A small plane crashed in Jackson County early Saturday morning, but no one was injured.

31-year-old Chad Lowe, of Crossville, Tenn., was flying his 1962 Piper Colt through the area when it had engine failure at about 1 a.m. Saturday. He crashed into a dense grove of trees in the Jackson-Washington State Forest near Skyline Drive, according to Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation officers.

Officers report that Lowe escaped without injuries and then hiked to a nearby home for assistance.

Conservation officers were assisted at the scene by Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

The crash is under investigation by the FAA.

Several areas remain without power this morning after strong winds whipped through the area Saturday.

Duke Energy is reporting several outages around Columbus and Bartholomew County, with:

• 58 customers near 27th and Franklin streets.
• 43 customers near Flat Rock Park between U.S. 31 and National Road.
• 19 customers around County Road 550N and Marr Road.
• 16 customers in downtown Columbus near 10th and Pearl Streets.

None of those locations have an estimated repair time.

Bartholomew County REMC is only reporting a few customers without power in German (1 customer), Rockcreek (2 customers) and Wayne Townships (1 customer).

Outside of Bartholomew County, Duke Energy is reporting:

• 200 customers without power near Nineveh
• 69 customers north of Westport on State Road 3 at County Road 700S.
• About 50 customers along State Road 7 between Vernon and Scipio.
• 96 near Rockford and western Seymour.
• 108 near Brownstown.

A Brown County woman has been charged in the death of her seven-month old daughter. Indiana State Police and the Indiana Department of Child Services recently concluded a six-month investigation with the arrest of 20-year-old Anna Prewitt-Byers, of Nashville.

Both agencies were contacted on April 18th of this year by IU Health Bloomington once a child was brought in for injuries that ultimately included massive hemorrhaging, abrasions, diffuse cerebral edema causing herniation, severe hemorrhages in retina, perioptic nerve soft tissue hemorrhage, left chin contusions, cerebellar hemorrhages, base of the brain hemorrhaging and blunt trauma injury to her chest.

The investigation led investigators to believe that Prewitt-Byers was responsible for the injuries that led to her daughter’s death. An arrest warrant for the woman was issued by the Monroe County Circuit Court on Wednesday of this week. Prewitt-Byers was arrested the same day. She is facing charges of Aggravated Battery and Battery Resulting in Death of a Person Less than 14-years old.

Legal Aid has announced a Free Legal Aid Clinic on Monday, October 22, at the Legal Aid Office in the United Way Center in Columbus. The clinic will be held from 3pm – 5pm and are for low-income residents. They are held each month in Bartholomew County.

The Legal Aid Clinic and Pro Bono Program utilizes local volunteer attorneys, offering free legal consultations to low-income individuals for the provision of legal advice and assistance in furtherance of equal access to justice within our community whom might not otherwise be able to afford the counsel of an attorney.

Individuals coming to the Legal Aid Clinic can expect to receive a 10 minute consultation to answer general questions, offer legal information, or to receive other limited pro se assistance or advice, in person, on a first come, first serve basis. There is no need to register in advance.

A Columbus man was arrested on multiple charges after a Thursday foot chase. Just after 3:30 p.m., deputies noticed 22-year-old Ricky Omar Keith Reed walking in the area of First and John Street in Taylorsville. When they tried to stop him, Reed allegedly took off. That led to deputies releasing police dog Diesel. Reed then stopped and reportedly dropped a red straw and a cigarette pack containing methamphetamine. While searching Reed, authorities reported finding a syringe.

Reed was arrested on preliminary charges of:

– Possession of Methamphetamine
– Possession of Legend Drug Injection Devices
– Possession of Paraphernalia
– Bartholomew County Warrant
– Resisting Law Enforcement.

Reed remains behind bars in lieu of $132,500 bond.

A minor traffic violation turned into an arrest on drug charges after a Columbus police dog smelled drugs inside a truck early this morning.

Columbus police stopped a vehicle at about 2:30 this morning for the traffic violation near Gladstone and Ohio avenues. A police dog alerted to the odor of narcotics inside the vehicle. During a search officers allegedly found prescription pills and a pipe containing methamphetamine, according to police reports.

The driver, 55-year-old Betty A. Ungar, was taken to the Bartholomew County Jail on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine, a legend drug and drug paraphernalia.

Candidates for local legislative seats tackled subjects including education and hate crimes during a community forum last night at the Columbus Learning Center.

More than 100 people turned out to the event .

Ross Thomas, a Democrat running against incumbent Republican Senator Greg Walker for Indiana Senate District 41, says that all teachers in Indiana should be licensed, including those teaching in charter schools. He also called for increased spending for public education, saying that spending has not kept up with the rate of inflation.

Sen. Walker says that everyone wants quality education in Indiana. He noted that most of the state budget is spent on education. Walker also called for accountability in schools.

The candidates for House District 59 discussed the need for hate-crimes legislation. Democrat Dale Nowlin says he is in favor of such legislation. He says that too many segments of our society have concerns for their safety and well-being. Nowlin adds that such legislation would also make good economic sense for the state. He argues that, without a hate-crimes law, Indiana is keeping segments of the population at arms-length, meaning that the state is missing out on high-quality employees.

Republican Ryan Lauer says that he expects an Indiana hate-crime statute to become a reality sooner rather than later. He added that he wants everyone to feel welcome and secure. Lauer also noted that judges already have discretion when it comes to sentencing. That means that judges can, and should, lengthen sentences if hate or racial discrimination is a factor.

The Bureau of Land Management- Eastern States Northeastern States District will hold a wild horse and burro event providing wild horses and possibly a few yearling and burros, this weekend at Hoosier Horse Park in Edinburgh. The animals will be available for selection on Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Organizers say that purchasers receive immediate ownership of the animal on the day of the event.

If you are interested, organizers say you should provide adequate feed, care, and an enclosed area such as a corral, barn, stall and other appropriate facilities. The facility may also be a pasture that is suitable for maintaining animals. The BLM also requires animals to be transported in a stock-type, step up trailer. All animals available have been examined by a veterinarian, vaccinated, de-wormed, and blood-tested.

Greg Reynolds, a horse trainer experienced in gentling wild mustangs, will be on site demonstrating gentling and training techniques on both days. He is a member of the Trainer Incentive Program and has trained wild horses for Extreme Mustang Makeover competitions sponsored by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, BLM’s partner.

Applicants may submit applications at the site until the close of the event on Saturday. For more information, call 1-866-4MUSTANGS (1-866-468-7826) or visit wildhorseandburro.blm.gov.

A Columbus woman was hurt when she jumped from a burning vehicle. At about 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a vehicle fire with injury on southbound US 31, just south of County Road 300 East.

The driver, Robert A. Shaw II, reported seeing smoke coming from the interior of his Jeep. As he slowed to stop, his passenger, 22-year-old Karlee Katelynn Hurt, of Columbus, jumped from the vehicle while it was still moving at around 30 miles per hour.

Hurt was treated at the scene, then flown by Lifeline to an Indianapolis hospital. Her condition is unknown at this time.

The vehicle was a total loss.

A serious sex offender from Elizabethtown was arrested Wednesday after a three month investigation involving his work with a Madison pro wrestling group.

In July, a person reported being threatened and harassed online and the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department began investigating

On Wednesday, deputies arrested 35-year-old Robert F. Swengel, of Elizabethtown on an out-of-county warrant for Unlawful Employment near Children, Unlawful Entry of School Property by a Serious Sex Offender and being a Habitual Offender.

During the investigation, detectives found that Swengel had been briefly involved with a pro wrestling promotion out of Madison. At an event at a school, a victim identified him as a sexual predator and he was immediately escorted from the property. Because he is a previously convicted sex offender, he is prohibited from being on school property.

Organizers of the wrestling event say that they did not know of Swengel’s history when they let him volunteer for the position. His involvement was also reported to police.

Deputies at first thought Swengel was also affilated with a Columbus based pro wrestling organization but that did not turn out to be correct.

Although the investigation originated in Bartholomew County, authorities say the offenses occurred in Jefferson County. Swengel has been transferred to the county jail there.