On September 3, Troopers with the All Crimes Policing (ACP) stopped a vehicle in regards to an ongoing Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Section (DES) Investigation. 

The DES Detectives investigation identified Cody Hobbs, 33 of Bloomington as a large scale, multiple pound methamphetamine dealer. Information gathered from the investigation further showed that Hobbs was supplying methamphetamine in Monroe, Lawrence, Greene and Morgan Counties. 

Trooper Chris Griggs was assisted by the Lawrence County Prosecutors Office Highway Interdiction Team (HIT) member and Mitchell PD Officer Shaun Cabral and his K-9 “Jack” during the traffic stop. The driver was identified as Jennifer Dotson, 32 of Bloomington and the passenger was identified as Hobbs.

K-9 “Jack” alerted to the presence of controlled substances inside the vehicle. DES Detectives were assisted in searching the vehicle by ISP Sergeant Ryan Miller and Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Section (ACES) Sergeant Greg Day and Trooper Caleb Garvin. 

Inside the vehicle, troopers located over 2 pounds of methamphetamine, heroin, a firearm and a large amount of U.S. Currency.

Jennifer Dotson was incarcerated on charges of Dealing Methamphetamine over 10 grams (Level 2 Felony) and Possession of Methamphetamine over 28 grams (Level 3 Felony).

Cody Hobbs was incarcerated on charges of Possession of Methamphetamine over 28 Grams (Level 3 Felony) and Dealing Methamphetamine over 10 grams while in possession of a firearm (Level 2 Felony).

On Wednesday, September 4, 2019, Investigators and Troopers from the Indiana State Police in Sellersburg arrested a Palmyra man on several counts of Child Molestation.

Detective Chris Tucker launched an investigation in August of this year after he was contacted by the Indiana Department of Child Services and learned of possible inappropriate or illegal conduct involving a minor.  

As a result of the investigation, Detective Tucker requested an arrest warrant for Chester Leroy Fetz, 61, of Palmyra, Indiana, along with a search warrant for his residence.  C

Fetz is charged with five counts of Child Molestation, a Level One Felony, and one count of Child Solicitation, a Level Five Felony. 

This case is still under investigation. 

After his arrest, Chester Fetz was transported and remanded into the custody of the Harrison County Jail without incident. 

Indiana State Police investigators were assisted by the Indiana Department of Child Services and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department.   

Indiana State Police arrested a 29-year-old Orleans man for fleeing police and reckless driving.

Arrested and charged was Brandon Pool, 29, Orleans, IN

1. Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle, Class 6 Felony
2. Theft (Firearm), Class 6 Felony
3. Reckless Driving, Class B Misdemeanor
4.  Auto Theft, Class 6 Felony

Yesterday at approximately 6:00 p.m., Trooper Chase Eaton was patrolling SR 57 near College Street in Oakland City when he observed a white 2003 Ford F150 pickup truck matching the description of a stolen vehicle reported earlier in Warrick County.

The owner of the stolen vehicle also reported he had left a .22 caliber rifle inside his truck.

Trooper Eaton checked the license plate and was able to confirm the vehicle was reported stolen.

When the driver of the pickup truck turned south onto North Main Street in Oakland City Trooper Eaton attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver accelerated to a high rate of speed traveling on several different city streets before driving west on SR 64.

The driver then drove south onto Franklin Street passing Wood Memorial High School before leaving the city limits and driving east on CR 200 South.

The driver continued east at speeds in excess of 85 mph before driving north into a disked field approximately a quarter of a mile west of CR 1300 East.

Trooper Eaton continued to chase the vehicle through the field for approximately ¼ mile until the driver crossed CR 1300 East and continued driving into a bean field.

Trooper Eaton stayed on CR 1300 East while Gibson County Deputy Loesch and Oakland City Police Chief Tim Gaines continued pursuing the vehicle through the bean field with their SUV patrol vehicles.

The driver of the pickup truck continued traveling north through the bean field for approximately ½ mile to CR 150 South where he attempted to enter a cornfield, but came to a stop after getting stuck.

The driver, who was identified as Pool, was arrested without further incident.

Further investigation revealed Pool had three outstanding warrants out of Lawrence County Indiana. Pool was taken to the Gibson County Jail where he is currently being held on bond.

Arresting Officer: Trooper Chase Eaton, Indiana State Police

Assisting Agencies: Gibson County Sheriff’s Department and Oakland City Police

The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) released the Spring 2019 Indiana Learning Evaluation and Readiness Network (ILEARN) results today.

This was the test that replaced the ISTEP test in Indiana and educators hoped it would provide improved test scores for students across the state. 

However, ILEARN results released Wednesday show that 47.9% of all third- through eighth-grade students in Indiana tested at least proficient in English and 47.8% showed proficiency in math.

Those are down from the 2017-18 ISTEP results for, in which 64.1% and 58.3% of third through eighth graders scored proficient in English and math.

Only 37.1% of Indiana third- through eighth-grade students demonstrated proficiency in both subjects on the ILEARN tests, down from 50.7% in last year’s ISTEP exams.

The poor first-year ILEARN results prompted both Gov. Eric Holcomb and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick to urge Indiana lawmakers to hold school corporations harmless for poor scores.

McCormick last week asked legislators to pause interventions based on ILEARN scores and give the State Board of Education authority to review and alter Indiana’s accountability model, which assigns districts and individual schools “A” through “F” grades based in large part on assessment results.

Here are the scores for East Washington, Salem and West Washington Elementary and Middle Schools.

These statistics were released earlier today by the Indiana Department of Education. 

ilearn-2019-grade3-8-final-corporation

ilearn-2019-grade3-8-final-school

When compared to past ISTEP+ scores, ILEARN indicated lower achievement levels across the state in both English/language arts and mathematics. While performance dips to some degree were expected, the combination of the rigors associated with this newly aligned CCR assessment, national normative data, and the defined established performance cuts all contributed to the lower performance levels. With the negative impact assessment results have on educators, schools, districts, and communities, IDOE will advocate for responsive legislative action.

“While the 2019 ILEARN results do not provide a true reflection of the performance of Indiana’s schools, they do once again show us the importance of developing a modernized state legislated accountability system that is fair, accurate, and transparent,” said State Superintendent Dr. Jennifer McCormick.

“With this in mind, the Department will propose the following legislative actions: place a ‘hold harmless’ year on 2018-2019 letter grades, pause intervention timelines for all schools, and provide the State Board of Education with emergency rulemaking authority to review and reestablish the state accountability system. The success and wellbeing of our students, educators, and schools are dependent upon these actions.”

Mandated during the 2017 legislative session, ILEARN was created to serve as a replacement for ISTEP+. ILEARN assesses CCR content standards in English/language arts and mathematics in grades 3-8, science in grades 4 and 6, high school biology, social studies in grade 5, and U.S. Government in high school. 

The state’s new assessment went through several significant shifts, including:

• The development of content priorities defined with the assistance of Indiana educators,
• Computer-adaptive functionality, 
• Integration of new accessibility features such as translated glossaries, and a Spanish translation option, and 
• Reporting aligned to rigorous CCR indicators as early as grade 3.

Indiana policy recommendations emphasized a shift in rigorous expectations to reflect meaningful data and the identification of support for future student success. 

In addition, assessment and adaptability features allow ILEARN to better measure each student’s CCR level of mastery, while identifying where additional instruction may be necessary. 

ILEARN achievement levels include: Below Proficiency, Approaching Proficiency, At Proficiency, and Above Proficiency.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department arrested a 22-year-old man early Sunday after caught with a naked underage teen in his vehicle.

He was a member of the Salem High School Class of 2016. 

According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, on Sunday, Sept. 1 just after 2 a.m., deputies responded to East New Cut Road to investigate a suspicious vehicle.

As deputies headed to the location, they spotted a vehicle that matched the description of the reported suspicious vehicle.

The vehicle was parked at Mt. Hebron Church.

The officers approached the vehicle and found 22-year-old Kenneth Hemmingway, who authorities say was partially clothed.

Police say the officers also found an unclothed 15-year-old girl.

Hemmingway was arrested and charged with three counts of sexual misconduct with a minor and three counts of child solicitation.

Hemmingway is being held at the Washington County Detention Center.