Saturday night July 13 around 9:15 PM a seven-year-old girl was playing with other children on her campsite in Brown County State Park. The girl ran around the outside of the tent into the edge of the wood line where it is presumed she was bitten by a copperhead snake. After complaining of two puncture wounds on her ankle her father checked the area and saw a snake. 

The family called 911 and transported the girl to meet the ambulance at the park entrance. The ambulance started for Columbus Regional Hospital and was then diverted to Riley Children’s Hospital. Doctors stated the girl will make a full recovery. 

DNR employees attempted to catch the snake, but heavy foliage allowed it to escape. The DNR employees were joined by Indiana Conservation Officers, Brown County First Responders, Brown County Sheriff Department and Nashville Police. 

While rare, there have been other copperhead bites in the park and they have had the same factors in common. They have occurred after dark and the person involved was not using a flashlight in a poorly lit area. 

There are a few tips to consider in order to prevent encounters with snakes in the park:

• Stay on designated trails and mowed areas. Snake is less likely to come out in the open.  
• However, after dark, snakes will move around to hunt for food or lay on warm roadways. So it is a good idea to stay in well-lit areas or use a flashlight. 
• Keep your campsite clean. Snakes feed on rodents and human food wrappers, and debris on the ground may draw rodents to the site and the snakes may follow.  
• If you are camping in an area where there are snakes check your site occasionally to make sure no snakes are passing through.
• If a snake does come on your site stay away from it, keep kid and pets away from it and contact the campground office to let the park staff know.  

Copperheads are natural members of the ecosystem and food chains of this area. Copperheads mostly feed on small rodents. Together with their controls on rodent population actually have a large impact on reducing tick populations.

So they have their part to play in our environment. When we play in the same environment that they live in we just need to be careful and take a little extra caution. It is illegal to kill snakes on Indiana State Parks property.

All DNR news release can be found at https://www.in.gov/dnr/4934.htm.

This morning just after midnight a single vehicle motorcycle crash claimed the life of a female.

Emergency crews were called to I-65 southbound near Lafayette Road for reports of a crash with two people seriously injured.

When medics arrived they found a female unconscious and unresponsive, she was later pronounced deceased at the scene.

The male was also seriously injured and he was transported to Methodist Hospital in critical condition. Neither person was wearing a helmet.

Preliminary investigation led officers to believe the motorcycle came upon backed up traffic due to construction, that’s when the driver purposely went around the construction barrels into a closed portion of the roadway to pass traffic.

While in the closed area the driver hit uneven pavement, lost control and struck the concrete median barrier wall. 

This crash is still under investigation and there is no further information to release at this time. The families of the victims have been notified. 

Two from Owenburg were arrested for dealing meth during a recent traffic stop.

Arrested were:

Victor J. Roberts 

1. Dealing Methamphetamine, Level 4 Felony
2. Possession of Methamphetamine, Level 6 Felony
3. Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, C Misdemeanor

Julia Sowders 

1. Possession of Methamphetamine, Level 6 Felony
2. Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, C Misdemeanor

On July 10^th, Indiana State Trooper Caleb Garvin and Sgt. Greg Day, both of the ISP Bloomington District A.C.E.S. were conducting a traffic stop along SR 54 just west of Avoca on a 2007 Kia passenger car.

The driver was identified as Victor J. Roberts, 32, of Owensburg, IN and the female passenger was identified as Julia (Jacobs) Sowders, 39, also of Owensburg.

Troopers immediately detected indicators of criminal activity.

While Trooper Garvin was speaking to Roberts on the driver’s side of the Kia, Sgt. Day observed Sowders reach in to her pants and attempt to hide a fairly large bag. 

Sgt. Day then opened the passenger door and asked Sowders to produce the bag.

Sowders complied and when she did so, Sgt. Day observed a smaller plastic baggie with a crystal like substance sticking out of it.

Further investigation revealed approximately 5 grams of methamphetamine packaged in baggies for sale, items of drug paraphernalia, digital scales, and several empty smaller baggies commonly used for drug packaging.

Both Roberts and Sowders were arrested and incarcerated at the Lawrence County Jail.

Anyone with information regarding illegal drug activity is encouraged to contact the Indiana State Police Bloomington District at 812-332-4411.

All Suspects Are Presumed Innocent Until Proven Guilty in a Court of Law

Indiana Conservation Officers are conducting a death investigation after a man failed to resurface after falling into the water.

Harold Daniels, 59, of Chicago fell into the water along the boat docks at Hammond Marina on Lake Michigan last night around 11:45 PM and did not resurface.

Members of Hammond Fire Department and the Lake County Marine Unit were able to recover him and transport him to Franciscan Health Hospital in Hammond where he was later pronounced deceased.  

The incident is still under investigation at this time.  

Assisting Agencies:  Hammond Police Department, Hammond Fire Department, Lake County Marine Unit, United States Coast Guard, Lake County Coroner’s Office