U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) this week helped introduce two bills to improve school safety. The School Safety & Mental Health Services Improvement Act and the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act of 2018 will help improve school safety infrastructure, resources, and procedures to prevent school violence.

“We must ensure our schools have the resources needed to keep students safe and prevent another horrible tragedy like Parkland from occurring. By encouraging school safety infrastructure upgrades, more school counselors and mental health professionals, and improved communication, these bills can help keep our kids safe,” said Senator Young.

The School Safety & Mental Health Services Improvement Act 3-7-2018-school-safety-and-mh-improvement-act-one-pager introduced by U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and cosponsored by Senator Young allows 100,000 public schools to improve school safety by using federal dollars for school counselors, alarm systems, security cameras and crisis intervention training.  Specifically, the bill:

• Encourages more school counselors and other mental health professionals.
• Encourages school safety infrastructure upgrades.
• Encourages the development of mental health programs for crisis intervention training and mental health assessments.
• Creates a presidential task force to increase interagency communication.

The bipartisan Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act of 2018 STOP School Violence_Final introduced by U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and cosponsored by Senator Young reauthorizes and amends the 2001-2009 bipartisan Secure Our Schools Act to offer Department of Justice grants to states to help schools implement proven, evidence-based programs and technologies that stop school violence before it happens. The bill permits grants to fund evidence-based programs and practices to:

• Train students, school personnel, and local law enforcement to identify and warning signs and intervene to stop school violence before it happens.
• Improve school security infrastructure to deter and respond to threats of school violence, including the development and implementation of anonymous reporting systems for threats of school violence.
• Develop and operate school threat assessment and crisis intervention teams.
• Facilitate coordination between schools and local law enforcement.

A trooper and two other people were hit this morning while standing outside their vehicles. 

Preliminary investigation showed at approximately 4:40 a.m., this Wednesday, March 7, 2018, morning, Trooper Nicole Maenza, 24, a 1 ½ year veteran of the Indiana State Police, was on the south bound Cline Avenue to I-80/94 east bound ramp investigating crashes. 

The ramp was snow covered and slick from earlier weather conditions.  While Maenza was investigating one of the crashes she saw a Ford Expedition crash further down the ramp into the sound barrier wall and went to see if the occupants were okay. 

Both occupants, later identified as Jorge Carrillo-Padilla, 41 of Chicago, Illinois and his brother Ernesto Carrillo-Padilla, 37 of Chicago, Illinois got out of the Expedition. 

As Maenza was telling them to go back inside their car a 2015 Hyundai Sonata lost control and hit all three of them.

The Sonata was driven by a 27 year-old female from Griffith, who stated that a car in front of her began slowing down/braking when she had to hit her brakes and to avoid hitting the rear of that car swerved to the right, lost control and hit a light pole.  She then heard people yelling and later realized she had hit the three listed above.

Maenza, Jorge and Ernesto Carillo-Padilla were all taken to a local hospital.  Maenza and Jorge Carillo-Padilla are being admitted for their injuries which are non-life threatening. 

Assisting:  Master Trooper Lawrence McFarrin, Senior Trooper Nedal Nabhan, Troopers William Carlson and James Brasseur.

Indiana State Police would like to remind everyone the safest place to be after a crash is anywhere but on or near traffic lanes on the interstate.  Stay inside your vehicle! It offers the most protection.

All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A 23-year-old Mt. Vernon man has been arrested by the Indiana State Police after allegations of sexual abuse of a 14-year-old in 2014.

Arrested and Charged was Dylan Cooper, 23, of Mt. Vernon, IN

1. Count 1 Child Molesting, Level 3 Felony
2. Count 2 Child Molesting, Level 4 Felony
3. Count 3 Sexual Misconduct with a Minor, Level 5 Felony

ISP Detective Wes Kuykendall initiated a criminal investigation on February 26th after receiving information that a Posey County male juvenile had allegedly been sexually abused several years ago by Cooper.

During the investigation it was revealed that between 2014 and 2015, Cooper had allegedly fondled the victim on several occasions. 

At the time of the alleged incidents, the victim was under the age of 14 and Cooper was at least 18 years of age.

At approximately 2:20 this afternoon, Detective Kuykendall served an arrest warrant on Cooper after he agreed to turn himself in at the Posey County Jail. Cooper is currently being held on a $25,000 cash bond.

Investigating Officer: Detective Wes Kuykendall, Indiana State Police

Assisting Agency: Indiana Department of Child Services

This past Saturday afternoon, the Indiana State Police District #33 A.C.E.S. (Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Section) conducted a criminal patrol in Owen County.

During the patrol, Trooper Chris Griggs stopped a vehicle on State Road 46 at US 231 for a traffic violation. After criminal indicators were observed, the investigation revealed approximately ½ pound of Methamphetamine being transported inside the vehicle.  

Arrested was Darrell R. Moore age 34 of Mooresville.

–          Dealing Methamphetamine, Level 2 Felony

–          Possession of Methamphetamine, Level 3 Felony

–          Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Level 6 Felony

–          Possession of a hypodermic syringe, Level 6 Felony

Moore was transported to, processed and lodged at the Owen County Jail.  Trooper Griggs was assisted by members of the Bloomington A.C.E.S., Spencer Police and the Indiana State PoliceDrug Enforcement Section.

Anyone with illegal drug information is encouraged to contact the Bloomington Indiana StatePolice Post at 812-332-4411. Your tip can remain anonymous and could save lives!