Today at around 3:00 pm Law Enforcement responded to the area of SR 64 and Pine Ridge Road after Dubois County 911 Center received a call from a County Highway worker saying he had been shot at.

Preliminary investigation reveals that the Dubois County Highway Department was grading the snow on Pine Ridge Road at SR 64.  

As the driver turned the grader around and started north on Pine Ridge Road when he noticed a male standing near the mailbox of 4715 Pine Ridge Road.  

Shortly after seeing the male, the window of the grader was shot out.  The driver of the grader left the area and called 911. 

Officers quickly responded and established a perimeter around the residence at 4715 Pine Ridge Road and attempted to establish communications with the suspect.  

Currently members of the Indiana State Police Hostage Crisis Negotiating team and SWAT are trying to communicate with the suspect.

The Dubois County Highway employee was treated and released for cuts to his face.

The commander of the Jasper Post, Lieutenant Jason Allen said “The Indiana State Police will afford the suspect every opportunity to surrender peacefully.  We currently do not have anyone with serious injuries and that’s how we want this situation to end.”

Assisting Agencies:  Dubois County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana Conservation Officers, Ferdinand Police and the American Red Cross.

An update will follow. 

Just a few minutes experiencing ostracism or rejection causes people to report a reduced sense of self-esteem, self-control, belonging and meaningful existence.

In 2015, 28 percent of 12- to 18-year old students reported being bullied at school, and one in 10 students in the U.S. drop out of school because of repeated bullying.

Rejection can create surges of anger and aggression; correlations exist between peer rejection and higher rates of delinquency, arrest, violent behavior and substance abuse.

The Indiana Youth Institute, Boys and Girls Club of Crawford and Harrison Counties and Purdue Extension of Harrison County are hosting a special training session to help caring adults in the community learn about the effects of rejection and ostracism, and ways to overcome and prevent violence and tragedy.

The workshop is on Wednesday, January 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Purdue Extension, 247 Atwood Street in Corydon.

Annette Lawler and Rebecca Wilkins, extension educators at Purdue Extension of Harrison County will be facilitating a discussion in conjunction with a film screening.

The documentary film “Reject” takes an in-depth look at the science of social rejection, with a solution-oriented focus on the roots of bullying behavior and violent behavior against the self or others.

The film will be shown for free at Corydon Cinemas on January 24 at 6p. 

The film includes commentary from experts in psychology, education, medicine, neuroscience, and juvenile justice who have studied rejection in their respective fields.

As part of IYI’s Youth Worker Café program, the seminar and lunch are free, but reservations are required. Attendees may RSVP by going towww.iyi.org/ywc.

Please contact IYI Statewide Outreach Manager Debbie Jones at djones@iyi.org for registration issues.

For more information about the event, attendees may contact IYI Southwest Senior Outreach Manager Joe Shrode at jshrode@iyi.org.

Youth Worker Cafés are designed to bring together local youth workers to build relationships and inspire collaborations that will benefit children. If South Harrison Community School Corporation is closed due to weather, this event will be rescheduled to a later date.

On Wednesday evening, January 17th at 10:23, Trooper Brad Fyfe witnessed a moped with no headlights or taillights traveling southbound on 15th Street at Maple Avenue in Terre Haute.

Trooper Fyfe activated his emergency lighting and siren to stop the vehicle, but the driver looked over his shoulder and continued on to 15th and Cedar Streets.

The suspect then dropped the moped and fled northbound on foot.  

Several commands to stop were given by Trooper Fyfe, but the male suspect continued into a wooded area.

While following the footprints in the snow, Trooper Fyfe located a .45 caliber handgun next to the footprints and moments later, the suspect.

A struggle ensued, but the suspect was able to break from Trooper Fyfe’s grasp and continue running on foot. Troopers Justin Bell and Courtland Woodruff arrived during the foot chase with all three troopers apprehending the suspect near 14th and Ash Streets.

The suspect was also found to have a minor amount of suspected Marijuana and paraphernalia. 

The suspect was identified as a 15-year-old male juvenile from Terre Haute, IN.

The juvenile was incarcerated in the Vigo County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of Resisting Law Enforcement with a Motor Vehicle; Carrying a Handgun without a License, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia. The suspect was also cited for various motor vehicle violations. 

Also assisting were ISP Sgt. Kris Fitzgerald and Troopers Nicole Cheeks, Michael Organ, Erik Smith and David Petrowski. 

At approximately 5:30 am this morning, Trooper Mark LaMaster made a traffic stop on Interstate #64 at the 107.5 Mile Marker in Harrison County.

The traffic stop was on a blue Mercury Mountaineer for speeding. During the traffic stop trooper LaMaster sensed something was not right with the driver and passenger.

He contacted trooper Nathan Abbott to come to his location with his K-9, “Teague.”

When the K-9 sniffed at the vehicle he made a positive indication for controlled substances in the vehicle.

A subsequent search of the vehicle and the persons in 

the vehicle yielded approximately three ounces of Methamphetamine.

The Methamphetamine was located on Vicki Lynn Smith, passenger in the vehicle, 54, from 140 West State Road #64 in Birdseye, IN.

It was located in/and or next to her female private parts inside of her pants.

Smith was arrested and charged with Dealing Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine and Visiting a Common Nuisance.

The driver, Dagon Aries Frye, 18, from 1618 Wabash Avenue, Vincennes, IN was arrested and charged with Dealing Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine and Maintaining a Common Nuisance.

The arrested were incarcerated at the Harrison County Jail awaiting their first court appearance.

This investigation is continuing.

A Loogootee woman was arrested Wednesday on drug charges. 

Jasmine N. Jones, 24, Loogootee, was placed into custody and transported to the Martin County Jail where she was charged with Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Possession of Marijuana, Neglect of a Dependent, Contributing to the Delinquency of Minors, Possession of Paraphernalia and False Informing. 

While at the jail additional paraphernalia was located on Ms. Jones.

Yesterday at approximately 1:08 pm the Martin County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a fight in progress between two males in front of the apartments located at NE First and the railroad tracks, in Loogootee. 

A short time later a trooper arrived in the area but didn’t see people fighting.  As he walked around in the area looking for the fight he smelled the strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from 103 NE First Street Apt. 4. 

Not finding a fight in progress he waited until another trooper could arrive on scene to further investigate .

Trooper Jarrod Lents arrived and he along with Sgt. Chad Dick knocked on the door of apartment #4 but no one answered. 

They knocked again and Jones opened the door.  The troopers first inquired about the fight that was reported and Ms. Jones advised she did not see nor hear anyone fighting. 

The troopers then inquired about the strong smell of marijuana coming from within the apartment. 

Ms. Jones gave consent to the troopers to search her apartment. Inside of her apartment items commonly associated with marijuana use was located.  Also present in the apartment were two juvenile males.

Ms. Jones was placed into custody and transported to the Martin County Jail where she was charged with Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Possession of Marijuana, Neglect of a Dependent, Contributing to the Delinquency of Minors, Possession of Paraphernalia and False Informing. 

The juveniles were released to family members.

Troopers were assisted at the scene by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office and Loogootee Police Department.