As part of National Police Week this week, the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service in Bartholomew County will be Friday.
According to the Columbus Police Department, city officers along with Bartholomew County deputies and Indiana State Police will be taking part in the ceremony.
This memorial service recognize 165 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty last year, including two from Indiana.
According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, Corporal Brandon Schreiber with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department was shot to death on September 1st by a driver after a police chase. Deputy Fred Fislar with the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office was investigating a crash on April 15th near Plainfield and was electrocuted by live wires at the scene.
The service will be at 9 a.m. Friday on the Public Safety Plaza near the intersection of Second and Brown Streets.
Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police and other law enforcement agencies across Indiana will be looking for drivers who aren’t using their seat belts, in the national “Click It or Ticket” enforcement blitz which starts this weekend and runs through the rest of the month.
Organized around Memorial Day weekend, the campaign will have extra officers on overtime patrols making sure drivers and passengers are buckling up and children are properly secure. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement.
Jim Bryan, Traffic Safety Director for the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute said putting on a seat belt takes just a few seconds but can make all the difference in the event of a crash. “If you’re not buckled up, you are taking a dangerous risk.”
In Indiana, drivers can be stopped and both drivers and passengers can be cited for lack of seat belt use, but also for each unbuckled passenger under the age of 16. Additionally, children under eight must be properly restrained in a federally approved child or booster seat.
The overtime patrols are funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.
Tanner Vandeman. Photo courtesy of Columbus Police Department.
A Columbus man is facing more charges after his arrest last week for allegedly trying to film in the women’s locker room at a local fitness center.
According to Columbus Police Department, formal felony charges were filed today in Bartholomew County Superior Court 1 against 24-year-old Tanner Vandeman of child exploitation and voyeurism.
According to the Columbus Police Department, an 8-year-old girl saw someone holding a cell phone under the stall as she was showering at Total Fitness on Middle Road last Thursday evening. Employees then found Vandeman inside a women’s shower stall. Employees and bystanders held onto Vandeman until officers arrived. Police discovered Vandeman had recording equipment on him and found that he had been convicted of voyeurism in the past.
He was arrested and several electronic devices were confiscated by investigators.
The investigation is ongoing and more charges are possible.
The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a flood warning for Haw Creek through this evening.
Minor flooding is expected this afternoon into late tonight. According to forecasters, heavy rains of 2 to 3 inches are causing a sharp rise in creek and stream levels. Earlier this afternoon Haw Creek at Clifford was a few inches above the minor flood level and rising.
It is expected to crest later today at 12.7 feet, or about 8 inches above the minor flood stage.
Authorities warn that you should not try to drive across flooded roadways or drive around barricades. They say that most flood deaths occur in vehicles. They say, turn around and don’t drown.
Scam emails that appear to be from legitimate Indiana state government email addresses are flooding Hoosier inboxes.
The Indiana Department of Technology says a former government message sending service was hacked and that was used to send the messages. The emails claim you may have unpaid EZ-Pass tolls.
Clicking on the link in the email will send you to a payment portal for the fake tolls., where the scammers will collect your debit or credit card information. If you entered that information, state officials say you need to have the payments stopped, your card canceled and a new card issued.
One clue that it is not legitimate is the emails from the governor’s office feature Eric Holcomb as governor, even though he left office in January. Fifteen departments in Indiana state government have been identified as sending the scam emails so far.
The North Vernon Police Department has formed a dedicated Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Task Force working to dismantle and disrupt the flow of drugs in the community.
According to the department, the goal is to protect residents, support those affected by addiction and hold accountable those responsible for trafficking these dangerous substances.
Task Force Commander Graham Heffelfinger said that the effort will require the assistance of community members. Police are seeking any tips or information you might have about anyone contributing to the sale or distribution of drugs in the community.
Police say your information can remain anonymous and it may help save lives.
Area Congresswoman Erin Houchin is announcing that Indiana’s former National Guard adjutant general will serve her office, advising her on military academy appointment recommendations.
Houchin’s press office has announced that General Dale Lyles will be the chair of the 9th Congressional District Military Academy Nomination Boards and as a member of the United States Military Academy Nomination Panel. Lyles will oversee the process for students seeking nominations to the U.S. military service academies, including West Point, Annapolis, the Air Force Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy. The nomination boards review applications and making recommendations to Houchin as she selects candidates to nominate to the academies.
Houchin encourages any students interested in applying to the military academies to contact her office.
The 9th Congressional District stretches from the Ohio River to as far north as Franklin County. Locally, it includes part of Bartholomew County, as well as all of Brown, Jackson, Jennings and Decatur counties.
An Indiana State Police cold case investigation led to the arrest of a southern Indiana man in a more than two year old murder case.
According to troopers, 33-year-old Derek James Pixley of Borden was arrested Monday on murder charges after a 2022 shooting in Henryville.
Police say that Brittany Bowen was found shot in Henryville in October of 2022 and later died in the hospital in December of that year. The Clark County Sheriff’s Department transferred the case to State Police in December of last year and Detective Matt Busick began a separate investigation and conducted interviews.
He presented the completed case and evidence to the prosecutor’s office and an arrest warrant was issued for Pixley. He was arrested Monday evening in Scott County without incident.
Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County is announcing the winners of awards for a community hero and a leadership project of the year.
Rob Gaskill, former director of Community Corrections for Bartholomew County was chosen for the Jurgemeyer Community Hero Award. Jill Tasker, president and founder of Sandi’s Closet received the Jurgemeyer Community Leadership Project of the Year Award.
The Community Hero Award recognizes those who have performed life-saving measures, come to the aid of another or contributed to the safety, security and resiliency of our community. Gaskill was praised for implementing two residential substance abuse treatment programs. The award recognizes that Gaskill encouraged participants to live productive lives while in recovery from addiction and said he has been committed to making the community safer by helping to change lives.
The Community Leadership Project of the Year Award recognizes a project in the community that exemplifies the Columbus community leadership values. Tasker created Sandi’s Closet, which allows those with dementia to enjoy pop-up shopping experiences in memory care units and adult day care settings. It replicates the experience of shopping at a department store which can stimulate memory recall of past purchases. Sandi’s Closet also had started Sandi’s Singers, a choir program for those living with dementia and their caregivers.
Jill Tasker. Photo courtesy of Heritage Fund
The awards were established by the estate of Donald W. & Catherine G. Jurgemeyer. The couple were long-time Columbus residents with Donald Jurgemeyer, an attorney in the community for 29 years, serving as legal counsel for the community foundation in its early years. Catherine Jurgemeyer served as president of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation and chaired the American Bar Auxiliary and the Indiana Lawyers Auxiliary.
A Bartholomew County man is heading to prison for three years after being caught driving after his privileges had been revoked.
According to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s office, the case started in September of 2023 when Bartholomew County deputies stopped a vehicle being driven by Shane Elifritz. Elifritz was found to have had his driving privileges revoked for life. That came after many prior convictions including Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated, Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident, and Operating a Vehicle as an Habitual Traffic Violator.
Elifritz was arrested on a felony charge of operating a vehicle after forfeiture of license for life.
In April, Elifritz pled guilty to the charge. At a sentencing hearing last week, Superior Court Judge Jon Rohde sentenced Elifritz to three years in prison, to be served in the Indiana Department of Corrections.
