A Wednesday afternoon traffic stop led to the arrests of two Columbus residents. At about 4 p.m., a Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a vehicle in the 3100 block of Washington Street in Columbus.

Police arrested the driver, 35-year-old Kyle Alexander Hunter on preliminary charges of Dealing Heroin, Dealing Methamphetamine, Possession of Heroin, Possession of Methamphetamine, Maintaining a Common Nuisance and Operating a Motor Vehicle without Receiving a Driver’s License. Hunter remains in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of a $605,000 bond.

Authorities arrested a passenger, 34-year-old Kristen Hunter, on preliminary charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Visiting a Common Nuisance. She has since been released.

“We continue to be more aggressive with traffic enforcement. When deputies are not responding to calls for service, they continually work traffic enforcement,” said Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers.

“Routine traffic stops that lead to drug-related arrests are more common and deputies are recovering more drug-related items and paraphernalia, keeping more and more drugs off our streets. Traffic stops often serve as the first step to a larger investigation and this was certainly the case with these arrests,” added Sheriff Myers.

Four Hauser High School students were hurt, one of them seriously, in a Wednesday crash near the school. Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies and Hope Police responded at noon to the scene at State Road 9 and County Road 600 North where two vehicles collided.

Authorities say driver of a truck and trailer, 26-year-old Jonathan Tappe, of Taylorsville, was headed south on State Road 9 when a car driven by 17-year-old Sarah Vanderlind, of Hope, pulled out in front of him from County Road 600 North. Tappe’s truck crashed into the passenger side of Vanderlind’s car.

The Sheriff’s Department says that three passengers in Vanderlind’s vehicle had to be extricated by Columbus Fire Department Squad 2. One student, 17-year-old Erin Newcomb, of Columbus, was Lifelined to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Three of the students, Vanderlind, 16-year-old Veronica McKinney, of Hope, and 17-year-old John Bragg, of Hope, were transported to Columbus Regional Hospital. Tappe was not hurt.

State Road 9 remained closed for about three hours.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with these students, Hauser High School and all of Hope,” said Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers.

Update: Columbus police say that Lisa Rendina was found safe Wednesday night.

Previously:

Columbus Police are asking for your help to locate a missing woman. The family of 54-year-old Lisa Rendina has reported her as a missing person. Rendina was last seen on Gladstone Avenue in Columbus on August 13th. She is described as being five-feet five-inches tall and 135 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. Police say that Rendina has been homeless for several months and also uses the last name of Caffee.

If you have any information on Rendina’s whereabouts, call the Columbus Police Department at (812) 376-2600.

A Jennings County woman was killed in a Tuesday morning crash. Indiana State Police say that shortly after 8 a.m., a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of County Road 800 North and County Road 1300 East at the Jackson/Jennings County Line resulted in the death of 42-year-old Betty Lou Hicks, of North Vernon.

The initial investigation revealed that an SUV driven by 59-year-old Sharlene R. Whitsell, of Seymour, was traveling eastbound on County Road 800 North when her vehicle entered the intersection into the path of a northbound minivan being driven by Hicks. Authorities believe that Whitsell may have disregarded a stop sign, leading to the crash.

State Police say both vehicles collided in the middle of the intersection before leaving the roadway. Hicks’ vehicle then struck a tree before coming to a stop. She was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Jennings County Coroner’s Office. Whitsell sustained minor injuries in the crash. She was transported to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour for treatment.

Investigators say that evidence at the scene indicated that Hicks was not wearing a seat-belt.

Toxicology results are pending at this time, however police say that drugs and alcohol are not suspected to be factors in the crash. The investigation is ongoing.

The 32nd annual concert benefiting Our Hospice of South Central Indiana is this weekend in Columbus. Saturday night’s concert at Mill Race Park begins at 6:30 p.m. with opening act “The Why Store.” Randy Bachman, the creator and founder of “Bachman-Turner Overdrive” and “The Guess Who” is the headline act for this free concert. Julie Davis explains how a free concert can be the biggest fundraiser for Our Hospice…

In addition, Davis says they will be selling raffle tickets for Faurecia-designed grills, as well as t-shirts from Hoosier Sporting Goods commemorating the concert. She adds that you have an opportunity to watch the concert from a unique position.

Davis says that cost for admission to the amphitheater stage is $100. Openings are limited.

Bridgette Halvorsen talks about how the money raised benefits Our Hospice.

For more on the concert and the mission of Our Hospice, visit Our Hospice of South Central Indiana’s Facebook page.

North Vernon officials are working to salvage a plan for a new Jennings County Jail facility, while at the same time, improving relationships with county officials. During Monday night’s meeting of the city council, Councilman Brian Hatfield announced that the city will lower its asking price for 15 acres it owns in the North Vernon industrial park. County officials were eying the property as a potential site for the new jail. However, the county balked at paying the one-million dollar asking price. Hatfield noted that exactly how much lower the price will be isn’t yet known, as the city’s tax-increment financing board still needs to be consulted.

City Councilman Jack Kelley says that this measure is being taken in good faith to benefit both units of government. He added that the city council is concerned with a proposal by the county that would lower its TIF district revenue by $290,000 per year. Council members expressed hope that the county will work with them to not only get the jail built, but to keep city TIF revenues untouched.

City Councilman Trent Wisner echoed the sentiments of Hatfield and Kelley. He says that these projected TIF revenues are critical to a number of city projects. Specifically, Wisner mentioned renovations at the city park and public safety issues.

There’s been no word from Jennings County officials if they are open to working with the city to address these issues.

Families in Jackson County are mourning the death of four teens in a car crash over the weekend.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department says that around 11 p.m. Saturday, an SUV driven by 37-year-old Cara Selby was westbound on State Road 258 in Cortland when it broke down about a block from her home. Authorities say that the family was having a slumber party and the kids taking part came out to push the vehicle to the house. While the teens were doing this, they were struck from behind by a second SUV driven by 24-year-old Elizabeth Watson, of Seymour. The Sheriff’s Department says that eight children were struck:

– 14-year-old Nevaeh Law of Brownstown was pronounced dead at the scene;
– 14-year-old Jenna Helton of Seymour was pronounced dead at the scene;
– 15-year-old Brittany Watson of Brownstown was pronounced dead at the scene;
– 16-year-old Martin Martinez of Seymour was flown to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. He died upon arrival;
– 15-year-old Victoria Valdivia of Seymour was injured and flown to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis;
– 14-year-old Courtney Arthur was injured and flown to Riley Children’s Hospital;
– 15-year-old Allerika Henline of Brownstown was injured and flown to Nortons of Louisville;
– 15-year-old Victoria Burchard of Medora was treated at Schneck Medical Center and released;
– 12-year-old Starlit Watson of Brownstown was a passenger in Selby’s vehicle. She was treated at Schneck Medical Center and released;

Jackson County officials say the investigation is ongoing. They ask anyone who witnessed the crash or has information about it to call the Sheriff’s Department at (812) 358-2141.

A Columbus man died after being struck by a vehicle driven by his wife early yesterday morning.

34-year-old Justin L. Smith was unconscious when police arrived on the scene at State and South Beatty streets shortly before 3 a.m. Monday morning. He later died at Columbus Regional Hospital.

Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says investigators determined that the victim’s wife, 34-year-old Angela D. Smith, of Columbus, was driving the vehicle. There is no word yet on how the accident unfolded.

Harris said the investigation is ongoing and Columbus Police are asking anyone with information to call the department at 812-376-2600. Tips and information can be left anonymously.

A Jackson County photographer won the “On the Farm” category in the Indiana State Department of Agriculture’s 2018 Indiana agriculture photo contest. Luke Schnitker, of Seymour, was victorious with his “Soybean Harvest” photograph.

The winning photos were chosen from hundreds of entries submitted by Hoosiers across the state.

Photos were placed into agri-tourism, conservation, faces of agriculture and on the farm categories, with two winners selected in each category, along with two winners overall.

A Hauser High School senior has passed away. Flat Rock-Hawcreek Superintendent Shawn Price announced that 18-year-old Trevor Frazee, died from cardiac arrest associated with a recent illness. The Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office is calling the death “sudden” and “unexpected.” Frazee was a senior at Hauser’s alternative program.