Monthly Archives: July 2019

Silver alert issued for missing Lawrence County man

Kyle D. Bex. Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police.

A statewide Silver Alert has been issued for a missing Lawrence County man.

The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the disappearance of 48-year-old Kyle D. Bex. Bex is  missing from Williams, Indiana and was last seen at 7 p.m. Monday. He is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance.

Bex is  6 feet tall, 200 pounds with  brown hair with blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and brown pants. He has a scar on top of his head.

If you have any information on Kyle D. Bex, you should contact the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department at 812-277-2002 or call 911.

Interstate 65 shuts down after 140 mph chase of stolen car

A driver fleeing police in a stolen vehicle led to a crash that shut down Interstate 65 for about five hours Monday afternoon in Scott County.

Indiana State Police are reporting that a witness called in a vehicle weaving in and out of traffic on southbound Interstate 65 in Jackson County at about 4:51 p.m. yesterday afternoon.  A check of the license plate number revealed that the car had been reported stolen out of Illinois.

A Crothersville police officer began the chase near the Jackson/Scott County line and was soon assisted by troopers and Jackson County deputies as speeds reached 140 mph. The car crashed into a semi and another car near Scottsburg.

All three of the people in the stolen car were juveniles from Illinois. After the crash, two ran from the scene while a third was trapped in the wreckage and had to be rescued by emergency workers. That occupant was flown by air ambulance to the University of Louisville hospital with serious injuries.

The other two were caught soon afterwards, treated for minor injuries and then taken to the Clark County Youth Detention Center.

The driver of the second car was treated for injuries at the Louisville hospital and then released, while the driver of the semi refused treatment.

The interstate was shut down until about 10 p.m. last night for cleanup of the crash scene and investigation.

Former reserve deputy accused of child molesting receives continuance in court case

A former Bartholomew County Sheriff’s reserve deputy accused of child molesting will appear in court for a change of plea hearing in December.

Our news-gathering partners at “The Republic” are reporting that 73-year-old Larry Scott, of Hope, appeared in court for an initial change of plea hearing on Monday. The paper says the request for a continuance was approved by Bartholomew Superior Court 1 Judge James Worton. The new change of plea hearing is set for December 16.

Scott worked security at Ceraland. He was arrested in July of 2018 on charges of Child Molestation, Possession of Child Pornography and Performing Sexual Conduct in the Presence of a Minor.

For more on this story, go to therepublic.com.

Hartsville man faces child molestation and gun charges

Photo from Decatur County Sheriff’s Facebook page

A Hartsville man is behind bars on child molestation and gun charges.

The Decatur County Sheriff’s Department says that deputies picked up 60-year-old Gary Guenthenspberger at 8:49 a.m. Saturday on an outstanding warrant for Child Molesting, a Level 4 Felony. When police encountered Guenthenspberger, they say they found him with a gun. He is facing a new charge of Gun Possession by a Serious Violent Felon.

Details of Guenthenspberger’s crime have not been released, as the investigation is ongoing.

Pence: Remembrance of 1983 Beirut bombing is personal

Rep. Greg Pence. Photo courtesy of https://pence.house.gov/

Columbus Republican Rep. Greg Pence is one of a group in Congress looking to honor the Americans killed in the Beirut bombing in 1983.

He and three other congressmen authored a bill to make Oct. 23rd a national day of remembrance of the attack on the Marine Corps barracks. There were 241 American service members killed that day including 220 Marines.

Pence said the issue is personal for him. He served in the Marines from 1979 to 1984 and his battalion was ordered to Beirut in 1983. He said he was lucky that his unit shipped out just before the attack. He said he was able to return home safely to Columbus, but told himself that he would never forget those who died.

The bill was introduced on Thursday.

Biker accused of attacking police, driving under the influence

Robert G. Schonfeld. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department.

A Flat Rock motorcyclist was arrested after he allegedly attacked an officer Sunday night in Columbus.

The incident started when police received reports of a possibly impaired biker on 25th Street shortly after 8 Sunday evening. An off-duty Bartholomew County deputy and Columbus police officer stopped the cycle. An officer talked to the driver, 64-year-old Robert G. Schonfeld, and his speech was slurred and his eyes looked glassy, according to reports.

As he was being arrested, he allegedly advanced on officers and struck one in the hand before being restrained. A search of his clothing allegedly revealed a bag of marijuana.

He was arrested on preliminary charges of battery on a public safety official, possession of more than 30 grams of marijuana with a prior conviction, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated with endangerment.

Hope cruise-in to feature dessert baking contest

If you can bake a great dessert, you have a chance to win a baking contest in Hope on Friday afternoon.

As part of the monthly cruise-in on the Hope Town Square, they will be having a baking contest on Friday. Entries have to be turned in 5:15 and 5:45 p.m. at the library annex.

Winners will be announced from the bandstand at 8 p.m. including a grand champion, first and second runner up. The baked goods will be sold afterwards with proceeds going to benefit the cruise in.

The monthly cruise-ins are organized by the town and Main Street of Hope. They are being held on the first Friday of the month through October.

Music on Friday will be by the HauserBoys.

Girl dies after accident at Monroe Lake Sunday

Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are reporting that a young girl died at Monroe Lake over the weekend, after being hit by a boat propellor.

The 8-year-old was at the lake with her father and friends Sunday evening. After the injury, she was taken to IU Health Bloomington, where she was pronounced dead.

The accident remains under investigation. Conservation officers say that she was wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident.

Rural fire departments tackle Bartholomew County blaze

Photo courtesy of German Township Facebook page.

Firefighters from several volunteer fire departments fought a rural home fire Saturday afternoon in Bartholomew County .

German Township had firefighters at their station already when they received the call at 3:55 p.m. that afternoon. They are reporting that there was heavy fire at the home in the 6800 block of County Road 475E when they arrived on scene.

They and Hope volunteer firefighters fought the blaze from the outside after an attempt to go into the home was blocked by the high heat and hoarding conditions inside, the firefighters report. Thermal readings showed ceiling temperatures of 900 degrees.

As the firefighting continued, more units were called in and, in all, nine fire departments responded including Hartsville , Clay Township, Harrison Township, Wayne Township, Shelby County departments from Flat Rock and Marietta and Burney-Clay department out of Decatur County.  The Salvation Army also brought drinking water and food to the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The home was a total loss, according to German Township. Hope volunteers report that no one was home at the time of the fire.

Photo courtesy of German Township Facebook page.
Photo courtesy of German Township Facebook page.