This morning around 10:30, an Indiana State Trooper with Commercial Vehicle Enforcement stopped a tractor-trailer at the eastbound scales located at the 1 mile-marker for a routine DOT inspection.

During conversations with the driver the trooper noticed several

criminal indicators.   

After consent from the driver, a search of the tractor-trailer was conducted. Troopers found 220-pounds of suspected cocaine and 65-pounds of suspected methamphetamine. 

The drugs were located inside the trailer in travel bags. Estimated street value of the illegal drugs is approximately $5-Million. The tractor-trailer was loaded with aluminum crates and was traveling from California to Ohio.

The driver of the commercial vehicle was incarcerated in the Vigo County jail for the following charges.

Arrested was Ravninder Singh Kaler, age 22, of Bakersfield, California and charged with dealing narcotics, a felony; and possession of narcotics, a felony. 

A husband is dead and his wife is in the hospital with life threatening injuries aftern an accident this afternoon on US 150.

This afternoon at approximately 2:30 pm, a 71-year-old Floyds Knobs man was killed in a motorcycle accident on US 150.

Dickey E. Coffee, of Floyds Knobs was pronounced dead at the scene.

His wife, Vonda, 71, was a passenger on the same motorcycle and was transported by ambulance to University of Louisville hospital with life threatening injuries. 

Officers from the Indiana State Police and the Washington County Sheriff’s Department responded to the report of a Personal Injury crash involving two motorcycles and a car on U.S. 150 just west of Cross Road in southern Washington County. 

A preliminary investigation reveals that a red, 2013 Victory motorcycle, driven by Coffey, was traveling westbound on U.S. 150 near Cross Road. 

Dickey Coffey’s son, Kimmy E. Coffey, 51, of Lanesville, IN, was also westbound on his 1983 Honda motorcycle and was travelling westbound along with his father.  

Both motorcycles attempted to pass a slow moving pickup truck with trailer which was also travelling westbound. 

As the motorcycles began to pass, a gold 2003 Toyota Camry, driven by Whitney Gaines, 25, of Fredericksburg, IN, approached eastbound.   

During the pass, it appears that the red 2013 Victory Motorcycle struck the rear of the 1983 Honda motorcycle causing it to veer into the eastbound lane, striking the Toyota Camry. 

Both Mr. and Mrs. Coffey were thrown from the motorcycle. 

Dickey E. Coffey was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by the Washington County Coroner. 

Vonda Coffee was transported by Washington County EMS to the University of Louisville Hospital with life threatening injuries. 

Whitney Gaines was transported to the University of Louisville with non-life threatening injuries.  

Kimmy Coffee was not injured.   

The crash remains under investigation.  U.S.150 was closed for approximately three hours.  

The Indiana State Police were assisted by units from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, the Posey Township Fire Department, Washington County EMS, and the Washington County Coroner’s Office. 

On October 29, 2018 members of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office along with several other law enforcement agencies served arrest warrants on individuals related to an ongoing investigation labeled Operation End of Summer Heat.

Over the course of the last several months the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division along with the assistance of other local, state and federal law enforcement partner agencies have conducted numerous drug investigations, targeting drug dealers in and around Clark County.

Throughout the operation law enforcement concentrated their efforts primarily on methamphetamine and heroin distribution due to the opioid epidemic that is plaguing cities and towns across the United States.

Law Enforcement was able to disrupt several large scale drug trafficking organizations, mid-level drug dealers and street level drug pushers and many of those investigations are still on going.

Several drug dealers during the operation were taken off the street and arrested at an earlier time for various reasons such as but not limited to, firearms violations, endangering children by bringing them to drug deals, and transient dealers coming to Indiana from other states.

Through the duration of the operation law enforcement has seized several thousand dollars in illegal narcotics, cash, vehicles and firearms.

This operation has at this point led to four federal indictments with others pending and in excess of twenty others charged at the state level with various felonies.

“I made a promise when I became Sheriff to seek out and arrest drug dealers within our community” stated Sheriff Jamey Noel. “Today, I’m proud to show you the results of our narcotics division and other assisting police agencies from our End of Summer Heat operation.”

The following offenders have been arrested, summonsed, or have warrants filed on them for the following charges:

1. Louie Lawson, Dealing in Methamphetamine
2. Jason O’Conner, Dealing in Methamphetamine
3. Jennifer Ward, Dealing in Methamphetamine, Neglect of a Dependent
4. David Geiger, Dealing in Methamphetamine
5. Richard Casey, Dealing in Methamphetamine
6. Adrian May, Dealing in Methamphetamine
7. Jerrod Casey, Dealing in Methamphetamine
8. Jonathan Morgan, Dealing in Methamphetamine
9. Lauren Saylor, Dealing in Methamphetamine
10. Matthue Broady, Dealing in Methamphetamine
11. Jeremy Anderson, Dealing in Methamphetamine
12. Daniel Santiago, Dealing in Methamphetamine
13. Ashleigh Santiago, Dealing in Methamphetamine
14. John Watts, Dealing in Methamphetamine
15. Jason Greer, Dealing in Heroin and Methamphetamine
16. Joshua Proffitt, Dealing in Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm
17. Zachary Griffis, Dealing in a Controlled Substance, Neglect of a Dependent
18. Maymuna Hussein, Dealing in a Controlled Substance, Neglect of a Dependent
19. Robert Sheckles, Dealing in a Methamphetamine
20. Reylondo Payton, Dealing Methamphetamine
21. Danny Williams, Dealing in Methamphetamine
22. Natasha Drake, Possession of Methamphetamine
23. Johnna Rosen, Possession of Heroin
24. Jacob Smith, Possession of Methamphetamine
25. Keith Williams Jr, Possession of Methamphetamine
26. Krystal Alexander, Possession of Methamphetamine and Heroin
27. Sarah Mefford, Possession of Methamphetamine and Heroin
28. John Hensley, Possession of Methamphetamine and Controlled Substance
29. Margaret Johnson, Possession of Methamphetamine and Controlled Substance

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the following departments for their assistance in these cases: Jeffersonville Police Department, Clarksville Police Department, New Albany Police Department, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Floyd County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A 17 year old student of Woodlan High School was arrested on Saturday afternoon following an investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Clint Hetrick into allegations that threats were made towards the high school on social media.

The investigation, which began on Friday, October 26^th was initiated after Hetrick was contacted by the East Allen County Schools Security Director, Doug Goeglein who reported that a student had received a “story request” via the social media site Snapchat on Thursday night, October 25^th which was taken to be threatening in nature.

Three additional messages, two of which were sent to a different student, were sent from the same username on Snapchat during the school day on October 26^th.  These messages became increasingly threatening towards the high school.

Additional investigation by Hetrick led to him to the student’s residence in Harlan, where an interview was conducted with both the student and parents.  The student was ultimately taken into custody and placed in the Allen County Juvenile Center on a preliminary charge of Intimidation, a Level 6 Felony.

On Saturday October, 27th, 2018 the Indiana State Police participated in the 16th nationwide “Prescription Drug Take Back” initiative sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA.) The “Take Back” initiative seeks to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft. 

Collection sites were set up nationwide for expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs to be turned in for destruction.  This program is intended for liquid and pill medications.

The Indiana State Police set up collections sites at every post, except the Toll Road, and at the Indiana Government Center North building in Indianapolis on Friday October, 26^th.  The Indianapolis post collected 300 pounds of medications between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday.

Statewide the Indiana State Police collected a total of 2,073.5 pounds of unused or expired medication. Below is a list of each locations results for Friday and Saturday.

District           Drugs in Pounds     District    Drugs/Pounds              

D-13           6.5                     D-33                   156                             D-51                       71

D-14           60                      D-34                    224                             D-52                      300

D-16           125                    D-35                    222              

D-22            300                   D-42                    354                             D-99                     150         

D-24            20                     D-45                    80                                D-53                        5                               

Total pounds- 2,073.5