investigation. Jones was also assisted at the scene by the Cambridge City Police Department, Centerville Police Department, Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, and the Cambridge City Fire Department.

Friday at approximately 3:00 pm, the Indiana State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on US 50 at Deer Creek Road (County Road 75 East) in Jennings County that sent a North Vernon, Indiana woman to an Indianapolis hospital with serious injuries.

The initial investigation by Trooper David Owsley, Indiana State Police-Versailles, indicated that a silver 2013 Ford passenger vehicle being driven by Samantha Suthard, age 20, North Vernon, Indiana was traveling northbound on Deer Creek Road at US 50.  Suthard pulled onto US 50 into the path of a westbound Freightliner pulling a box trailer, being driven by Enel Brutus, age 42, Jacksonville, Florida.

The front of Suthard’s vehicle collided with the passenger side of Brutus’ vehicle.  Suthard’s vehicle came to stop in the middle of the intersection.  Brutus’ vehicle continued westbound before leaving the south side of the road and coming to rest. 

Suthard was airlifted to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana for treatment of serious injuries.  Suthard’s injuries are not believed to be life threatening.  Brutus was transported to St. Vincent-Jennings Hospital in North Vernon, Indiana for treatment of minor injuries.

The investigation is ongoing at this time.  Alcohol and drugs are not suspected to be factors.

Normal traffic flow on US 50 was affected for nearly three hours due to crash investigation and cleanup.

Trp. Owsley was assisted by additional troopers from the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post, Jennings County Sheriff’s Office, North Vernon Police Department, North Vernon Fire Department, Stat Flight, 31 Wrecker Service, and Clark’s Wrecker Service.      

An Arcadia man was arrested by the Pendleton District All Crimes Policing Team late Friday night, (2/14,) on a Felony Warrant for Level 3 Felony Rape out of Hamilton County. 

The warrant was the result of an ongoing investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Wade Heiny, from the Indianapolis District, that began in late November 2019.

Dominick D. L. Conley, age 18, was located at a residence on Martz St. in Arcadia shortly before 11 p.m. Friday night and arrested by Pendleton District Trooper Trent Jones.

Conley was lodged in the Hamilton County Jail.

The charge stems from an incident that occurred in Hamilton County in late November 2019, with an alleged victim that was under the age of 18 at the time of the incident.

Today, at approximately 10:45 am, an Indiana State Trooper’s vehicle was struck by another vehicle while the trooper was conducting a traffic stop on I-74 near Batesville in Ripley County, Indiana.

The initial investigation by Trooper Cameron McCreary indicated that Master Trooper Daniel Elmore was conducting a traffic stop on a 2020 Peterbilt truck pulling a trailer, being driven by Roger Gladden, age 58, Mint Hill, North Carolina near the 152 mile marker on I-74 Eastbound. 

Trp. Elmore’s 2013 Dodge Charger was parked behind Gladden’s trailer with emergency lights activated. 

Trp. Elmore was outside of his vehicle speaking to Gladden when a 2012 Dodge Caravan being driven by Juan Martinez, age 44, Chicago, Illinois left the eastbound lanes of I-74 and struck the rear of Trp. Elmore’s vehicle. 

The collision forced Trp. Elmore’s vehicle into the back of Gladden’s trailer. 

After the collision, the Dodge Caravan left the south side of the roadway before overturning.  Trp. Elmore, Gladden, and Martinez were not injured in the collision. 

Three people in Martinez’ vehicle were transported to Margaret Mary Hospital in Batesville for treatment of minor injuries. 

A six year old child in Martinez’ vehicle was transported to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for treatment of serious but non-life threatening injuries.

The investigation is ongoing.  Alcohol and drugs are not suspected to be factors in the crash although toxicology results are pending. 

The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Batesville Police Department, Batesville Fire Department, Batesville EMS, Ripley County EMS, and Sunman Fire Department/EMS.

A commercial driving team traveling through Clark County on I-65 was arrested on Friday after 911 callers reported their erratic driving to authorities.  

Arrested and charged were: 

Driver – James Robert Whitlock, 56, of Temple Georgia.

1.  Operating While Intoxicated(OWI) -C Misdemeanor
2. OWI Controlled Substance – C Misdemeanor 
3. Possession of Handgun with Prior Felony – Level 5 Felony 
4. Possession of Methamphetamine – Level 6 Felony 
5. Possession of Marijuana – B Misdemeanor 

Co-Driver- Alicia Ann Gaylor, 29, of Sarasota, Florida.

1.  Possession of Methamphetamine – Level 6 Felony
2. Possession of Paraphernalia – C Misdemeanor 

Around 7 am, Friday morning, Trooper Jonathan Cain responded to reports of a semi-truck driving all over the road and even stopping in the roadway on I-65 southbound near the 23-mile marker.

Trooper Cain located the truck and was able to pull the driver over near the southbound rest park at the 22-mile marker.  

As Trooper Cain interviewed the driver, he observed suspected drugs and drug paraphernalia in plain sight within the cab of the truck.

Cain also encountered a female co-driver in the sleeper berth who was initially unresponsive to his questions and did not respond until he and other responding units attempted to administer Narcan. 

Further investigation uncovered two handguns in the driver’s possession along with alcohol and marijuana.   

Both subjects were transported to the Clark County Jail without incident.

Rolling slow-downs are scheduled to begin Monday night (Feb. 17) on I-65 south of Columbus (MM 64 to MM 68) in Bartholomew County for overhead bridge demolition work at Carr Hill Road. Tree clearing began earlier this month for the nearly-$5 million superstructure replacement project that also includes C.R. 200 S. 

Crews will begin demolition over I-65 SB Monday night at 10 p.m. All southbound lanes will close for up to twenty minutes at a time while overhead work is in progress. Traffic will then be released until normal traffic flow is reached. Drivers will also be stopped at the exit ramp from S.R. 46 to I-65 SB in Columbus (Exit 68) during this time. Demolition work over I-65 SB is scheduled each night through Thursday next week (Feb. 20).

Crews are expected to begin demolition over I-65 NB at 9 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 21), with no weekend activity planned. Rolling slow-downs will resume the following Monday (Feb. 24) and continue each night through Wednesday, Feb. 26.

During all demolition activities, I-65 will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Both directions of I-65 will not close at the same time. Demolition and slow-downs will end by 6 a.m. each morning.

Motorists are encouraged to seek an alternate route to avoid delays or allow extra time when traveling through the area. Drivers should slow down, use extra caution and drive distraction-free through all work zones. All work is weather dependent and schedules are subject to change.

Carr Hill Road will remain closed through mid-July as bridgework continues. The detour route is Terrace Lake Road to Goeller Blvd. to S.R. 46. Crews will move to C.R. 200 S. following completion of Carr Hill Road. The contract completion date is November 30, 2020.