A Hope man was hospitalized after his overturned vehicle was discovered Tuesday morning. Judy Jackson, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson, says that deputies were called to the 5800 block of East County Road 450 North at 9:46 a.m. on a report of a vehicle that was off the road and possibly submerged.

When deputies arrived, they reported finding the vehicle along the side of the river next to a bridge. The driver, 21-year-old Tony Whittington, was conscious, but trapped inside the upside-down vehicle. The fire department, working with Bartholomew County Water Rescue and Recovery, extracted Whittington from the vehicle. He was then life-lined to Indianapolis with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. Jackson says that investigators believe that Whittington may have been trapped inside the vehicle for about four-hours.

It is not known at this time what caused the accident, but Jackson says that a report is being forwarded to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office for drug-related items allegedly found inside the vehicle.

A Columbus woman was flown to an Indianapolis hospital after a Monday afternoon crash. Judy Jackson, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman, says that just after 2 p.m. deputies responded to a one-vehicle crash on County Road 650 East, just south of 25th Street.

Investigators say that the driver, Mary V. Swinney, drove off the east side of the roadway on County Road 650 East, hitting two mailboxes before striking a large tree. They add that Swinney wasn’t wearing a seat-belt, resulting in her being thrown into the passenger’s seat.

State lawmakers are recognizing court-appointed special advocates this week at the statehouse.

Rep. Milo Smith, a Columbus Republican, honored the national organization for its work with a resolution. CASA’s act as advocates for children in the legal system, especially in neglect cases. Smith said that 4,000 advocates provided a voice for almost 30,000 Indiana children in child abuse and neglect cases last year.

You can find out more about volunteering as a CASA locally by going to apowerfulvoice.org.

Phase Two of the “Connecting State Street” project has cleared one hurdle after the Columbus Redevelopment Commission gave its unanimous approval Monday evening. The body heard a presentation about the project from United Consulting.

The project includes a side-path extending south from the Haw Creek bridge, near Stadler Drive, to Mapleton Street. Just under a half-mile long, officials call this path the “core” of the State Street project. Future sections will complete connections to downtown and Mill Race Park.

Phase Two also includes five green spaces. This includes two near Stadler Drive and three near Indiana Avenue. This spaces are slated to include 84 shade trees, 10 flowering trees, benches and 6,719 bricks. Nine-hundred of those bricks will be engraved.

Total cost of this phase of the project is estimated at $2.6 million, which is in line with what city officials had expected.

Due to the expense, the redevelopment commission’s approval of the project is only a “recommendation” for the city council to move forward with necessary funding. That body is expected to consider the matter next month.

A North Vernon man was arrested Sunday afternoon after police there executed a search warrant. At about 4:30 p.m., officers served the warrant, which ended in the arrest of 58-year-old David W. Uberin. Police say the warrant came about after Officer Isaac Barkes gathered information over several weeks that indicated drug activity was taking place at the home.

During the search, police say they found several capsules of a non controlled, prescription medication not contained in a labeled prescription container, along with a small bag with white residue. Drug analysis on the bag is pending.

Uberin was arrested on a preliminary charge of Possession of a Legend Drug without a Valid Prescription, a level 6 felony.

The Bartholomew County Highway Department is requesting an additional appropriation for just over one-million dollars for the Cumulative Bridge Fund. Danny Hollander, county highway engineer, explains…

Hollander is asking the county council to put the $1,010,000 left over from last year’s projects into this year’s bridge budget. Hollander says that money in the Cumulative Bridge Fund can only be used on bridge projects…

County Council meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. on the fourth floor of the County Government Office Building.

A Columbus man was arrested Friday night after he allegedly threatened people with a chainsaw.

Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman, says that at approximately 8:40 p.m. officers responded to a gas station in the 1600 block of Central Avenue after receiving calls about the man. Police say that 32-year-old Ian A. Walker was threatening customers with a chainsaw in the parking lot. They say that Walker then started the chainsaw and was revving it as he was walking towards a station employee.

Officers arrived and arrested Walker on preliminary charges of Disorderly Conduct and Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon.

A group of New York men are accused of trying to use fake credit cards to buy cigarettes from local gas stations over the weekend.

The three were arrested just before midnight on Saturday after attempting to purchase multiple cartons of cigarettes at the Village Pantry store in the 3100 block of Washington Street, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus police. After their arrest, a search of their vehicle allegedly revealed marijuana, fraudulent credit cards and a credit card skimming device, Harris.

Two of the men also allegedly gave fake names to police.  All three were from Brooklyn, N.Y. Those arrested and their preliminary charges included:

Greggory Arzu, 21, Possession of a Credit Card Skimming Device and Fraud;

Gregory Meade, 20, False Informing, Possession of a Credit Card Skimming Device and Fraud;

Hamou Soumare, 21, False Informing, Possession of a Credit Card Skimming Device, Possession of Marijuana and Fraud.

North Vernon police arrested four people and recovered heroin, marijuana and drug paraphernalia when they served a search warrant just after midnight this morning.

According to police, investigators received a tip several weeks ago about possible drug activity at a home in the 1100 block of West County Road 115S.

Police say that they recovered about half a gram of heroin and five grams of marijuana, along with drug packaging materials. They arrested 40-year-old Jeremy M. Jones, 27-year-old Kevin V. Swindall, 23-year-old Christopher L. Branum and 27-year-old Amanda J. Grajales.

Preliminary charges included:

• Jones, maintaining a common nuisance, possession of a narcotic, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
• Swindall, Branum and Grajales, visiting a common nuisance, possession of a narcotic and drug paraphernalia.

German Township firefighters extinguished a car fire in Taylorsville after the owner noticed smoke coming from under his dash while he was driving.

Deputy Chief Matt Lynch, spokesman for the fire department, said they first got the call at about 5:15 p.m. Saturday on a report of a burning car at a gas station on U.S. 31. When firefighters and the Bartholomew County sheriff’s department arrived the car was fully engulfed in flames. They quickly knocked the flames down but a fuel leak kept feeding the fire. Overall, firefighters used about 2,000 gallons of water plus foam to extinguish the blaze.

The car’s owner explained that he recently had a new cigarette lighter installed and wondered if that might have been the cause of the fire.