Monthly Archives: May 2016

Body pulled from Shelby County identified as Indy man

The body found Monday in Shelby County’s White Rock Park has been identified as Christopher D. Easton, the Indianapolis man who went missing at the park on Sunday evening.

Travis Stewart, a spokesman with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, says that the Shelby County Coroner’s Office positively

Christopher Demarrco Easton; Photo courtesy of Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources
Christopher Demarrco Easton; Photo courtesy of Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources

identified the victim during an autopsy on Tuesday. He says that the cause of death will be determined after the results of toxicology testing.

Easton’s body was found in a body of water at 11:11 a.m. on Monday by Conservation Officers and recovered by officers with the Shelbyville Fire Department. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Shelby County Coroner.

Locals describe White Rock Park, in Saint Paul, as an old rock quarry that has been turned into a paid campground site. They note that there are pockets of deep water, with cliffs, some 30 feet and higher, that people dive from.

Officials say that, along with the cause of death, autopsy results will also include a toxicology report. There has been no word as to when either result will be released, but toxicology reports usually take a few weeks to be processed.

Possible accidental drowning claims life of Commiskey man

Authorities in Jennings County are investigating what they suspect is an accidental drowning.

A Sheriff’s Department spokesperson says that at 9:36 a.m. on Monday, deputies, along with rescue personnel, responded to a home on County Road 850 South in the Commiskey area after a person called to report a possible drowning. When they arrived, they determined that the victim, Arnold Hendrix, 63, of Commiskey, had passed away after being found in a pond.

Authorities say that, despite their belief that it was an accidental drowning, the investigation is ongoing.

INDOT crews to clean I-65 bridges overnight

Indiana Department of Transportation personnel will be at bridge locations on Interstate 65, between Seymour and Austin, during overnight hours this week to sweep away salt and liter, and to flush drains.

Harry Maginity, INDOT spokesman, says that drivers may experience single lane closures between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. at bridges where crews are working. He says that those sites will be marked by several water trucks and other equipment being on site.

INDOT says that work will progress in right lane areas north from Austin, then in right lanes from Seymour back to Austin. Later in the week, crews are scheduled clean and flush left lane areas at the bridge sites. Maginity stresses that this work is dependent on the weather.

Crash leads to the arrest of a Columbus woman

A local woman was arrested over the weekend after allegedly crashing into a utility pole, then leaving the scene.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that officers responded to the report of the crash Saturday night at 11:40

Shanna Branum; Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Dept.
Shanna Branum; Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Dept.

p.m. in the 700 block of Werner Avenue. After inspecting the broken utility pole, police determined that a red Dodge Durango was involved in the crash. The officers later followed a fluid trail, which led them to the damaged vehicle in the 700 block of Wilson Street.

Officers say they spoke with the driver of the vehicle, Shanna F. Branum, 34, of Columbus. Branum was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for a blood test, but she allegedly refused. This led to police applying for, and receiving, a warrant for a blood draw. Once it was finished, Branum was booked on preliminary charges of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated and Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Crash.

Indianapolis man arrested after alleged assault

An Indianapolis man was arrested by Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies after an incident on Sunday night.

A Sheriff’s Department spokesperson, says that deputies were called to a gas station on US31 where a fender-bender allegedly led to an assault.

William Snow; Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff's Dept.
William Snow; Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Dept.

Authorities say that the driver of a pickup truck rear-ended another vehicle. The driver of the truck then allegedly got out of his truck and assaulted the other driver.

Authorities ultimately found the truck, and its driver, in Heflin Park. Deputies say that the truck contained paint transfer from the car that was struck. The owner of the truck, 63-year-old William Snow, allegedly told deputies that that he had been driving the truck, but left after striking the car. Snow also allegedly told authorities that he had been drinking all day.

Snow had a BAC of .203 and was transported to Columbus Regional Hospital for a blood draw, says the Sheriff’s Department. They add that Snow was arrested on preliminary charges of Battery, Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated and Leaving the scene of an Accident. He was ultimately released on $11,000 bond.

Police use Tazer on “aggressive” suspect

A local man is facing several charges after a disturbance over the weekend.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that at about 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, officers were called to a fight at a

Ty Tyndall; Photo courtesy of the Columbus Police Dept.
Ty Tyndall; Photo courtesy of the Columbus Police Dept.

home in the 300 block of Smith Street. When the officers arrived, they allegedly saw Ty L. Tyndall, 36, acting in an “aggressive manner.” Police say that Tyndall refused to the follow the commands of the officers as they prepared to place him under arrest. Harris says that a struggle ensued, which led to officers using a Taser to take Tyndall into custody.

Officers later spoke with a witness who told them that Tyndall had punched a family member, assaulted a neighbor and threw a log at a vehicle, shattering the windshield.

Tyndall was arrested on preliminary charges of Resisting Law Enforcement, Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, and Disorderly Conduct.

Warning shot, fight, leads to arrest of Trafalgar man

A Trafalgar man was arrested after a fight at his home.

A spokesperson with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department says that at 12:09 a.m. on Tuesday, deputies were called to the home, at 3492 W.

John Boone; Photo courtesy of the Johnson County Sheriff's Department
John Boone; Photo courtesy of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department

County Road 300 South. While en route, authorities learned that someone involved had fired a warning shot, which led to the fight.

When deputies arrived, a woman reportedly told them that her boyfriend, John Boone, 35, had come home drunk around 10:30 p.m. on Monday. Boone had allegedly gotten into a verbal confrontation with his girlfriend. This led to her father, who lived at the home, to emerge from a room and tell Boone to leave and “sleep it off.” He reportedly walked Boone outside of the home and locked the door behind the both of them.

The witnesses told authorities that Boone refused to leave, which led to the father giving him an ultimatum. After counting to “10,” the father told deputies that he fired a warning shot into the air. They say that the shot only infuriated Boone, who allegedly rushed the father, taking him to the ground. This led to the daughter coming outside to take the gun, then call police. That resulted in Boone running away, said witnesses.

While deputies were on the scene, Boone returned to the home. After speaking with deputies, he was arrested on preliminary charges of Battery. Before being taken to jail, authorities gave Boone a portable breath test, which reportedly gave a blood-alcohol content reading of .24 percent, three-times the legal limit. Boone was then taken to Johnson Memorial Hospital to be checked out for any possible injuries. Once released from the hospital’s care, he was booked on $1,000 bond.

Deputies noted that the father had bruises and scratches, but refused medical treatment. He was reportedly informed that the case would go to the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Officer to determine if any laws were broken when he fired a warning shot. He was not arrested.

Artz Daze kicks off on Friday for adults, kids

If you are looking for a chance to get out of your office on Friday and enjoy some artistic expression, the Columbus Area Arts Council has a program just for you.

Geri Handley, spokeswoman for the arts council, says that the season’s first Artz Daze will kick off on Friday.

“It is a kind of drop-in activity, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the street in front of The Commons,” Handley said. “It is for adults and for children. People of all ages. We have instructors who will do different projects.”

Participants on Friday will be working with Brown County weaver Kris Gustin, Handley said.

“She has been a weaver for a very long time and her specialty is that she uses recycled materials,” Handley said. ‘She gets a lot of her yarns from mills that they would just throw away, normally. And then she makes wonderful things.”

Man arrested in weekend stabbing

Edward GoebelA Columbus man was arrested on charges including battery and drug possession after a stabbing over the weekend.

Police were called to the 4600 block of Breckenridge Drive at about 11:20 p.m. Saturday night and found a man holding a towel against his bleeding stomach, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus police. The victim said he had gotten into an argument with 46-year-old Edward J. Goebel and Goebel had stabbed him.

After taking Goebel into custody, they were searching for a knife when they allegedly found a box of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in a trash can, Harris said.

Goebel is facing preliminary charges of battery with serious bodily injury, possession of more than 30 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The incident remains under investigation, Harris said.

Hartsville man arrested after domestic incident

Zachary Perry
Zachary Perry

A Hartsville man was arrested on domestic violence charges after allegedly walking into another person’s home while intoxicated.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is reporting that a caller Monday night said that a suspicious man had entered her home and then walked out again in the 100 block of East Harrison Street.

25-year-old, Zachary Perry of Columbus matched the suspect’s description and was allegedly walking in the middle of the road nearby at about 11:39 p.m. As deputies dealt with that report, a second report came in that accused Perry of being involved in an earlier domestic dispute.

The victim alleged that Perry had attacked her and she was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for treatment.

Perry is facing preliminary charges including strangulation, domestic battery with a previous conviction and invasion of privacy.