Plans are already being made for the annual New Year’s Day free meal distribution organized by the Sheriff’s Department’s reserve officers and off-duty officers as well as a small army of volunteers and members of the Johnson Township Volunteer Fire Department.

These groups will be fixing and delivering free meals to any elderly person or shut-in residing in Scott County who wants one on January 1, New Year’s Day. 

Anyone wishing a meal must call the Sheriff’s Department at 812-752-8400 ext 1 by 4p.m. on Friday, December 22nd. 

Callers need to leave their names, complete street addresses and telephone numbers where they can be reached.

Organizers also need to know how many meals will be needed per household.

The tradition of preparing and delivering New Year’s Day meals started several years ago as a project of the reserve force out of concern for the elderly and shut-ins. Last year, 160 meals were sent out from the Blocher-based fire department.

Reserves and volunteers will be preparing meals consisting of ham, green beans, potato salad, a roll and dessert. Deliveries will start from the Blocher-based fire department.

“Due to the holiday delivery dates from our food vendor, we are asking everyone to make sure they call us by Friday, December 22nd, to get on this distribution list,” advised Wendy McClain, jail matron.

An Indiana State Trooper from the Sellersburg Post was shot in the head Tuesday night by a Jeffersonville man.

Oscar Kays, 79, Huston Drive, Jeffersonville, was arrested and in jail.

Tuesday at approximately 7:05 pm, Trooper Morgenn Evans from the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg made a traffic stop for a traffic infraction near the intersection of Park and Jefferson Streets in Jeffersonville.

The traffic stop involved a gray 1999 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck being driven by Kays, 79, from Huston Drive in Jeffersonville.

During the traffic stop Oscar Kays became combative and pulled a handgun and shot at Trooper Morgenn Evans.

Trooper Evans was struck in the head but was able to return shots at Oscar Kays while he was fleeing the scene.

Evans got back to his police car and gave chase a short distance but Oscar Kays was able to escape and returned to his home on Huston Drive where he was taken into custody by the Jeffersonville City Police Department and the Clark County Sheriff’s Department.

Trooper Morgenn Evans was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, KY with non-life threatening injuries.

Kays was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, KY with unknown injuries.

At this time it is unknown if Trooper Morgenn Evans shots wounded Oscar Kays or if he was wounded by his own gun or debris from the shots fired.

After his release from the University of Louisville Hospital Oscar Kays was charged with Attempted Murder of a Police Officer and incarcerated at the Clark County Jail.

There will not be a press briefing tonight due to the fact no new information will be released.

A press conference will held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 13th in the training room at the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg. No further information will be released until that time.

Evans has been a trooper since October of 2016. His photo in uniform is attached to this release.

A two-vehicle accident closed State Road 60 West Monday evening and sent one driver by helicopter ambulance to Louisville.

Lannie Zink, age 88 of Campbellsburg was traveling eastbound and according to witnesses, Zink was stopped and waiting to turn onto Cave Spring Road, when he was rearended by Spencer Gilstrap, age 25 of Pekin.

Zink was driving a 2000 Ford van, while Gilstrap was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Truck.

Zink had to be extricated by members of the Salem Fire Department and was flown to University of Louisville hospital for treatment of injuries. 

Gilstrap refused treatment at the scene, but was later treated at St. Vincent hospital for minor injuries.

The crash is being investigated by Deputy Paul Ginkins.

The Salem Police Department and the Washington County Ambulance Service also assisted with the crash.

Salem High School FFA and NHS will be hosting the 7th Annual Randy Johnson
Memorial Soup Dinner Friday, December 15, 2017 in the SHS Cafeteria.

The soup dinner will be held prior to and during the Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament games beginning at 5:00 pm and continuing through the half time of the last game.

This is a freewill donation event with patrons able various soups and desserts.
There will also be a 50/50 raffle. All proceeds raised throughout the night will go to the Randy Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Randy was instrumental in the development of facilities and programs here at
Salem Community Schools, and we hope to continue to remember the legacy Randy left
behind for our school system.

Please come and join Salem FFA and NHS in remembering Mr. Johnson by helping to raise money for the scholarship fund in his memory. FFA and NHS have collected over $7,000.00 in the last five years for the scholarship, including the Washington County Community Foundation and Lilly Endowment’s assistance the last few years.

For questions or if you would like to make a donation to this fund and can’t attend the soup dinner, please contact Seth or Nicole Purlee via email at spurlee@salemschools.com or npurlee@salemschools.com or by calling Salem High School.

On November 27th, troopers from the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg received a report of a Burglary from a new construction site located on Fairview Church Road in rural Harrison County.

Arrested were Jonathon L. Taylor, 35, from English, IN, was charged with Burglary and Theft and Buster L. Embry, 41, from Corydon, IN, was charged with Burglary and Theft. 

Both subjects were incarcerated at the Harrison County Jail. 

During the theft, new appliances and other construction materials were stolen totaling over $4,500.00.

The victim stated he had a theft of propane tanks from the property a couple of weeks earlier but did not report it.

He stated he did however hide a camera on the property in case anything else happened. He stated he had captured a vehicle and two individuals on the camera from this theft.

Troopers viewed the video and saw two people allegedly stealing the items the victim had reported. The vehicle they were in appeared to be a 1990’s Chevrolet Astro van. A search for the vehicle and suspects was immediately initiated.

A break in the case came yesterday when a Harrison County Deputy located the vehicle on State Road #337 in Corydon.

The Harrison County Deputy immediately contacted troopers who then went to the residence.

As troopers spoke to two individuals at the home they started noticing items that matched the description of the items taken from the home on Fairview Church Road.

After confirming stolen items troopers placed two individuals under arrest. All the stolen items from the Fairview Church Road theft were recovered.

On December 8, 2017 at approximately 11:09 am, Clark County 911 Dispatch received numerous calls about two vehicles traveling over 100 miles per hour on Interstate 65 approaching the Nine Mile Marker.

The callers stated it appeared that one vehicle was chasing the other vehicle. 

At Exit Nine, (Sellersburg), one of the vehicles, a 2013 Chrysler attempted to exit and crashed.

The driver, identified as Billy Dale Huttsell, was ejected from the car and sustained serious injuries.  While rendering aid one of the troopers on the scene asked Huttsell what happened.

Huttsell told officer’s someone rammed his car.

Huttsell was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital with life threatening injuries. He was not wearing a seat belt.

Several witnesses gave information on the other vehicle that was involved, a greyish colored Ford Crown Victoria.

Later in the evening, troopers located the Crown Victoria involved in the crash in Scottsburg, IN.

Troopers made a traffic stop on the vehicle and James Paul White was driving.

White stated he had a confrontation with Huttsell in the parking lot at the Kohl’s department store in New Albany, IN.

The argument was over an alleged theft.

He stated Huttsell left the Kohl’s Store and he followed him eventually resulting in Huttsell crashing. Huttsell was taken into custody by troopers.

While troopers were interacting with Huttsell at the crash scene and White when they located him after the crash, both subjects were in possession of illegal substances.

ARRESTED:

Billy Dale Huttsell, 24, from Jordan Drive in Marysville, IN.

CHARGES:

Criminal Recklessness with a Motor Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Possession of Methamphetamine and Prior Active Warrant out of Clark County.

Huttsell is being held by Louisville Metro Corrections awaiting extradition to Indiana.

ARRESTED:

James Paul White, 32, from Lovers Lane in Scottsburg, IN.

Charges:

Clark County:  Escape, Criminal Recklessness with a Motor Vehicle Causing Bodily Injury and Reckless Driving.

Scott County: Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Paraphernalia.

White was incarcerated at the Clark County Jail.

This investigation is continuing