Local Democrats will be hosting a presidential candidate this weekend. California Congressman Eric Swalwell will be holding a town hall at the Factory 12 Event loft at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

Swalwell’s wife, Brittany Watts Swalwell, is a Columbus native.

Swalwell’s campaign slogan is Go Big, Be Bold and Do Good and he plans to discuss issues such as healthcare coverage for every American, quality public schools, relieving college debt and gun violence.

The 38-year-old Swalwell is a four term member of Congress and is founder and chairman emeritus of Future Forum, a Democratic group aimed at millennial Americans.

Doors will open at 1:15 p.m. at the Factory 12 Event loft, 1235 Jackson Street, and you can RSVP here.

Swalwell campaign website here.

The Indiana Department of Transportation is slated to have a crew beginning preventative maintenance work on the State Road 46 bridge over Otter Creek in Bartholomew County on or after Wednesday, May 15th. weather permitting. Crews will apply a latex overlay to extend the life of the current bridge deck.

INDOT says that a one-mile section of State Road 46, from Base Road to County Road 100 North, east of Columbus, will be closed for approximately 90 days while the contractor completes the project.

The official state detour for the closure is State Road 46 to State Road 3 to U.S. 50 to State Road 7 and back to State Road 46.

The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office has cleared the officers involved in a Police action shooting in Brownstown. Prosecutor Jeff Chalfant released his findings on Monday.

Indiana State Police conducted the investigation, which consisted of multiple witness interviews, review of videos and documents. They say the investigation revealed that on the morning of April 3rd, an area woman took her daughter to school in Brownstown, and then drove away in her pick-up truck. The woman reached behind the truck seats and felt, then saw, Barry Rucker who was hiding in the back of the truck. State Police say that the woman had been in a relationship with Rucker, but it ended in late 2018 after Rucker had threatened her with a machete.

Authorities say that Rucker pulled out a handgun, pointed it at the woman, and told her to drive into the country. She instead drove to the Brownstown Police Department and ran inside to get help. However, the only two officers on duty were assisting with traffic at local schools.

Investigators say that Rucker chased the woman into the Brownstown Police Department, dragged her outside, and threatened to shoot and kill her. A person driving by noticed the struggle, called 911, and reported the scene.

Brownstown Police Chief Tom Hanner and Assistant Chief Joe Kelly arrived and confronted Rucker, but he refused to cooperate. The officers attempted to use “less lethal” measures by use of Tasers on Rucker, but the Tasers did not completely incapacitate him. Investigators say that after Rucker fell to the ground, he pointed a handgun at Chief Hanner. The officers ordered Rucker to drop his weapon, but he refused, leading both officers firing on Rucker.

Law enforcement officers with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department responded and rendered emergency medical aid to Rucker, who was transported to Schneck Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy revealed that Rucker died of multiple gunshot wounds. The autopsy also revealed that Rucker’s blood contained Methamphetamine and Fentanyl.

The investigation also revealed that the firearm that Rucker was armed with was a handgun capable of firing shotgun shells. It was, in fact, loaded with shotgun shells.

The investigation concluded that Chief Hanner and Assistant Chief Kelly were faced with an actual deadly force threat and were justified in using deadly force to protect themselves and others. Investigators add that Chief Hanner and Assistance Chief Kelly and the citizen who called 911 most likely saved the woman’s life.

Correction: The date that U.S. marshals arrested Shanice Hatcher was incorrect in a previous version of this story.

A woman who fled the Bartholomew County Courthouse last month has been captured. The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department says that on the morning of April 15th, Shanice Hatcher, 23, Indianapolis, fled the courthouse after being sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Authorities say that Hatcher was arrested in Indianapolis on May 9th by U.S. marshals.

Hatcher is being held in the Bartholomew County Jail without bond.

A Hope man is facing charges after after an incident over the weekend. Just before 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to a slide-off in the 17000 block of East County Road 500 North. On arrival, deputies observed an unconscious male being treating by Hope Fire Department personnel.

Deputy Andrew Whipker administered two doses of Narcan and the man, Joshawa Wayne Coy, 20, regained consciousness. After clearance from Columbus Regional Hospital, Coy was arrested on preliminary charges of:

– Possession of Heroin
– Possession of Paraphernalia

Coy remains behind bars in lieu of $60,000 bond.

Two Ohio residents were arrested after a Saturday morning traffic stop. Shortly after 11 that morning, a Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a vehicle in the 500 block of South State Road 46.

The driver, 37 year old Elvis Ellis, of Powell, OH, pulled into a residence, quickly got out of the vehicle and began walking away.

The deputy ordered Ellis to stop. He complied, but not before he was seen throwing some items to the ground. A clear glass pipe with burned residue inside was found where Ellis had thrown the items. A film canister, containing a rock-like substance, syringes and a clear, plastic pipe with burnt residue were also located inside the vehicle.

Ellis was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia, as well as driving while suspended.

A passenger, 34-year-old Samantha Nelson of North Logan, Ohio, was arrested on preliminary charges of:possession of Legend Drug Injection Devices and possession of Paraphernalia

Authorities says that Ellis’s young daughter was also in the vehicle. She was placed into the custody of a family friend.

There will be another contested race on the Columbus ballot in November. Our news-gathering partners at The Republic are reporting that Bartholomew County Democrats have selected attorney Katea Ravega to run in the City Council District 3 race.

The 42-year-old Ravega, is a 1995 Columbus East High School graduate, received her bachelor’s from Valparaiso University and her law degree from Georgetown University, according to the newspaper. She is a partner at the Quarles & Brady law firm in Indianapolis..

District 3 represents north eastern Columbus including Columbus Regional Health, the area between National Road and 25th Street and northward on Taylor Road. The district is currently represented by Republican Dave Bush, who won his party’s nomination last week. Bush has held the seat since December, when he replaced Councilman Frank Jerome who moved out of the district.

Retired educator Nancy Hoover had originally filed to run for the District 3 seat as a Democrat, but had to back out of the race due to health reasons.

That means Democrats will be fielding candidates in all the City Council seats except District 1. Democrats still have no candidates for mayor or clerk-treasurer.

A North Vernon man died in a Saturday crash on State Road 7.

51-year-old Matthew L. Lonsberry was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by the Jennings County Coroner’s office.

Indiana State Police say that Lonsberry was driving southbound in his pickup at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon near Private Road 625W, when the truck went off the west side of the highway, striking a utility pole and flipping over.  Lonsberry and a passenger, 52-year-old Mary Lonsberry were trapped in the wreckage and had to be rescued by emergency personnel. Mary Lonsberry was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital with serious injuries.

In commemoration of National Police Week, a memorial service to honor law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty will be held on Friday, May 17th at 9 a.m. at the Public Safety Plaza near Second Street and Jackson Street in Columbus.

During this short ceremony, officers will read the names of 163 police officers and 28 police canines who were killed in the line of duty during 2018. A wreath will be placed at the memorial in honor of five Indiana law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty last year. This year’s event will feature area law enforcement Honor Guards, bagpipes, a “21 gun” salute, and the playing of taps.

You are encouraged to attend.

State Road 3 patching and paving is scheduled to begin Monday in Jennings County. The Indiana Department of Transportation says that crews will begin with asphalt patching in various locations from the State Road 3/State Road 7 split south of Vernon to approximately .85 miles south of U.S. 50 in North Vernon. Once patching is complete, crews will begin milling and resurfacing the roadway.

Lane restrictions will be in effect along the route while work is being completed. Flaggers will be present to help maintain traffic. Be prepared for delays.

The expected completion date is June 30th.