The American Automobile Association, or “AAA”, is predicting this to be the most traveled Fourth of July Holiday period on record with over 49 million Americans expected to travel more than 50 miles from home. It’s estimated that 41 million of those traveling will be on the highways. Some of the reasons given for the record travel are a robust economy and gas prices that are lower than last summer.

To help ensure the safety of all motorists during this Fourth of July Holiday period, the Indiana State Police will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E., Combined Accident Reduction Effort, and DUIEP, or Driving Under the Influence Enforcement Project. Both of these federally funded programs allow extra troopers to patrol Hoosier highways during the upcoming holiday period.

Indiana State Police encourage all motorists to observe the following safety tips:

• Leave early. Allow extra time to get to your destination.
• Don’t use cruise control in heavy traffic.
• Always signal lane changes.
• Use headlights even during daylight hours.
• Reduce your speed in rain and NEVER DRIVE INTO WATER FLOWING OVER THE ROADWAY.
• Decrease your speed in construction zones-Obey posted speed limits.
• REMEMBER TO SLOW DOWN AND MOVE OVER FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES, TOW TRUCKS, SERVICE TRUCKS, AND HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE VEHICLES!!
• Make sure you are well rested. A fatigued driver is as dangerous as an impaired driver.
• Increase the distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you, especially in construction zones.
• Don’t forget to watch for slow moving farm equipment on county and state roads.
• Watch for motorcycles. Check blinds spots before changing lanes and look twice at intersections before you turn or pull out into traffic.
• Allow at least three seconds of following distance between your vehicle and a motorcycle.
• Be cautious and observant when turning left. A primary cause of crashes between vehicles and motorcycles is when a vehicle turns left in front of an oncoming motorcycle.
• Remember, motorcycles are entitled to operate in a full lane.
• Obey all traffic laws and never drive impaired.

Know before you go

With all the road construction going on around the state, you may check on traffic and road conditions, crashes and construction on state highways by visiting http://indot.carsprogram.org, calling 1-800-261-ROAD (7623), or dialing 511 from a mobile phone

The Pendleton District covers the eight counties of Delaware, Madison, and Randolph; Henry, Wayne, Union, Rush and Fayette counties.  Motorists are encouraged to report suspected impaired drivers by calling 9-1-1. Give a vehicle description, location, and direction of travel. Never follow an impaired driver.

Indiana State Police will be increasing patrols starting tomorrow and will be concentrating their enforcement efforts on impaired drivers, distracted drivers and for those drivers and passengers not buckled up.

Last year during the three day holiday period, 1,623 crashes occurred throughout Indiana resulting in 396 injuries and six fatalities.

Troopers would like to remind all motorists that they must do their part to help ensure our roadways are safe.

Troopers encourage everyone to follow these safety tips:

• Ensure everyone is buckled up.
• Don’t drive impaired.
• If you plan to consume alcohol, make sure you have a plan to get home safely.
• Don’t drive distracted.
• If you’re traveling a long distance, make sure you are well rested. A fatigued driver is a dangerous driver.

If you’re traveling and notice a suspected impaired driver, please call 911 and report the vehicle’s description, route of travel and registration information if possible. Never pass a suspected impaired driver. Follow the vehicle at a safe distance.

Indiana State Police initiated a criminal investigation in December 2018, after receiving information that a 16-year-old female had been sexually abused.

Arrested and Charged was:

Michael A. Hughes

• Sexual Misconduct with a Minor, Level 5 Felony
• Child Seduction (2 counts) Level 5 Felony
• Sexual Misconduct with a Minor, Level 4 Felony

The investigation revealed that Michael A. Hughes, age 50, of Hymera, Indiana, allegedly had been engaging in sexual misconduct with a minor.  

After reviewing the investigation, the Sullivan County Prosecutor’s Office issued an arrest warrant yesterday for Hughes.  He was arrested this morning without incident and is currently being held in the Sullivan County Jail on a $65,000 bond.

Investigating Officer:  Indiana State Police Detective Angie Hahn.

Assisting Agency:  Sullivan County Department of Child Services Melissa Corrigan. 

Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force arrested a 43-year-old man from Terre Haute this morning. 

Arrested and Charged was:

Stephen W. Covert, 43, Terre Haute, Indiana 

• Possession of child pornography (10 counts) Level 6 Felony 

The investigation began this past March when a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) was received by the ICAC Task Force. 

As a result of the investigation, a search warrant was obtained by Vigo County Division 6 Court and served this morning at 2200 Garfield Avenue.  Based on preliminary findings as a result of the search warrant, Stephen W. Covert, 43, of Terre Haute was interviewed and subsequently taken into custody and transported to the Vigo County Jail with no bond allowed.

Anyone having any information related to crimes against children is encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agency or visit the NCMEC website at http://www.missingkids.com/hom  and find the link to make a CYBER TIPLINE report.

All suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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With the Fourth of July Holiday traffic in full swing, troopers are out on the highways looking for aggressive and impaired drivers. L

ast night just before 6:30 p.m. Trooper Ray Otter was out patrolling on I-70 eastbound in Henry County when he noticed a Dodge Challenger in the right lane that was following the vehicle in front of it too closely.

Trooper Otter stopped the Challenger in the area of the 132-mile marker and made contact with the driver, Janice Taylor, age 32 of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.

Taylor, who said she was traveling from California to Maryland, seemed unusually nervous, so Otter called for assistance. 

Cambridge City Police Officer Matt Smarrelli responded to the 132-mile marker with his K9 partner “Barry.”

Officer Smarrelli led his K9 around the outside of the Challenger, and the dog alerted to the presence of contraband in the vehicle. Trooper Justin Beamon was nearby and also came to assist. 

Further investigation by the officers turned up 34 individual packages of suspected marijuana each weighing approximately one pound.

The approximate street value of the drug would be an estimated $70,000.

Taylor was arrested and lodged in the Henry County Jail charged with Level 5 Felony Dealing Marijuana.

To help ensure the safety of all motorists during this 4^th of July Holiday Period, the Indiana StatePolice will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E., Combined Accident Reduction Effort, and DUIEP, or Driving Under the Influence Enforcement Project.

Both of these are federally funded programs that will allow extra troopers to patrol Hoosier highways during the holiday period.

The Pendleton District covers the eight counties of Delaware, Madison, and Randolph; Henry, Wayne, Union, Rush and Fayette counties. 

Motorists are encouraged to report suspected impaired drivers by calling 9-1-1. Give a vehicle description, location, and direction of travel.

Never follow an impaired driver.

Enjoy a night of soothing jazz music from Craig Brenner at the Spring Mill Inn at Spring Mill State Park Mitchell, IN.

Craig will bring percussion instruments and invite those present to play along. During each performance, he will present information about the history of the park and about Hoosier composers and musicians.

Call 812-849-4508 if you have any questions. 

To book your stay, call 1-877-LODGES1 or visit IndianaInns.com

One man has been rescued from the Ohio River by the Clarksville Fire Department after the boat he was on crashed into the upper gates of the McAlpine Dam yesterday evening July 1. 

Indiana Conservation Officers along with multiple other agencies are resuming their search this morning for the boat and its operator, who failed to resurface after the boat capsized. 

Shortly after 6:30 p.m. yesterday, emergency crews responded to the McAlpine Dam area after witnesses observed the boat capsize. 

The operator, Donald Watson (26) of Louisville, and his passenger, Levell Washington (28) of Jeffersonville, were both thrown overboard after an apparent malfunction with the boat’s motor near the dam. 

Washington managed to jump from the boat and was swept through the gates of the dam before being rescued by Clarksville Fire Department. 

Watson was seen struggling to stay afloat before disappearing beneath the surface.

Preliminary investigation indicates that Washington had purchased the 18’ fiberglass boat earlier this week, and this was his first time operating the boat on the Ohio River. 

Neither of the men was initially wearing lifejackets, but according to interviews both did manage to put them on just prior to the collision.

Indiana Conservation Officers are continuing to investigate with assistance from local agencies.  Multiple agencies responded to the scene including Indiana Conservation Officers, Clarksville Fire Department, Clarksville Police Department, New Albany Fire Department, New Albany Police Department, Indiana State Police, Louisville Fire Department, Jeffersonville Fire Department, and Yellow EMS.