Police in Jennings County say that they had a successful 24 day period aimed at raising awareness about keeping drivers and passengers safe. Operation Pull Over Blitz 92 lasted from November 10th to December 3rd and was labeled “ Safe Family Travel.” Authorities say that the goals of the project were seat belt enforcement and DUI enforcement.

Dep. Robbie Amos, with the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, says that deputies issued 126 citations and made two arrests during the blitz. Sheriff Gary M. Driver explains why it is important to follow traffic laws. “There is only one reason – to save lives,” said Driver. He added, “Anyone who responds to a severe crash, or notifies next of kin, simply wants you and your family to buckle up and drive sober this holiday season.”

The North Vernon Police Department also announced its figures. Sgt. Andrew Richmond says that officers made 184 vehicle stops, issued 61 traffic citations, wrote 134 warnings and made nine arrests.

Operation Pull Over Blitzes are federally-funded programs that pay for officer overtime to address specific goals. The money is administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. More than 230 law-enforcement agencies across the state took part. Authorities say that they will continue their work to keep roads safe through the holiday season.

City officials are hoping that you will feel safer inside the Jackson Street parking garage. The Columbus Redevelopment Commission approved a plan Monday to triple the number of security cameras at the facility. Currently, the downtown parking garage is equipped with 12 cameras. Monday’s resolution will see those cameras replaced with new, high-definition, cameras. In addition, another 24 of these high-def cameras will be installed in areas that have been lacking coverage, including the stairwells.

The total cost for the project is $25,181. Gary Thompson, with property management firm REI, recommended that commissioners approve the deal with Staublin Technology Service, Inc after the company installed cameras on the roof of the Second Street garage. Staublin also had the lowest bid. City officials say they anticipate the project will be finished sometime in the first quarter of 2018.

The Columbus Area Visitors Center has named a new director of sports tourism. Spokeswoman Erin Hawkins says that Isaac DeClue will be charged with continuing to grow sports tourism in Bartholomew County. DeClue replaces former director Eric Marvin, who resigned in August.

Hawkins says that growth in sporting events has skyrocketed over the last decade. She notes that when the Visitors Center began its sports initiative in 2004, Columbus and Bartholomew County hosted 21 sports events. Nearly 90 sports events were held in Bartholomew County in 2017.

Hawkins says that DeClue is a Columbus native who managed Tre Bicchieri Italian Restaurant in downtown Columbus for 10 years before serving as a digital sales specialist at AIM Media for two years. DeClue is a graduate of Columbus East and obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University.

“Ike’s experience in sales, coupled with his and wide-reaching network of relationships in the community makes him the ideal individual for this role,” said Karen Niverson, executive director of Columbus Area Visitors Center. “Columbus has had tremendous success as a sports tourism destination and we’re eager to see how Ike will lead efforts to increase capacity and grow this segment of our business.”

Hawkins says that sports tourism has become a huge economic driver for the area. By the end of 2017, the Columbus Area Visitors Center estimates that athletes and spectators will have spent $12 million in Columbus and Bartholomew County.

North Vernon Police arrested three people on drug charges Thursday night. Officers executed a search warrant at a home in the 100 block of Lincoln Street at 10:15 p.m. They allegedly found several stolen items, along with methamphetamine, syringes and drug paraphernalia.

Police arrested 24-year-old William Heilman, 27-year-old Amanda Moore and 27-year-old Gregory Miller, all of North Vernon, on various possession charges.

The Columbus Police Department is searching for someone they describe as “an endangered missing person.” They are looking for Danny Campbell. Authorities say that Campbell is a 72-year-old white male, standing 5’11” tall and weighing 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a green hat, black jacket, white thermal top and gray sweatpants. Campbell was driving a Black 2012 Toyota Venza with license plate RSA683. If you have any information on Campbell’s whereabouts, you should immediately call the Bartholomew County Emergency Operations Center at (812) 379-1689.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s office has released the official cause of death of the Seymour man that died at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant last weekend. WDRB TV in Louisville is reporting that the coroner’s office says that 41-year-old Ivan Bridgewater died from blunt force trauma in the Dec. 9th incident. Police initially said Bridgewater suffered fatal injuries from an electrical shock. The coroner says the exact cause of the trauma is still under investigation.

Bridgewater’s death has been ruled an accident.

The Columbus Fire Department is investigating a suspicious vehicle fire. Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the department, says that firefighters responded to to the 2100 block of Home Ave at approximately 8 p.m. Tuesday. They arrived to find a passenger truck fire with heavy flames in the truck bed. Wilson says that the truck, an older model Ford, was parked about 10 feet from a home and just feet away from another vehicle. Firefighters say the truck was a complete loss. In addition, they say that the fire also damaged overhead utility lines. The nearby vehicle and home itself did not sustain damages. No injuries were reported.

Investigators say the truck bed was filled with trash, carpet, cardboard boxes, a wooden end table and other combustible items. Investigators note that the truck was parked near a public alleyway connecting Home Avenue to Union Street. Wilson says that the department is considering this a “suspicious fire.”

If you have any information about this fire, you are asked to call CFD at (812) 376-2679.

Two Jennings County residents were killed in a head-on collision Tuesday night in Jefferson County. Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, spokesman for Indiana State Police, says that Troopers responded to the crash on State Road 256 near County Road 1000 West at about 9:30 p.m.

Wheeles says the initial investigation indicates that a car driven by 34-year-old Joshua C. Hendrix, of North Vernon, was traveling eastbound on State Road 256 near County Road 1000 West in Jefferson County. Police believe that Hendrix’s vehicle crossed the center double yellow line while attempting to pass another vehicle. Hendrix’s car entered into the path of a westbound car driven by 28-year-old Trisha M. Ebertshauser, of Scottsburg, colliding head-on.

ISP says that Hendrix’s vehicle traveled off the south side of the roadway and came to rest before catching fire. Ebertshauser’s vehicle traveled off the north side of the roadway and came to rest. Joshua Hendrix and a front seat passenger, 27-year-old Amanda J. Hendrix, of North Vernon, were pronounced deceased at the scene by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.

Ebertshauser sustained life threatening injuries in the crash. She was flown from the scene to the University of Louisville Hospital for treatment. A backseat passenger in Ebertshauser’s vehicle, 19-year-old Michael A. Riggs, of Bedford, Kentucky, was flown to the University of Louisville Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The front seat passenger in Ebertshauser’s vehicle, 23-year-old Rebecca S. Roberts, of Scottsburg, was transported to King’s Daughter Hospital in Madison for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

The investigation is ongoing.

A Pennsylvania man is heading to prison for four years, after a Jennings County accident last year where he was stuck in a car wreck for days with his dead girlfriend’s body.

WHAS 11 TV in Louisville is reporting that 40-year-old Kevin Bell was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty in Jennings Circuit Court to Driving while Suspended Causing Death.

In September of 2016, Bell crashed the car he was driving into a ravine off of U.S. 50 in Jennings County, killing his girlfriend 37-year-old Nikki Reed, of Seymour. Bell said he was trapped in the wreckage for days. He was found on the side of the road with a broken leg, carrying two bowling balls and other belongings.

North Vernon police arrested two people on drug charges after they were called to help with a medical situation early Sunday morning.

Officers came to the home in the 100 block of Greensburg Street at about 3 a.m. Sunday and noticed drug paraphernalia out in plain view, according to police reports. After securing the home and obtaining a search warrant, officers allegedly discovered tied off plastic bags with a white crystal inside, bags containing prescription pills packaged for sale, as well as other drug sale supplies and paraphernalia, including syringes.

39-year-old Jacqueline Neal and 25-year-old Christopher Asbury, both of North Vernon, were both arrested on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of a syringe.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and more charges could be forthcoming.