On November 25, 2019, Deputy Josh Juliot with the Scott County Sheriff’s Office responded to New Frankfort road in reference to a suspicious male.  Upon arrival, an investigation led to the arrest of Eric Long, 38, of Deputy for Public Intoxication, Criminal Trespass and Unauthorized Entry of a Motor Vehicle. 

On November 25, 2019, Deputies Kenton Makowsky and Josh Juliot went to an address on Hyland Street in Scottsburg in an attempt to serve an outstanding arrest warrant.  Upon arrival Alyssa Snipp, 29, of Scottsburg was arrested on a warrant for Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia. 

A late-night, rural patrol and traffic stop ended with the arrest of four individuals on various charges including possession of Heroin. 

On November 25th, 2019, at approximately 10:27 PM, Trooper Kyle Taylor was patrolling on county roads in rural Washington County in the area of Little York. 

Trooper Taylor initiated a traffic stop on a purple 1997 Chevrolet Camaro for a stop sign violation.

During the stop, the driver was found to be driving on a suspended driver’s license, and Trooper Taylor continued the investigation, requesting the assistance of Deputy Paul Ginkins and his K9 partner, Lenny. 

As a result of the continued investigation, approximately 3 grams of heroin was located in the vehicle, along with several hypodermic needles and drug paraphernalia.

The following were arrested:

Daniel Abner, 34, Madison, IN: Driving While Suspended Prior – C Misdemeanor

Travis Hill, 30, Little York, IN Dealing in Heroin – Level 4 Felony,  Possession of Heroin – Level 6 Felony, Possession of a Syringe – Level 6 Felony, Possession of Paraphernalia – A Misdemeanor, Visiting a Common Nuisance – C Misdemeanor.

Tayah Harris, 20, Riverview, FL:  Possession of Syringe -Level 6 Felony, Visiting a Common Nuisance C  -Misdemeanor,  Possession of Paraphernalia  -A Misdemeanor.

Anna Smith, 23, Scottsburg, IN:  Possession of Syringe -Level 6 Felony, Possession of Paraphernalia –  A Misdemeanor, Visiting a Common Nuisance – C Misdemeanor. 

An early morning collision into the rear of an Indiana State Police patrol car resulted in the driver’s arrest for Operating While Intoxicated and Possession of Marijuana. 

At approximately 5:20 Sunday morning, Trooper Justin Mears returned to his patrol car after assisting a Jeffersonville officer with an unrelated traffic stop in the area of 10th Street and Ashley Drive. 

Because of that stop, Trooper Mears’s fully marked patrol car was parked on the shoulder of the roadway and had all of its emergency lights on.   

Seconds after Trooper Mears returned to his car; he was jolted from behind when a vehicle traveling with no headlights struck the rear of his fully marked Dodge Charger. 

Trooper Mears immediately checked on the well-being of the driver who was not injured.  As a result of the subsequent investigation, Trooper Mears arrested the driver, Wendell L. Moore, 31, of Jeffersonville, Indiana. 

Moore was arrested for OWI refusal and Possession of Marijuana.  He was transported and remanded into the Clark County Jail.  Trooper Mears’s police car received only minor damage. No one was injured in the collision. 

The Thanksgiving holiday period is traditionally one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Indiana State Police want to remind every motorist the importance of driving responsibly during this holiday period, which officially starts tomorrow.

Troopers will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort), which is a federally funded project and will allow additional troopers to patrol area highways through Sunday.

Troopers will be aggressively observing for moving violations, dangerous and impaired drivers and for those drivers and passengers not buckling up.

Last year during the Thanksgiving holiday period, 12 fatal crashes occurred on Indiana roadways. The Indiana State Police encourages everyone to do their part to help reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities over this holiday period. Please drive responsibly!

Troopers are encouraging all motorists to obey these simple safety tips:

• Ensure you are well rested, especially if you have plans to travel a long distance. A fatigued driver is a dangerous driver and often mimics the driving behavior of an impaired driver.
• Avoid driving distracted. Please don’t use your cellphone while driving.
• Avoid “hanging out” in the left lane on multiple lane highways.
• Always follow other motorists at a safe distance.
• Obey all speed limits and use your turn signals.
• Ensure everyone is buckled up.
• Don’t drink and drive.
• If you have plans to consume alcohol, please ensure you have a plan to get you and your family home safely.

Sunday at approximately 7:44 p.m., officers from the Indiana State Police, the Miami County Sheriff’s Department, and the Peru Police Department responded to a two-vehicle crash at Fifth and Benton Streets, in which a Peru, IN woman, died.

The preliminary crash investigation by Trooper Matt Moon revealed that Andrew Winch, 21, Peru, IN, was driving a 2012 Dodge Ram pickup truck westbound on Fifth Street, approaching a stop sign at the intersection of Benton Street. Winch allegedly disregarded the stop sign, at Benton Street, and struck a southbound 2019 Honda CRV on the driver’s side. The CRV was driven by Norman Knowlton, 76, Peru, IN.

Winch and Norman Knowlton were not injured, but a passenger in the CRV, Mary A. Hipskind, 83, Peru, IN, died at the scene from injuries sustained in the crash. Barbara Knowlton, 72, Peru, IN, also a passenger in the CRV, was transported via ambulance to Duke’s Memorial Hospital.

She was later flown by medical helicopter to Ft Wayne’s Lutheran Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Joseph Hipskind, 81, Peru, IN, a third passenger in the CRV, was not injured.

Further investigation revealed that at the time of the crash, Winch allegedly had a blood alcohol concentration (B.A.C.) over the .08 B.A.C. limit in which Indiana law considers a driver intoxicated. Speeding is also allegedly a  contributing factor in this crash.

Winch was incarcerated in the Miami County Jail to face felony charges for operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death, operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, and reckless homicide.

He also faces two misdemeanor charges for reckless driving and for operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering another person.

This crash is still under investigation.

Trooper Moon was assisted by ISP Sergeant Rick Brown, Senior Trooper Todd Trottier, Trooper Andrew Baldwin, Trooper Abby Russell, officers from the Peru Police Department, and the Miami County Sheriff’s Department.    

All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

According to the City of Salem Attorney Ryan Bower, Mayor-Elect will be sworn in and will continue to serve as Mayor of Salem, despite an election challenge being filed in Washington Circuit Court. 

Democratic Candidate for Mayor Bill Ackerman lost the Nov. 5 election to Republican candidate Justin Green but has filed a legal challenge in Washington Circuit Court. 

Ackerman filed the suit on November 18, alleging that Mayor-Elect Green wasn’t a resident of Salem and therefore not eligible to run in the election for mayor. 

The Democrat party has challenged this twice this past fall, but Washington County Clerk Stephanie Rockey said Green was certified to run in the election.

Green defeated Ackerman by 572 votes.