An Indianapolis truck driver died Thursday morning in a crash on northbound Interstate 65 near the Edinburgh exit.

49-year-old James W. Oden Jr, 49, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by the Bartholomew County Coroners office.

Deputies were called to the crash at about 9:58 a.m. Thursday morning after Oden’s truck overturned on the interstate and flattened a guardrail. A passenger car was also involved in the crash. 21-year-old Blaine Pheral and 22-year-old Rachelle Pheral, both of Columbus were taken to Columbus Regional Hospital and treated for minor injuries.

The highway reopened after about six hours Thursday. The accident remains under investigation.

The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department is announcing that it will not be opening the Donner Aquatic Center this summer. The Columbus Parks and Recreation Board voted unanimously Thursday afternoon to keep the pool closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Significant restrictions would have had to be imposed to open the pool including reduced hours, closures to sanitize, elimination of parties and swim lessons and reduced numbers of people allowed in the facility. The board decided that the restrictions would be so great and so inconvenient to the public that there was no benefit the community in opening.

The parks department says that the safety of the staff and community is its top priority.

A Columbus police dog helped arrest a man who allegedly broke into a house Wednesday afternoon in downtown Columbus.

Columbus police were called to a home in the 700 block of Wilson Street at 3:35 p.m. Wednesday on a report of a possible break-in Officers discovered signs of a forced entry and contacted the homeowner, who said no one should be at home at that time.

After warning anyone inside the home to step outside, with no response, police released police dog Bane into the home along with several officers. They discovered 35-year-old Christopher A. Yarber of Columbus trying to hide in the basement.

After getting bitten in the shoulder by the dog, Yarber was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for treatment and then to jail on a preliminary charge of residential entry. He was also wanted on a Bartholomew County warrant for a probation violation.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is reporting a fatal accident this morning involving a semi on northbound Interstate 65 near the Edinburgh exit. Few details are available at this time but lanes have been shut down and Sheriff Matt Myers said the highway is likely to remain closed for several hours.

Bartholomew County deputies are working with German Township Volunteer Firefighters, Columbus Fire Department’s Squad 2 and Indiana State Police at the scene.

You should avoid the area if you can and find an alternative route.

The Columbus/Bartholomew Recycling Center is planning to reopen on Tuesday at 7:30 in the morning.

When visiting the Columbus/Bartholomew Recycling Center drive-thru for recycling or household hazardous waste disposal, all customers must stay in their vehicle. You should stow the items separate from people inside the vehicle, such as in in the back seat, trunk, or bed of a truck. Recycling center staff will unload the items.

All recyclable materials must be empty, clean, dry, and sorted by the type to speed up the drop-off process. Household hazardous waste must be in the original container with label for proper identification.

When visiting any of the Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District facilities, you should plan to remain six feet away from other people and to stay home if you are sick.