Updated: 10:45 a.m.

A Kentucky semi driver died early this morning after crashing into an INDOT dump truck on Interstate-65 just north of Seymour.

65-year-old James H. Foster of Louisville was driving the semi with a load of frozen food when he came upon the dump truck in the southbound right lane of Interstate 65 near the 50-mile-marker overpass at about 12:30 a.m. The unoccupied dump truck had flashing lights on and a flashing arrow lit and was being used to provide protection to a crew working on the overpass, says Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, spokesman for the state police.

Police don’t know why Foster didn’t change lanes, but after crashing into the back of the dump truck, his semi overturned and came to rest partly in the roadway.

Foster was pronounced dead at the scene by Jackson County Coroner Michael Bobb. There were no other injuries in the crash.

The southbound lanes of I-65 were closed for about six hours to investigate the crash and to cleanup. Crews had to offload the 17 tons of frozen food from the trailer by hand prior to putting the trailer upright.

Indiana State Police were assisted by the Seymour Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Columbus Police Department, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Seymour Fire Department, Jackson County EMS, Jackson County Coroner’s Office, and 31 Wrecker Service.

Earlier version:

Indiana State Police are reporting a fatal accident on Interstate 65 this morning, just north of the Seymour exit.

Sgt. Stephen Wheeles with the Indiana State Police says that a semi struck a piece of INDOT equipment. The driver of the semi died but the name of the driver has not yet been released. Crews have been working several hours to reopen the southbound lanes of the interstate.

Wheeles says that the Interstate was reopened by about 7:30 a.m. however traffic is backed up between Seymour and Columbus. There are also traffic tieups on U.S. 31 as driver seek to avoid the traffic.

The German Township Volunteer Fire Department in Taylorsville was awarded a $104,000 grant for firefighter safety equipment. Deputy Chief Matt Lynch explains that the grant was from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighter Grant program. He says that German Township had to pay a five-percent match, totaling $4,952. That money came from the department’s cumulative fund, says Lynch.

Deputy Chief Lynch says that the grant replaced all of the department’s Self Contained Breathing Apparatus, which were nearing the end of their service life. In addition, the department purchased two firefighter rescue systems, which are designed to assist a firefighter who may be trapped in a building and running out of air in their SCBA. Lynch says that if a firefighter becomes trapped, the rescue firefighters would take one of the rescue systems in and plug it into the downed firefighter’s air bottle. He explains that this will allow the firefighter to continue to be able to breathe fresh air during a rescue attempt. The department also purchased a firefighter tracking device. Lynch says the instrument will alert fire crews if a firefighter stops moving or is in duress as they work inside of a building.

“With this added equipment, our firefighters can better serve our community in a safer, more effective manner. We can minimize the time we are searching for possible victims which decreases the amount of time our firefighters are working in dangerous environments,” says Chief Robert Drake

Deputy Chief Lynch says that, in addition to grant money spent, German Township also bought two thermal imaging cameras by using an additional $8,000 from the cumulative fund. He says that these cameras allow firefighters to see through smoke and darkness.

A Franklin Police Officer was arrested Monday for domestic violence. Johnson County Sheriff Doug Cox says that the particulars of the incident, which led to the arrest of Officer Schyuler Z. Brown, likely won’t be made available until sometime on Tuesday. He says that the officer who responded to the incident has been called away to other cases and has yet to fill out an incident report.

Franklin Police Chief Tim O’Sullivan says that city officials were “very disappointed” to learn about of the arrest of Brown. He says that city police were dispatched to the home when they learned about the officer’s involvement. To avoid the appearance of conflict or impropriety, O’Sullivan says that Franklin Police contacted the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office to handle the investigation. He adds that the city has placed Officer Brown on leave, pending an investigation and a merit commission hearing for final action.

Chief O’Sullivan added that he, and other city officials, are appreciative for the Sheriff’s Department’s help in this case.

A Columbus man was arrested on domestic violence related charges over the weekend. Officer Alyson Rech, spokeswoman for the Columbus Police Department, says that at about 2:10 p.m. on Saturday, officers responded to an apartment in the 1100 block of Kevin Drive for a domestic disturbance. Rech says that officers spoke to the victim, who had visible injuries to her face. She reportedly told police that she was choked and had the house phone taken away while she tried to call 911.

Officers arrested 34-year-old Kevin C. Montgomery on preliminary charges of Strangulation, Domestic Battery and Interfering with the Reporting of a Crime.

Conservation officers along with Bartholomew County sheriff’s deputies, and Indiana State Police helped find a kayaker lost in the Driftwood River Saturday.

Officers report that two kayakers got separated and one was lost. He was finally found after he had to hike several miles to reach a phone. According to police reports, his kayak overturned and the man had to swim to shore.

Conservation officers want to remind you to be careful if you are taking part in water recreation, especially if the water is higher than normal. And you should always wear a life jacket.

Hoosier Pro Wrestling will be holding its 16th annual Fill The Shelves event to help local food banks this weekend.

The group will have a pro wrestling card at Aaron’s on National Road in Columbus Saturday night. Admission is free if you bring six cans of food to be donated to Love Chapel and other area food banks.

The bell-time is 6 p.m. and you should bring your own lawnchair.

A shoplifting suspect was arrested on drug charges after an incident Saturday afternoon at a grocery store in Columbus.

Columbus police report that they were called to the store on National Road at about 12:40 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. That’s after store security allegedly saw a man try to steal a pair of shoes by stuffing them down the front of his pants.

When officers confronted the man in the parking lot, they arrested him. While taking him into custody, they allegedly discovered drug paraphanernalia including a spoon and syringe in is pocket.

29-year-old Michael Dunham was arrested on preliminary charges including theft and possession of drug paraphernalia and a legend drug injection device.

The town of Hope will be holding its Old Fashioned Independence Day on Friday on the Hope Town Square.

This year’s event will include the traditional kids parade around the Town Square and the apple-pie baking contest. It will also feature the first “Little Miss Sparkler and Mr. Firecracker” contest. Registration forms for all three of those events are available at the Hope branch of the Bartholomew County Public Library or at the Yellow Trail Museum.

The events start at 5 p.m. Friday afternoon, with the Banister Family Band performing at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks that evening.

The event is free and it is organized by the Yellow Trail Museum.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department will be holding another neighborhood meeting tomorrow night.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the Hartsville Volunteer Fire Department station on Jackson Street in Hartsville. The sheriff’s department says that all residents of Bartholomew County are welcome to come and talk with the sheriff and deputies. You don’t have to be a resident of the town of Hartsville.

This will be the last meeting before the department takes a break from the forums for the Bartholomew County 4-H Fair.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation officers headquarters for our area moved to a new location on Friday.

Lt. Angela Goldman is district commander:

Lt. Goldman says the new offices are located on the Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area, just across the parking lot from the Camp Atterbury Welcome Center off of Durbin Street.

Lt. Goldman talks about the mission of DNR conservation officers.

Lt. Goldman says the move will help conservation officers better serve residents in the district, as well as protect the area’s natural resources.