On Tuesday, August 27, 2019, Troopers from the Sellersburg All Crimes Policing (ACP) squad arrested a Charlestown couple for growing and dealing psilocybin (psychedelic mushrooms) and possession of marijuana.

Psilocybin is a Schedule I drug, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Carey Huls. 

Schedule I drugs are defined as drugs having no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. 

Acting on a tip, Trooper Brett Walters and Sergeant Katrina Smith of the Sellersburg ACP squad arrived at 274 Woodridge Drive in Charlestown to investigate possible drug activity.  

Information gathered and observed while at the property prompted officers to seek a search warrant, which was granted by a Clark County judge and immediately served. 

As a result of the investigation, Troopers arrested Jedidiah Lee Adams, 29, and Bailey Michelle Rutkowski, 31, both of 274 Woodridge Drive for the following:

• Manufacturing and Dealing in a Schedule I Drug – Level 5 Felony
• Neglect of a Dependent – Level 4 Felony
• Possession of Marijuana – B Misdemeanor
• Possession of Paraphernalia – C Misdemeanor

Both subjects were transported and incarcerated at the Clark County Jail. 

Monday night, Indiana State Police along with the Salem Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Department arrested five people – including a homeless female – on Salem’s northeast side with drug-related charges, including three individuals charged with possession of meth. 

Arrested and charged were:

Devin Lee Coomer, 26, 1204 Cherokee Drive, Salem

• Failure to Appear on Felony Charge
• Possession of Meth
• Possession of a Syringe
• Maintaining a Common Nuisance
• Possession of Paraphernalia

Seth Andrew Boling, 18, 1610 Old State Road 60 West, Salem

• Possession of Meth
• Possession of a Syringe
• Possession of Paraphernalia
• Visiting a Common Nuisance
• Disorderly Conduct

Taylor James Odon, 19, 4817 Rowney Street, Indianapolis, IN

• Visiting a Common Nuisance

Christopher Dean Harden, 44, 3 Banklick Street, Florence, Kentucky

• Possession of Marijuana, Hash Oil, Hashish or Salvia

Brandy Wayne Melvin, 39, Homeless, Salem

• Possession of Meth
• Possession of a Syringe
• Visiting a Common Nuisance
• Possession of a Narcotic Drug

ISP Trooper Taylor along with Salem Police Department Lt. Russell Wilcoxson and Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy Tory Hildreth arrived at 1204 Cherokee Drive to locate Devin Coomer who had an active arrest warrent from Scott County. 

Taylor said in a probable cause affidavit filed with the Washington County Prosecutor’s office that he knew Coomer had been staying in an outbuilding on the property. 

Taylor said the officers could hear talking coming from inside the building and he knocked on the door. 

“I kept knocking…. and ultimately Coomer opened the door,” noted Taylor. “I detained Coomer at this time, while detaining Coomer I observed a handgun sitting on the counter.

Taylor said he cleared the building for the safety of the officers. 

Taylor noted he identified three occupants of the building including Seth Boling, Taylor Odom and Brandy Wayne Melvin. 

He said he observed a “cut straw” on the table and based on his training, Taylor said it was common for people to cut straws to snort illegal controlled substances. 

As officers were standing around the building to keep it secured, a fifth person approached. 

Christopher Harden realized there were police around the building and threw his hands in the air and stated, “I have weed,” according to the affidavit. 

Harden was detained and police located plant-like material which they believed was marijuana.

Taylor said he then petitioned the court for a search warrant on the outbuilding. 

At approximately 11:39p, Superior Court Judge Frank Newkirk reviewed and signed the warrant, which was executed at 11:41p. 

During the course of the search, officers found the cut straw, a black cap with a substance that field-tested positive for meth as well as a trash bag, a corner baggie with a crystal substance that was consistent with meth. 

Taylor said officers also found a syringe on top of a cabinet, four cell phones and in a bag claimed by Melvin, a bag with a brown substance that was consistent with heroin. 

All evidence was photographed and seized. 

All five were arrested and transported to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and evidence was stored with the State Police. 

Louisville Zoo Keeper Alexis Williamson has been awarded the Lutz Ruhe Professional of the Year Award by the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK). 

Williamson, who works in Gorilla Forest, was honored at the association’s national conference on Tuesday, Aug. 20 in Indianapolis.

The Lutz Ruhe Professional of the Year award recognizes outstanding commitment to professionalism.

Williamson’s conservation efforts were specifically noted which include contributions to Plinko for a Porpoise and the Zoo’s flagship Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center as well as generational record contributions for the gorillas housed at the Louisville Zoo.

In addition, she has been a vital part of the formation of the Animal Enrichment Tree Program at the Zoo while serving on the enrichment committee. Williamson has been president of the AAZK chapter at the Zoo for 14 years.

The Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization and state zoo of Kentucky, is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation education. The Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

A Cincinnati Ohio man was arrested earlier this week when it was discovered he was driving impaired after “huffing paint”.

On Monday, August 26^th, 2019, at approximately 5:15 p.m., First Sergeant Terrance Weems was eastbound on I-80/94 in the left-center lane (four lanes of traffic) west of Burr Street when he saw a red car overtaking him quickly. 

Traffic was heavy and moving slow.  The red car, later identified as a 2012 Hyundai, overtook and passed Weems unmarked police car and began to follow another vehicle less than a car length. 

The Hyundai eventually moved to the left lane and began passing traffic on the left shoulder, cutting off another vehicle, and changing lanes without utilizing a turn signal. 

Weems was able to stop the Hyundai at the 6.9-mile marker (approximately a mile east of Burr Street).  Upon approaching the Hyundai, Weems was hit with a strong odor of spray paint coming from inside the car. 

The driver, later identified as Alec E. Sadauskas, 21 of Cincinnati, Ohio, had red spray paint on his face, hands, neck, shirt and a blue jean jacket. 

Sadauskas’ speech was slurred and he appeared confused while Weems talked with him.  When questioned about the paint he began to get angry and said the paint can “exploded” in his face.  The paint can, however, was intact and not damaged.

Further investigation revealed that Sadauskas was under the influence, with the spray paint being used as an intoxicant. 

Sadauskas was taken and incarcerated at the Lake County Jail in Crown Point and charged with;

• Operating While Intoxicated
• Operating While Intoxicated Endangerment
• Speeding
• Improper Passing on the Left
• Following too Closely
• Unsafe Lane Movement

A DeKalb County fugitive, 37-year-old Justin Loren Crager of Garrett, Indiana, is now behind bars after holding police at bay during a five hour armed barricade in Huntington earlier this morning.  

The incident started this morning at approximately 7:30 am, when State Troopers from the Fort Wayne Post went to a residence in the 1500 block of Canfield Dr, Huntington, searching for Justin Crager who was wanted on six outstanding DeKalb County felony arrest warrants, all related to Dealing Methamphetamine and Possession of Methamphetamine charges. 

Troopers had developed information that Crager was hiding out at this residence in an apparent effort to avoid police detection and apprehension.

Troopers arrived at the residence and spoke with a female and a male associate of Crager. They identified Crager and stated that he was in an upstairs bedroom armed with a handgun.  Troopers made verbal contact with Crager and spent nearly two hours attempting to get him to peacefully surrender. 

After exhausting their options,  Troopers contacted the Fort Wayne Police Department Special Operations Emergency Services Team (EST) for assistance in resolving the situation.

At approximately 11:30 am, FWPD Hostage Negotiators were able to make phone contact with Crager, and from those successful negotiations, Crager agreed to a peaceful surrender. 

He was taken into custody by FWPD EST officers around 12:30 pm without further incident and then turned over to State Police Detectives.

As a result of today’s incident, Crager was transported to the Huntington County Jail. He was arrested on charges of Resisting Law Enforcement and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and booked into the custody of the Huntington County jail staff. 

He will be held there until transferred at a later date to the DeKalb County Jail, at which time he makes an appearance on the six outstanding felony warrants that initiated the events that took place today.

The Indiana State Police Troopers were assisted during today’s incident by the Huntington Police Department,  Huntington County Sheriff’s Department, the Fort Wayne Special Operations Units (EST/Negotiators/Air Support Units), and the Huntington EMS.       

This afternoon at approximately 3:24, Trooper Fulton was patrolling US 41 near St. George Road when he observed the driver of a 1995 Honda Accord traveling south in a reckless manner.

The vehicle was clocked by radar at 82 mph and was swerving in and out of traffic. Trooper Fulton stopped the vehicle just north of Lynch Road and discovered the driver and passenger had knife wounds and were traveling to an Evansville Hospital for treatment.

The driver was identified as Sean Keith, 30, of Evansville and his passenger was identified as Stephanie Marshall, 28, of Evansville.

Both individuals were transported to Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville.

Further investigation revealed Keith and Marshall were driving in northern Vanderburgh County when an argument erupted between the two of them.

Keith allegedly pulled over at unknown location, exited his vehicle, approached the passenger’s side and allegedly stabbed Marshall.

Troopers believe Keith was attempting to stab Marshall in the neck area, but was stabbed in her hand when she tried to defend herself. Keith received his injury during the stabbing.

After the stabbing incident, Keith was in the process of driving Marshall to an Evansville Hospital when he was stopped on US 41 near Lynch Road for reckless driving. After Keith was treated for his injury, he was arrested and taken to the Vanderburgh County Jail. Marshall is still being treated for her injuries.

This is an on-going investigation.

Arrested and Charges:

• Sean M. Keith, 30, Evansville, IN

• Attempted Murder, Class 1 Felony

• Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon, Class 3 Felony

• Kidnapping with a Deadly Weapon, Class 3 Felony

• Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon, Class 6 Felony

• False Informing, Class B Misdemeanor

• Misdemeanor Warrant out of Rush County for Probation Violation for Possession of Synthetic Narcotics

Investigating Officers: Trooper Zack Fulton, Trooper Chase Eaton and Detective Ryan Wilson

Patoka Lake has determined hunt dates for its three waterfowl resting areas for 2019-2020.

The Sycamore Creek area will remain closed this year to act as a refuge for waterfowl, offering them a place of little disturbance.

Waters lying east of Walls Boat Ramp, as well as the Allen Creek area, will be open to waterfowl hunting, fishing, trapping, and motorized and non-motorized boat traffic on specified days beginning Nov. 1, 2019 and continuing through Feb. 29, 2020.

Patoka Lake lies within the waterfowl hunting Southern Zone. The open dates are:

Hunters are reminded that they are required to use the self-service hunter check stations around Patoka Lake. Hunter check-in cards are to be turned in daily, even if no birds are harvested. Special regulations, state, and federal game stamps and licenses, and non-toxic shot are all required by law to hunt migratory waterfowl. Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Maps for locations of hunter check stations, maps of the waterfowl resting areas, and other information about Patoka Lake can be found at the Patoka Lake park office. For more information, contact Patoka Lake at 812-685-2464.

Patoka Lake (on.IN.gov/patokalake) is at 3084 N. Dillard Road, Birdseye, IN 47513.