An 18-year-old local man was killed in a Tuesday morning crash. The Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office says the crash happened on State Road 46 between Newbern and Hartsville at 1:37 a.m.

Coroner Clayton Nolting says that Ethan Matthew Nielsen died at the scene. The cause of death has been revealed as blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Toxicology results are pending.

The crash is being investigated by Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department. We’ll have more details of the crash as they become available.

The state House district covering Columbus and most of Bartholomew County will be a contested race this fall.

Democrat Dale Nowlin has announced that he has filed for election to State House District 59. Nowlin is an educator and the chairman of the math department at Columbus North High School.

Republican incumbent Rep. Ryan Lauer has also filed to run for re-election in the district.

Bartholomew County is split into three state House districts, with Republican incumbent Rep. Jim Lucas filing last week to run for re-election to the District 69 seat representing the far southern portion of the county.

District 57 covers the eastern portion of Bartholomew County and has been represented by Republican Sean Eberhart. No one has filed yet for that seat, according to the Indiana Secretary of State’s election division.

Voters throughout the Bartholomew Consolidated School district will see a property tax hike on their May primary ballot. That’s after the school board approved the tax hike last night.

The property tax increase would add  15.6 cents per $100 of assessed value on a property, or less than $95 a year for the average home owner in the school district. If approved by voters the money raised would go to increase salaries for teachers and staff and to improve school safety.

School officials say that none of the funds would go to raises for school administrators.

Five residents gave their opinions to the school board last night, with three speaking in favor of the referendum and two speaking against the tax increase. Opponents said they were concerned about the effect on budgets for seniors and retirees on fixed incomes. And an opponent questioned how the district chooses to spend taxpayers’ money.

The proposed referendum question now goes to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance for approval, including the wording of the question. Assistant Superintendent for Finance Chad Phillips said last night that the actual phrasing is mandated by statute and the state provides a prepared format the referendum must follow.

Three Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies have been suspended after an internal investigation into the failure to properly serve an emergency detention order that may have resulted in the death of a local man.

In the early-morning hours of Saturday, Jan. 4th, 38-year-old Derek Henderson, of Columbus, died after being shot in the head, chest and abdomen. He apparently entered the home of a neighbor he didn’t know, while armed with a baseball bat. When the homeowner was confronted by Henderson, he opened fire. Henderson was pronounced dead at Columbus Regional Hospital.

Authorities says that Henderson was under an emergency detention order and any officer who encountered him should have taken him into custody for emergency treatment.

Columbus Police report that they were called to Henderson’s home in the 1800 block of Home Avenue three times on Friday. The first trip at 11:08 a.m. Friday morning, was requested by the VA to take Henderson to the hospital for treatment. But officers could not find Henderson. He refused assistance during a police visit later that afternoon.

The emergency detention order was issued at just before 5 p.m. Friday afternoon. But a third call came at 6:21 p.m. Friday evening with Bartholomew County deputies called to the home and assisted by Columbus police.  Police did not take Henderson into custody and left after determining they were no longer needed.

Sheriff Matt Myers says that it was after those unsuccessful efforts that Henderson left his home and was later shot to death.

Sheriff Myers say the investigation revealed that visual and verbal contact was made with Henderson in his home, but he refused to leave his home or allow the deputies inside. The deputies eventually left the scene and made no further attempt to serve the emergency detention order. Myers says the deputies should not have left the scene until Henderson was detained. As a result, Lt. Gary Knoef, Sgt. Jason Lancaster and Sgt. Jason Williams have all been suspended for 15 days without pay for their roles in the failure to detain Henderson. They will also be demoted from their Sheriff appointed positions. Deputy Gary Knoef will return to his position as a merit sergeant. Deputies Lancaster and Williams will return to their positions as merit patrolmen.

Sheriff Myers says that one of the biggest challenges facing police officers nationwide is the challenge of policing the mentally ill. He says that ongoing training is necessary. With that, Myers and two members of his leadership team had previously committed to attending the Indiana Sheriff’s Association’s Winter Meeting at the end of January where mental health issues and training will be discussed and studied.

Flood warnings remain in effect for local rivers and streams. The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for Flat Rock River, Driftwood River and East Fork White River at Columbus and Seymour. Moderate flooding is happening on the Driftwood and East Fork White River at Seymour. Minor flooding continues on Flat Rock and East Fork White River at Columbus.

The peak flooding has already moved past on the Driftwood and Flat Rock rivers and East Fork White River at Seymour. It should clear Columbus on East Fork White River later this morning, according to weather service estimates.

Current road closings in Bartholomew County include:

• Jonesville Road/State Road 11 between State Road 46 and County Road 200S
• Jonesville Road between 450S and 550S
• County Roads 150E and 175E at Southern Crossing
• Southern Crossing itself
• County Road 800S at the gates
• 400N between U.S. 31 and River Road and Tellman Road.

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers is warning drivers not to drive around barricades and do not move those barricades or signs indicating roads are closed. Tickets are being issued at closed roads. Driving into high water doesn’t just put you at risk, but also rescue workers who are called to save you from the floodwaters.

The Bartholomew Consolidated School board will be considering asking voters to increase their property taxes to raise teacher and staff pay in the school district.

The school board tonight is set to consider putting a referendum on the May primary ballot.

We talked recently with Dr. Jim Roberts, BCSC’s superintendent, about the approval process to get the tax increase before the voters.

School officials estimate that the proposal would add $7.79 cents a month to the property taxes of the average home owner in the district.

The school board has two January meetings to approve a referendum.

Roberts said that although originally proposed as a larger tax hike going to a wider variety of school district needs, the board will consider a scaled back version at tonight’s meeting. 100 percent of the new revenue would go to improve pay for teachers and staff, along with school security.

While the proposal presented at last month’s board meeting included money for maintenance and supplies, those have been dropped.

The board meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Northside Middle School and you are invited to attend.

Ivy Tech Community College will present Dueling Pianos – Encore Number Four later this month as a fundraiser for emergency scholarships and programs in Columbus.

The show features two pianists on stage, taking request both to play songs… and to stop playing songs, as they duel by music.

Kelly Kiste,  an organizer for the event, talked recently about the format:

Kiste explained the need for the fundraising:

The performance will be Jan. 31st at the Commons in downtown Columbus. Doors open at 6 p.m. The show kicks off at 8 p.m.

Tickets are available online at connect.ivytech.edu/duelingpianos.

Columbus police are investigating a Friday night accident that sent a local man to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis in critical condition.

Police were called to the 2400 block of Beam Road at about 9 Friday evening after a pedestrian, 43-year-old Joshua L. Chaplin, of Columbus, was hit by a mini-van. He was breathing but unconscious and suffered serous injuries to his head and legs.

The driver, a 16-year-old girl, said that she was driving north on U.S. 31 when Chaplin walked from the sidewalk in front of her vehicle.

Updated 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12th

Heavy rains Friday and Saturday are leading to minor to moderate flooding on local rivers and roads closed throughout the area.

The National Weather Service expects flood levels similar to those of June of last year. Rain is expected to be done in our area this morning through Tuesday afternoon.

Area rivers that are under flood warnings include:

• Flatrock River through late Sunday night. The river was in the minor flood stage as of 9 a.m. today and should have already peaked.
• East Fork White River at Columbus until Tuesday morning. The river was in the minor flood stage as of 9 a.m. today and is expected to peak later today.
• Driftwood River near Edinburgh until late Tuesday night. The river was in the moderate flood stage as of 9 a.m. today and is expected to peak later today.
• East Fork White River at Seymour until late Thursday night. The river was in the moderate flood stage as of 9 a.m. today and should peak by Monday morning.
• Big Blue River until Monday morning. The river was in the moderate flood stage as of 9 a.m. today and was expected to peak this morning.

According to Bartholomew County emergency officials, roads that are closed include:

• South Gladstone in the curves
• Gates on 800S
• 400N between U.S. 31 and River Road.
• 150E and Southern Crossing
• 175E and Southern Crossing
• Southern Crossing
• Jonesville Road between 450S and 550S

Several roads have high water but have not yet been closed. Authorities warn that you should never attempt to drive through high water. Vehicles were reported stranded in Jennings County Saturday night. Roads with high water:

• Brentwood/Middle

The city of Columbus is announcing the promotion of Robin Hilber to be the assistant director of Community Development.

In her new role, Hilber will oversee code enforcement, Ethnic Expo, tax abatements, housing related issues and projects, the Community Garden, and community grant projects.

Hilber has been with the city for four years and most recently served as programs coordinator in the community development department.