A Columbus man driving with no taillights ended up facing drug charges after a traffic stop Friday night.

At about 10:47 p.m. Friday, Bartholomew County Deputy Leah Burton, noticed the vehicle in front of her patrol car on Jonathan Moore Pike had no tail lights. When the deputy pulled the driver over, he put his hands into the air and told the officer that he was driving on a suspended license, says Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s department.

A records search revealed that the driver, 45-year-old David Ward of Columbus was wanted on a warrant out of Marion County. After being arrested, deputies allegedly found Ward was carrying a glass pipe with white residue. At the jail, he was also allegedly found to be carrying a black baggy with what appeared to be methamphetamine.

Ward is facing preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license.

Two Jennings County residents were arrested late Saturday night after a methamphetamine lab was allegedly found in a Country Squire Lakes home when deputies responded to a domestic dispute.

Deputies were called to the home on Country Manor at about 10:25 Saturday night after reports of a domestic disturbance. But while the deputies were on their way, they were also told by the Indiana State Police that there was possible drug activity going on at the home, said Lt. Mike Mowery, spokesman for the sheriff’s department.

When deputies arrived they noticed drugs and drug paraphernalia in plain view. 29-year-old Emma K. Keifer was found to have an outstanding warrant and was arrested. Police say that the homeowner, 46-year-old Patrick Sweany, gave officers permission to search the home, where they found the drug lab.

Keifer and are both facing preliminary charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of meth, possession of paraphernalia, possession of precursors the intent to manufacture and visiting or maintaining a common nuisance.

Keifer’s two children were taken into the care of Child Protective Services, Mowery said.

The Indiana State Police have released more information on the public indecency charge filed against Columbus City Council member Dascal Bunch.

Trooper Stephen Wheeles, spokesman for the police, says that the case stems from three separate incidents in March and November last year, and again in January. Bunch allegedly was in his home and exposed himself to people outside who could easily view him through the windows.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, said over the weekend that Columbus Police investigated a similar complaint against Bunch in 2011 but could not substantiate the complaint.

Bunch is facing a preliminary charge of a single count of indecent exposure, a Class C misdemeanor, after the investigation by Trooper Detective Chris Howell.

Wheeles said Indiana State Police got involved after being contacted by the Columbus Police Department to investigate the case because of Bunch’s position as a City Council member.

Special Prosecutor Brian Belding, in the Jennings County prosecutor’s office, was assigned as the prosecutor in this case. After the case was reviewed by Belding, charges were then filed in Bartholomew County Superior Court. Bunch was cited into court and given a court date of April 4th at 11 a.m..

Wheeles said that Bunch was cited and given a summons to appear, rather than arrested. He said that is the same way many misdemeanor cases are normally treated.

A family of five on their way to Florida for spring break were injured after a crash on Interstate 65 in southern Bartholomew County Friday evening and a Columbus driver was arrested.

51-year-old Brian Dayharsh of Coatesville was driving soutbound with his four daughters in the car at about 7:10 p.m. near the Walesboro exit when a vehicle drive by 39-year-old Bryan Davis of Columbus rear-ended the family vehicle.

Davis was not injured in the crash. Four of the occupants in the family vehicle were taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for treatment. A 12-year-old daughter was trapped in the wreckage and had to be cut free by firefighters. She was flown by Lifeline helicopter to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

Authorities had received several calls of Davis driving erratically before the crash. He was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence.

Two men were arrested after on drug charges after a traffic stop Saturday afternoon in Columbus.

Indiana State Police pulled over a vehicle at 13th and McClure Road at at about 5:10 p.m. Saturday according to police reports.

The trooper suspected that there might be criminal activity taking place and the driver, 21-year-old Ethan Spray of Scipio, allegedly tried to run away. After securing Spray, the passenger, 53-year-old Steven Elliott of Columbus also allegedly resisted arrest.

Both were found to be carrying methamphetamine according to police and Spray was also allegedly carrying marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Spray is also facing preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement, and obstruction of justice.

A Decatur County woman is dead and a child injured after an off-road vehicle crash on Easter Sunday.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation officers report that 58-year-old Mary Romans was driving on County Road 700W in Westport when she collided with a tree on the side of the road. She was not wearing a safety belt and was thrown out of the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene by the Decatur County coroner.

Her 10-year-old grandson was pinned inside the vehicle. He was wearing a seatbelt and was seriously injured in the crash. He was airlifted to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis.

A Madison woman was killed in an early-morning crash Friday in Jennings County.

Lt. Mike Mowery with the sheriff’s department reports that deputies were called to the crash at 2:06 a.m. Friday on State Road 3,  just south of County Road 800N.

A car driven by 59-year-old Roberta Young drove left of the centerline and then off the roadway, striking a utility pole head-on. She was not wearing a seat belt and her vehicle’s airbags did not deploy. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The accident remains under investigation.

A Columbus City Council member is facing a misdemeanor charge of public indecency.

Councilman Dascal Bunch, 61, of Brooks Street in Columbus, has been ordered to appear in court on April 4th for his initial hearing on the Class C misdemeanor charge.

Prosecutor Bill Nash said he has requested a special prosecutor in the case because they are both Republicans and Nash has a long-time association with Bunch, including Bunch volunteering to plant yard signs for Nash during Nash’s first run for office. Nash, reached Saturday morning, said that without access to his office files, he could not recall which prosecutor’s office had been tapped to handle the case.

Few details are available because the county courthouse is closed for the weekend. But a court record obtained through the court’s online record system shows that a probable cause affidavit, which lays out the details of the charges against Bunch, was filed on March 17th and the court date set on March 18th. Bunch has been ordered to appear in Superior Court II before Judge Kitty Coriden on Monday, April 4th.

No arrest warrant is in the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department’s system and Nash said that is normal in misdemeanor cases. Bunch has not been arrested, according to the court system.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, said officers were called to Bunch’s Brooks Street home in late 2011 on a neighbor’s report of indecent exposure, but the charge could not be substantiated and no charges were filed at the time.

Nash said that because Bunch has worked as a reserve deputy for the sheriff’s department in the past that such a case would normally be turned over to an outside agency for investigation, such as the Indiana State Police, but he did not have the records at hand over the weekend to verify which agency investigated.

Indiana State Police could not be reached for comment.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Court documents for electronic record system

Discovery of smoke inside of a Columbus home led to a 911 call Thursday afternoon.

Columbus Fire Department Spokesman Capt. Mike Wilson says that firefighters were called to a possible structure fire in the 1800 block of 10th street after a family returned home to find smoke and audible alarms going off inside their rented home. He says that firefighters arrived at 4:18 p.m. and confirmed the presence of smoke.

Wilson says that firefighters found a light haze of smoke in a dining room area, but no flames. They later determined that the smoke conditions and odor was possibly caused by an electrical issue. During an inspection, firefighters discovered an electrical outlet short, said Wilson. Firefighters located the electrical panel and disconnected power to the area.

Wilson says that no injuries were reported and the family of four was not displaced. Damages are estimated at less than $100.

This spring’s final First Fridays for Families show will feature a performance of “The Jungle Book” ballet.

Dancers Studio will be performing the familiar story of Mowgli, Bagheera and Baloo at The Commons on Friday April 1st, starting at 6 p.m. First Fridays performances are meant to introduce children to the arts. They are organized by the Columbus Area Arts Council and are free to the public because of the support of Old National Bank and the Nugent, Custer and Teegarden foundations.

If you have any questions, you can call the arts council 812-376-2539 at go online to artsincolumbus.org