A search continues for the identity of a young woman who died by the side of Interstate 65 Monday night in Bartholomew County.

Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting says an autopsy yesterday determined that the unidentified woman died of blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen.

Authorities are releasing photos of the woman’s tattoos, in the hopes that someone will help to identify her.

Columbus police say the woman is Hispanic with a lip piercing. She appears to be between 20 and 30 years old. She was found wearing a maroon colored sweatshirt, tan pants and black tennis shoes.

Lt. Matt Harris with the Columbus police says officers were called to the northbound lanes of the highway near the Walesboro exit, at about 8:45 p.m. Monday night on a report of a deceased woman on the shoulder of the road. She was found a short time later.

Anyone who was traveling in the area between 8 and 8:45 p.m. on Monday evening and saw either a vehicle parked on or near the interstate or the woman walking in the area is urged to contact the Columbus Police Department at 812-376-2600. Tips and information can be left anonymously.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers has announced a number of promotions at the jail that took effect this week. They are:

Lieutenant Tyler Stillabower has been promoted to Captain (Deputy Jail Commander).
Sergeant Kaleigh Morey has been promoted to Lieutenant (Jail Operations)
Shift Sergeant Tim Burdine has been promoted to Transport Supervisor
Shift Sergeant Steven Reed has been promoted to Field Training Supervisor
Officer Donald Tooley has been promoted to Shift Sergeant
Officer Johnny York has been promoted to Shift Sergeant.

“Although our Correctional employees are civilian, not merit employees, they represent one of the most important components of our criminal justice system.” “It is their responsibility to ensure the safety and welfare of our inmates,” said Sheriff Myers.

“These officers have the experience they need for their new positions and I am pleased that they have accepted the opportunity to expand their leadership skills,” said Jail Commander Major John Martoccia.

Sheriff Myers says his goal is to have civilian employees overseeing all operations within the jail within the next few years.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has issued an Air Quality Action Day and is forecasting high ozone levels for our area on Wednesday. This includes central, southeast and southwest portions of Indiana, including our entire listening area.

IDEM encourages everyone to help reduce ozone by making simple changes to their daily habits. They include:
• Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation
• Avoid using the drive-through and combine errands into one trip
• Avoid refueling your vehicle or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7 p.m.
• Turn off your engine when idling for more than 30 seconds
• Conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the air conditioner to 75 degrees or above

Anyone sensitive to changes in air quality may be affected when ozone levels are high. Children, the elderly and anyone with heart or lung conditions should reduce or avoid exertion and heavy work outdoors. If you have to be outside, drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks.

A North Vernon man involved in a hit-and-run over the weekend has died. Authorities say that 24-year-old Davon Lee Shine passed away on Monday. He was found shortly after 4:30 Sunday morning along US 50 near Hayden.

Sgt. Jeff Jones with the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says that investigators are still looking for the driver. Whoever it was is believed to have driving a Toyota that was traveling eastbound on US 50. The Toyota may have noticeable front end damage.

If you have any information about this case, you are asked to call Sgt. Jones at (812) 346-5111 or Indiana State Police Trooper Matt Holley at (812) 689-5000.

Authorities are looking for information about a man who was found dead in a Jennings County lake last night.

The man remains unidentified, a cause of death is unknown and an autopsy is scheduled today in Seymour.

Indiana State Police are reporting that they were called to Forest Grove Lane in Country Squire Lakes at about 7:30 p.m. Monday night, after the body was found.

Anyone with the identity of the victim or any other information should contact Detective Jason Duncan, of the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post at (812) 689-5000.

Indiana State Police are being assisted by the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana Conservation Officers, and Jennings County Coroner’s Office.

Columbus city officials will continue to press for quiet zones at railroad intersections throughout the city.

That would require the increasing train traffic through the city to mute their horns as they pass through Columbus, but it would also require safety improvements at each of the four intersections, at an estimated cost of $250,000 each, says Dave Hayward, the city engineer.

While the price is steep, the quiet zones would become more important for the city if the plans to increase the train traffic through the city to more than 20 trips a day move forward. Hayward said that the city has about $800,000 earmarked from federal transportation dollars for the quiet zone project, which would require a 20 percent match from city funds.

Heather Pope, director of the Columbus Redevelopment Commission, said that this would be the first quiet zone requested from the Louisville & Indiana railroad.

The Columbus Redevelopment Commission agreed to switch contractors for the ongoing negotiations, moving from a former Louisville and Indiana company president to an organization called CTC. The redevelopment commission agreed to pay the new $41,700 contract.

Jennings County deputies were called to investigate a suspicious vehicle, found a wanted man and ended up arresting four people Saturday night.

The situation unfolded starting at about 9:30 p.m. with the report about the suspicious vehicle on County Road 800S. But deputies recognized that a man standing outside a home in the 9000 block was 27-year-old Joshua Brickson of Seymour, who was wanted on an outstanding warrant. Deputies from Jennings County were assisted by Jackson County deputies and the Indiana State Police and went into the home to arrest Brickson.

That’s where they found drug paraphernalia in plain view. After getting a search warrant, they allegedly found 57 grams of methamphetamine, about 5 grams of fentanyl, stolen firearms from Jackson County, other additional firearms, drug packaging material, digital scales, oxycodone pills, drug paraphernalia, and over $10,000 in cash.

Those arrested include Brickson, 27-year-old Savannah Brickson, 41-year-old Fonzie Bogard and 41-year-old Bruce Reedy, all of Seymour.

Joshua Brickson is facing charges including dealing methamphetamine and dealing a narcotic drug, being a felon in possession of a firearm, along with possessing narcotics, methamphetamine, marijuana, paraphernalia and stolen property.

He was wanted on a Jennings County warrant for burglary.

Savannah Brickson is also being preliminarily charged with dealing in methamphetamine and dealing a narcotic drug, along with possessing narcotics, methamphetamine, marijuana, paraphernalia and stolen property.

Bogard and Reedy are both being accused of drug possession and visiting a common nuisance.

Correction: Based on incorrect information from a source, a fatality on Interstate 65 Monday night was originally identified as a fatal crash. The information has been corrected below.

Columbus police are looking for any information you might have on a woman who was found dead beside Interstate 65 last night.

Police are trying to find out the identify of the woman, who is Hispanic with a lip piercing. She appears to be betweeen 20 and 30 years old.   She was found wearing a maroon colored sweatshirt, tan pants and black tennis shoes.

Lt. Matt Harris says detectives are investigating the case and an autopsy is scheduled for today.  Officers were called to the northbound lanes of the highway near the Walesboro exit, at about 8:45 p.m. Monday on a report of a deceased woman on the shoulder of the road. She was found a short time later.

The northbound lanes of the interstate between the 64 and 68 mile markers were shut down for nearly five hours.

Anyone who was traveling in the area between 8 and 8:45 p.m. on Monday evening and observed either a vehicle parked on or near the interstate or the woman walking in the area are urged to contact the Columbus Police Department at 812-376-2600.  Tips and information can be left anonymously.

Assisting agencies included:  Indiana State Police, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, Seymour Police Department, Columbus Fire Department, Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office and CRH Ambulance.

Four Columbus residents were arrested by Columbus police after a traffic stop Saturday night.

Police stopped the vehicle for a minor traffic violation at 12 and Washington streets just before midnight and interviewed the four occupants. A police dog was brought to the scene and alerted to the smell of narcotics inside the vehicle. A search revealed a small amount of marijuana inside the vehicle, and a check revealed that two of the occupants were wanted on outstanding warrants, according to police reports..

The driver, 36-year-old Michael T. Wear, of Columbus was arrested on charges of driving while suspended and possession of marijuana. 26 year old Rebecca Smith of Columbus is being accused of possessing marijuana.

46-year-old Shawn E. Mace and 41-year-old Kristan J. Guaijarro were both arrested on outstanding warrants.

Formal charges have been filed against an accused rapist. On September 10th, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to an Elizabethtown mobile home park after a woman alleged she was raped by 46-year-old Teddy Albert Allman.

Authorities say that formal charges were filed against Allman on Friday. He is facing charges of Rape, Criminal Confinement and Intimidation.

Allman remains behind bars in lieu of two-million dollar bond.