Raymond H. Wilson, age 82, of Pekin, Indiana, passed away Friday June 9, 2017 at Baptist Health Floyd Hospital in New

Albany. Born on May 10, 1935 in Noblesville, Indiana, he was the son of the late Wallace H. Wilson and Ethel Wise Wilson.

Raymond was a retired Shift Supervisor at Gallagher Power Plant in New Albany. He attended Pleasant View United

Methodist Church in Borden.

Survivors include his wife, Cynthia S. Hoehner Wilson; 2 daughters, Lisa Hall and Shara Wiesenauer; 2 step daughters,

Rachael Frederick and Leah Cowen; 2 sisters, Mildred Tolman and Cheri Wilson; 1 granddaughter and 6 step grandchildren.

Preceded in death by 2 brothers, 1 sister, and 1 nephew.

The funeral service will be at 4:00 PM Saturday at the Hughes-Taylor Funeral Home in Pekin. Viewing will be from 2:00 PM

Saturday until time of service at the funeral home. Rev. Larry Platt will officiate.

Online expressions: www.hughestaylor.net

Yesterday, at approximately 4:45 pm, the Indiana State Police and Franklin County Sheriff’s Department responded to a two vehicle crash on US 52 near State Road 1 that claimed the life of a Milroy, Indiana man.

The initial investigation by Trooper Matthew Holley indicated that a 2003 Honda motorcycle being driven by Robert J. Tillison Jr, age 53, Milroy, Indiana was traveling westbound on US 52 just west of State Road 1 when he crossed the centerline into the path of an eastbound 2012 Chevrolet Silverado pulling a fishing boat that was being driven by Ethan T. Hill, age 26, Columbus, Indiana. 

As a result of the collision, Tillison was thrown from the motorcycle.  Tillison sustained fatal injuries in the collision.  He was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office.  Hill was uninjured in the crash.

Alcohol and drugs are not suspected to be factors in the crash although toxicology results on both drivers are pending at this time.

The investigation is ongoing.

Trp. Holley was assisted by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, Brookville Fire Department, Franklin County EMS, and Franklin County Coroner’s Office.

Indiana Conservation Officers along with the Fishers Police Department and Fishers Fire Department responded to a call of a missing paddle boarder Sunday at Saxony Lake in Fishers.

At approximately 3:23 p.m. Sunday afternoon, agencies were dispatched to the 13000 block of Pennington Road in Fishers in reference to a paddle boarder the fell into the water and began to struggle before going under. 

A witness entered the water in attempt to render aid, but was unsuccessful making it to the victim. Upon arrival, Fishers Police and Fire divers entered the water in attempt to locate the victim.

Saxony Beach and Lake is a 20 acre area where people come to swim and on the weekends can rent kayaks and paddle boards, according to the lake’s website.

“Family was in the area with him,” said Fishers Fire Department Captain John Mehling. “Our information is that he was on a paddle board by himself. There was a life preserver attached to the paddle board, but he did not have that on.”

After two hours, crews switched to recovery mode, calling in Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources and sonar technology. By 8 o’clock Sunday night, they located Penner in about 11 feet of water.

“DNR divers were able to locate him using sonar technology and the victim has been recovered at this time,” said Captain Mehling.

It’s not clear, say emergency crews, why Pinner wasn’t wearing a life vest. It’s not known if Pinner was an experienced paddle boarder.

“This is one of those situations where we always encourage people to use flotation devices whenever they’re in the water, even for people who know how to swim,” said Captain Mehling.

Indiana Conservation Officers arrived with sonar and were able to locate the victim and place divers in the direct vicinity. 

At 7:51 p.m.  An Indiana Conservation Officer diver and a Fishers Police Department Diver recovered the victim.

The victim has been identified as Anthony Pinner Jr., 39, of Indianapolis.  Investigators have learned through interviews, that Pinner could swim, but the exact cause of the incident is still under investigation.

An autopsy will be conducted tomorrow morning to determine the cause of death.

A life jacket was located attached to the paddle board, but was not in use at the time of the incident.  Indiana Conservation Officers would like to remind the public to always wear your life jacket.

On June 8, 2017, an alert Trooper made an arrest of two men suspected in stealing copper wire from light poles near the Indiana Toll Road.

Trooper Chris Eagles was driving on the Cline Avenue ramp towards the Indiana Toll Road around midnight on June 8th when he saw a green Chevy Blazer pulled to the side of the ramp.

The Blazer was parked next to a light pole in an area that has seen numerous thefts of the copper wire from the light poles. 

Trooper Eagles stopped to check on the Blazer to see if they needed help when the passenger, Jossean Echavarria (28) of Hammond, IN, said they had stopped because the Blazer was overheating.  During this discussion Trooper Eagles noticed bolt cutters and rolled wire in the back of the SUV.  

A check of the light pole showed that the wires had been cut on the pole next to the Blazer. 

The driver, Diquon Ray (21) of Burnham, IL, was found to have an active warrant from Kosciusko County. He was arrested on this warrant as well as charges of theft, criminal mischief, and operator never licensed.  

Jossean Echavarria was arrested for theft and criminal mischief.  Both were taken to the Lake County Jail.  Almost 800 feet of wire was found in the back of the SUV.

The Indiana Toll Road has had losses of nearly $80,000 in wire thefts so far this year.

Here’s a throwback to the 1960’s and a better time for Salem’s commerce, noted Washington County Historian Jeremy Elliott.

“After serving 16 years as President of the old furniture factory, Ford Smith bought out his former partners interests and formed Smith’s Cabinet Manufacturing Company in 1929,” said Elliott.

“Seemingly, most of the county worked there at some point, unfortunately, as we were recently reminded, much of downtown Salem is built on what should have been a flood plain.  This included Smith’s factory, which inevitably collapsed, after decades of flood damage. Still it was great while it lasted and our economy sorely misses it!”