On Thursday, April 4, 2019 an ongoing investigation led by the Indiana StatePolice Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), led to the arrest of a Madison, Indiana man for possession of child pornography.
The investigation began in February of this year when the Indiana StatePolice received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. That investigation led Detective Tom Basham from the Indiana StatePolice ICAC Task Force, to meet Lantz Edward Alexander Helms, 21, Madison, Indiana at the Charlestown Police Department for questioning.
As a result of the interview and investigation, Helms was arrested and charged with 107 counts of Possession of Child Pornography, a level 6 felony. Lantz Helms was then remanded into the custody of the Clark County Jail.
Officers from the Indiana StatePolice were assisted by the Charlestown Police Department.
Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating the deaths of a father and daughter who died after what appears to be a kayaking accident at Blue Grass Fish and Wildlife Area.
Joshua Varner (33) and Vivian Varner (4) of Newburgh were kayaking on Blue Grass Pit Thursday evening.
A family member became concerned when they had not returned when expected. Emergency services were called around 7:15 pm.
Around 9:45 pm both subjects were found floating in the water. Joshua was pronounced deceased at the scene. Vivian was taken to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville where she succumbed to her injuries.
A kayak belonging to the victims was found capsized in the water approximately 500 yards away. The water temperature was 55 degrees and the water depth where the victims were found was roughly 10 feet.
It is unknown at this time what caused the kayak to capsize. Life jackets were not being worn by the victims when they were recovered.
Responding agencies included the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Valley Search and Rescue, Elberfeld Fire Department, Chandler Fire Department, Booneville Fire Department, Scott Township Fire Department, Warrick County EMA, Warrick County EMS, Warrick County Dispatch, Warrick County Coroner’s Office and Indiana Conservation Officers.
Indiana Conservation Officers strongly encourage the use of life jackets while boating or near water. More information on boating safety can be found by clicking on the link below.
The Louisville Bats (0-1) dropped their Opening Day matchup with the defending International League West Division champion Toledo Mud Hens (1-0) by a 10-5 score at Fifth Third Field on a 39-degree Thursday night. For Louisville, the loss sets a franchise-record five consecutive years in which the club has dropped its opening game of the season.
The contest started off well for the Bats, with right-handed starter Odrisamer Despaigne (0-0, 5.40) keeping the Mud Hens hitless through the first four innings, at one point retiring seven consecutive Toledo batters. Despaigne went 5.0 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits, which all occurred in the home half of the fifth, walking two and striking out five on 81 pitches, 47 strikes.
Louisville’s offense got off to an early start, at one point leading in the game 4-0 and getting their leadoff hitter on base in each of the first three innings. Sherman Johnson’s bases-loaded walk in the top of the second got the scoring started, and Christian Colon’s sacrifice fly made it a 2-0 lead. The Bats drove Toledo starting pitcher and University of Louisville product Kyle Funkhouser out of the game after just 3.0 innings, giving up two runs and walking three on 77 pitches, 41 strikes. The Bats added one run in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings against the Toledo bullpen before the Hens closed the gap with a three-spot off Despaigne to make it a 5-3 game.
The Mud Hens completed their comeback effort in the bottom of the seventh, scoring five runs off Louisville relievers Jackson Stephens, Cody Reed and Matt Bowman to take an 8-5 lead over the Bats. The Hens would win by a 10-5 final score.
Under new manager Jody Davis, Louisville swiped four bags on the base paths, their most as a team in a game since June 17, 2017. Colon stole two bases, with Johnson and Phillip Ervin each swiping a bag themselves. Johnson had quite a Louisville debut out of the leadoff spot, reaching base three times with a single and two walks. Catcher Juan Graterol reached base four times, with two singles and two walks.
The Bats and Mud Hens are back at it tomorrow night for the second game of a four-game series at Fifth Third Field to open the 2019 season. Right-hander Lucas Sims is set to start for Louisville, while left-hander Ryan Carpenter, who faced the Bats three times last year, is set to go for Toledo.
The Indiana State Police continue to investigate an officer involved shooting that occurred Wednesday morning in Brownstown, Indiana that involved two Brownstown Police Officers and left a 53-year-old Brownstown man dead.
The first officer involved in the shooting has been identified as Brownstown Police Chief Tom Hanner.
Chief Hanner is a 15 year law enforcement veteran. He has been chief of the Brownstown Police Department for seven years and previously served with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
Brownstown Chief Tom HannerAssistant Chief Joe Kelly
The second officer has been identified as Assistant Chief Joe Kelly. Assistant Chief Kelly is a 12 year law enforcement veteran and previously served with the Indiana Capital Police before being hired by the Brownstown Police Department.
Both Chief Hanner and Assistant Chief Kelly have been placed on administrative leave per department protocol.
At the conclusion of the investigation, the Indiana State Police will submit the investigation to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
The investigation continues in the officer involved shooting that occurred on April 3, 2019, outside of the Brownstown Police Department in Jackson County.
The initial evidence indicated that a male, identified as Barry A. Rucker, age 53, Brownstown, Indiana along with a female arrived at the Brownstown Police Department together shortly after 8:00 am.
Rucker and the female were involved in an altercation outside of the police department which prompted a 911 call from a passerby. Hanner and Kelly from the Brownstown Police Department soon arrived on scene.
After the officers arrived, an altercation occurred between the officers and Rucker.
During the altercation, Rucker produced a gun, prompting both officers to fire at least one round from their handguns.
Rucker was struck by at least one of the bullets fired by the officers.
Deputies from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department soon arrived on scene and assisted the Brownstown officers in administering immediate first aid to Rucker.
Jackson County EMS arrived on scene and transported Rucker to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, Indiana where he was soon pronounced deceased by the Jackson County Coroner’s Office.
None of the officers or the female acquaintance of Rucker were injured.
Detectives from the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post responded to the scene and became the lead investigating agency.
Barry Rucker’s family has been notified.
The names of the officers involved in the incident will be posted in a future release.
The Brownstown Community School Corporation briefly went on lockdown after the incident occurred until it was determined that there was no threat to any of the schools in the district.
Streets located near the Brownstown Police Department were blocked off for nearly eight hours while the investigation was occurring.
Earlier this week, a 2005 West Washington graduate became one of fifty-one probationary troopers from the 78th Indiana StatePolice Recruit Academy class who were issued their statepolice cars at the Indiana StatePolice Youth and Education and Historical Center in Indianapolis.
Two of the officers are assigned to the Indiana State Police Sellersburg Post and start solo patrol in the district which covers Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington Counties.
Trooper Jared Ferguson is 32 years old and is originally from Campbellsburg, Indiana.
Jared graduated from West Washington High School in 2005 before attending Vincennes University where he received an Associate’s Degree in Law Enforcement studies in 2009 and later his Bachelor’s Degree in Homeland Security and Public Safety in 2016.
Trooper Ferguson has prior experience as a Floyd County correctional officer and has served in the Indiana Army National Guard since 2005. Ferguson currently resides in New Albany, Indiana and enjoys being a father to his five-year-old son, working out, reading and outdoor activities.
The second trooper is from Corydon, Trooper Mackenzie Benham, 28, of Corydon, Indiana.
She is a 2008 graduate of Corydon Central High School and a 2012 graduate of Ivy Tech Community College where she received her Associate Degree in Office Administration with a medical concentration.
She is married to her husband of five years, Casey, and enjoys participating in Crossfit, boating, and spending time with her family.
The probationary officers recently completed a three month field training period with veteran troopers in addition to over 1,000 hours of structured training in law enforcement techniques as well as hands-on practical and scenario-based training at the Indiana StatePolice Recruit Academy.
The curriculum included criminal law instruction, emergency vehicle operations, psychology, traffic law, crash investigations, self-defense, first responder and other general law enforcement related training.
For more information on becoming an Indiana StatePoliceTrooper go to www.in.gov/isp and click the “career opportunities” link.
Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating the death of a Harrison County man that occurred at West Boggs Lake in Daviess County.
Herbert Stickler (79) of Ramsey, Indiana was fishing with a family member when his fishing lure got snagged on a log. While attempting to free his line, Stickler fell in the water. An attempt to rescue him by his fishing partner was unsuccessful.
An autopsy performed today determined the cause of death to be related to a medical condition and not a drowning.
The depth of the water where the accident occurred was approximately three to four feet in depth. Stickler was not wearing a life jacket when he entered the water. The incident occurred Wednesday April 3, 2019 around 1:30 pm.
Responding agencies include the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana StatePolice, West Boggs Park Rangers, Daviess County Coroner’s Office, and Southwest Medical EMS.
Indiana Conservation Officer strongly encourage wearing a life jacket while boating or near water. For more information on water safety click the link below.
