A Monday afternoon police chase in Jennings County led to the arrest of a Scipio man. Sgt. Andrew Richmond, spokesman for the North Vernon Police Department, says that just before 4:30 p.m., officers responded to Harms Street after getting a report that a man was riding a dirt bike at a high rate of speed.

Sgt. Richmond says that he and Officer Shane Trepanier located the rider, 31-year-old Brett E. Matern. He says that Matern, who was wanted on three warrants, then fled after officers attempted to pull him over. Richmond says that the pursuit lasted almost half a mile and reached speeds of 60 mph in a residential neighborhood.

Matern reportedly abandoned the dirt bike in the back yard of an apartment in the 200 block of Harms Street and fled into an apartment. Richmond and Trepanier secured the apartment and, after other officers arrived, were able to direct Matern out of hiding. Authorities say that Matern resisted the officers and made several threats of physical violence against them.

Matern was booked in the Jennings County Jail on the following preliminary charges:

1. Resisting Law Enforcement by Fleeing in a Vehicle – Level 6 felony
2. Intimidation of a police officer – Level 6 felony
3. Resisting Law Enforcement by Fleeing or Fighting – Class A misdemeanor
4. Disorderly Conduct – Class B misdemeanor

Richmond notes that Matern was wanted on three outstanding warrants:

1. Risk of flight on an original charge Intimidation – Level 6 felony
2. Failure to Appear on an original charge Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia – Level 6 felony
3. Intimidation – Level 6 felony.

Sgt. Richmond adds that Matern is currently being held without bond. Additional charges could be forthcoming.

The City of Columbus will be hosting a second public input session to update the community on proposed changes to the structure of the Audit and Review Committee for Citizens and Police Relations. Mary Ferdon, the city’s director of administration, says the meeting will be held on Monday at Donner Center from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Ferdon explains that the committee was created in 1992 to foster transparency, gain community trust and respond to the needs of residents. Building on these original goals, she explains that city officials, along with current committee members, the African American Pastor’s Alliance and interested community members, have worked with the city over the last 18 months to examine the committee’s effectiveness at fulfilling the original goals and discussing new challenges to be addressed by the committee.

Ferdon says that the city will recommend renaming the committee the “Community Police Review Board” in an effort to better connect the committee name with its function. She adds that the Columbus Human Rights Commission will continue to provide technical assistance and the Board of Public Works and Safety will continue to administer appeals.

A local woman was arrested on drug charges after she was seen acting suspiciously inside a Columbus store on Saturday afternoon. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that Officer Wesley Dodge stopped a vehicle that the suspect was traveling in near 17th Street and Gladstone Avenue at approximately 3:30 p.m. While speaking with the vehicle’s occupants, Dodge noted that they appeared to be extremely nervous. He later determined that the front seat passenger, 27-year-old Aimee L. Davis, of Columbus, had syringes in her possession.

Davis was taken into custody and transported to the Bartholomew County Jail. A short time later, jail staff reported recovering several needles that Davis had concealed in her clothing. While searching Davis’ purse, Officer Dodge allegedly found another needle, drug paraphernalia and a small amount of methamphetamine.

Davis is facing preliminary charges of Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Methamphetamine.

Four people were arrested at a county park after the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of a suspicious person. Judy Jackson, department spokeswoman, says that at about 5 p.m. Friday, Deputy Matt Bush and K9 Diesel responded to the area of Owens Bend County Park after receiving a call about several people possibly breaking into a vehicle.

Upon arrival, Deputy Bush observed four people. After identifying them, he learned that there were eight warrants between them. Deputy Bush then walked Diesel around the vehicle, where he was reportedly alerted to the presence of narcotics. Authorities say that a search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of four syringes belonging to 28-year-old Troy Cowan, of Columbus. Cowan also was also allegedly in possession of a methamphetamine pipe.

Jackson says that 35-year-old Michael Ames, of Columbus, swallowed methamphetamine and was transported to Columbus Regional Health. Once cleared, he was booked on preliminary charges of False Informing and Obstruction of Justice. Authorities say that Ames was also wanted on four outstanding warrants.

Deputies arrested 23-year-old Carrie England, of Columbus, after she was allegedly found to be in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana. Authorities also arrested 26-year-old Kaleigh Stogdill, of Columbus.

A Michigan man was killed early Sunday morning after a two-vehicle crash on I-65 in Jackson County. Authorities say the lack of working tail lights on one of the vehicles may have played a role in the crash.

Indiana State Police say that at about 1:30 a.m., troopers responded to the crash on southbound I-65 near the 53 mile marker. The initial investigation indicated that a semi trailer, being driven by Abdulahi A. Afrah, of Louisville, was traveling southbound in the right lane when a semi driven by John A. Gaskin, of Sainte Marie, MI, collided with the back of Afrah’s trailer. Troopers say that Afrah’s vehicle may not have had working tail lights.

As a result of the collision, Gaskin’s vehicle caught fire and burned in the southbound lanes of I-65. Gaskin was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Jackson County Coroner’s Office. Afrah was not injured.

As a result of the crash, the northbound lanes of I-65 were closed for approximately two hours while crews battled the vehicle fire. The southbound lanes of I-65 were closed for approximately six-and-a-half hours for crash investigation and cleanup.

Part of the load of bagged charcoal in Afrah’s vehicle was released from the trailer during the crash. The load in Gaskin’s trailer was a total loss.

Toxicology results on Afrah are pending and the investigation is ongoing.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryland Fluhr has graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. Judy Jackson, department spokeswoman, says that Deputy Fluhr, a 2014 graduate of Indiana State University, spent the past 16-weeks undergoing law enforcement training in Plainfield.

During these 16 weeks, Deputy Fluhr received more than 600 hours of training in the areas of: criminal and traffic law, firearms, emergency vehicle operations, physical tactics, EMS awareness and human behavior.

Jackson says that new deputies are also required to study other law enforcement related subjects such as: accident investigation, criminal investigation, domestic violence and sexual assault, water rescue training, standardized field sobriety tests, crime prevention and drug and narcotics.

Deputy Fluhr now has an additional 14-weeks of on-the-job training with a BCSO Field Training deputy.

Congressman Luke Messer, a Republican representing Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District, spoke to Southside Elementary students Friday morning. The Congressman was working on little sleep after an early-morning vote to end a short government shutdown.

The Congressman spoke with fourth graders for about 45 minutes, answering questions and talking about how Congress works. Messer says this is one particular part of his job that he truly enjoys.

Messer’s visit capped off a morning with local constituents. From there, it was time to campaign for the U.S. Senate…

Messer says the dysfunction in the Senate goes beyond some members.

Messer is in a primary battle with fellow Republican Congressman Toff Rokita and businessman Mike Braun for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. The winner of the primary will face Democratic incumbent Joe Donnelly in what is expected to be a very tight race.

Proposed changes to the makeup of Columbus’ Audit and Review Committee for Citizen and Police Relations have some residents concerned. Currently, the committee has designated seats for the local NAACP and the African-American Pastor’s Alliance. Proposed changes would have no designated seats set aside for any one group. Those serving would be appointed by the mayor. Aida Ramirez, with the city’s Human Rights Commission, explains why…

02-09 CPD REVIEW-2

Mary Ferdon, the city’s director of administration, stresses that it is the goal of the mayor to accurately reflect the demographics of Columbus and ensure that all voices are heard when it comes to making these appointments.

The purpose of the board is to hear appeals made by residents who are unsatisfied with how a complaint to the Columbus Police Department is handled. Currently, complaints are investigated by CPD with the results shared with the party making the complaint. If the person who registered the complaint is not satisfied with any aspect of the initial investigation, they can appeal it to the board.

Ferdon adds that a public forum to further discuss these proposed changes is set for Feb. 19th at Donner Center.

A Columbus woman already in jail for an outstanding warrant is facing additional drug charges after authorities say they found drugs and paraphernalia hidden in a body cavity. Judy Jackson, spokeswoman for the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, says that on Monday, staff at the county jail discovered information that 29-year-old Stephanie G. Cecil, of 1507 Lafayette Street, was in possession of narcotics and a syringe.

Jackson says that Cecil was searched and evidence showed that a bag was hidden in a body cavity. Authorities say that Cecil refused to cooperate with jail staff and denied having contraband. The Sheriff’s Department’s Investigation’s Division assisted jail staff in obtaining a search warrant and Cecil was transported to Columbus Regional Health where authorities say that she agreed to cooperate. The bag, allegedly containing narcotics, a syringe and a lighter, were recovered.

In addition to original charge, Cecil is now facing additional charges of Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Syringe, both Level 6 felonies.

Sheriff Matt Myers credited the work of jail staff. “It is critical to keep drugs and drug-related items out of our jail. Had staff not developed information about the hidden drugs, they would have possibly been shared with other inmates,” said Sheriff Myers.

A Ripley County man is in custody after he allegedly fled on foot during a traffic stop in Columbus on Wednesday afternoon. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that at approximately 2:10 p.m., Officers Frank Dickman and Reid Thayer attempted to stop a vehicle with a false and fictitious license plate near Eighth Street and Cottage Avenue. The driver, 21-year-old Shane D. Wilson, of Sunman, allegedly pulled away from an officer and began fleeing on foot. Harris says Wilson was apprehended by Officer Thayer, who was finishing his first day of training as a CPD officer, in the backyard of a home in the 700 block of Maple Street.

Wilson is facing a preliminary charges of Resisting Law Enforcement. Officers add that Wilson was also wanted on an outstanding Bartholomew County warrant.