A report of a possible drunk driver at a gas station on Columbus’ west side led to the arrest of a Seymour man on drug charges Friday night. Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman, says that officers were called to the 2300 block of Jonathan Moore Pike at 11:10 p.m. When they got there, officers reported finding 28-year-old Scot A. Barker, Jr., who showed signs of being under the influence of drugs. During the investigation, officers reportedly saw heroin and drug paraphernalia inside Barker’s vehicle.

When Barker was taken into custody officers reported finding two small bags of methamphetamine and a syringe inside of his coat. Barker is facing preliminary charges of Possession of Heroin, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Columbus Police are thanking the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department for its help with this investigation.

Area families were among those recognized during a Friday ceremony at the Statehouse aimed at honoring Hoosier farming families. Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Ted McKinney presented 39 families with a Hoosier Homestead Award in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.

“Agriculture contributes $31 billion to our state’s economy, and it’s because of the hard work, dedication and innovation of Indiana’s farming families,” said Lt. Governor Crouch. “I want to congratulate them on earning the Hoosier Homestead Award and for their commitment to continuing Indiana’s legacy as an agricultural leader.”

To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years, and consist of more than 20 acres or produce more than $1000 of agricultural products per year. Based on the number of years, farms were eligible to receive the Centennial Award for 100 years of ownership, the Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership and the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership. Notably, the Bicentennial Award was presented to one family during Friday’s ceremony.

Since the program’s inception in 1976, more than 5,000 families have received the Hoosier Homestead Award.

Families honored included:

Glenn & Nellie Glick – Sesquicentennial (Bartholomew County);
Original Speaker Lane Farm – Centennial (Bartholomew County);
Deniston – Sesquicentennial (Decatur County);
Evans – Sesquicentennial (Decatur County);
Wischmeier/Wehmiller – Sesquicentennial (Jackson County);

“Generation after generation of Indiana’s farming families have dedicated their lives to feeding their neighbors, the state and the world,” Director McKinney said. “They have contributed so much to our state’s legacy, both economically and socially, and are the engine that drives our industry forward. It was an honor to recognize all of these great families at the Statehouse.”

The Indiana Department of Transportation plans to close the southbound Interstate 65 off-ramp to State Road 11 at Exit 55 (Seymour/Jonesville exit) on Wednesday. The closure is scheduled to last 30 days and will allow the contractor, Reith-Riley, to pour new concrete pavement and install Weigh-In-Motion scales within the ramp area.

Drivers are advised to continue along I-65 south to U.S. Highway 50 at Seymour, then travel U.S. 50 west to Broadway Street to circumvent the closure.

INDOT says this work is part of a $6,951,000 design-build Weigh Station Project that combines weigh-in-motion sensing locations with facilities for certified scales and covered examinations.

A North Vernon man is dead after a suspected overdose. Lt. Randy Marshall, with the North Vernon Police Department, says that officers were called to a home on Harms Street at 12:20 a.m. on Friday. When officers arrived, they reported finding two people giving aid to 21-year-old Chase Clark. Police say that Clark was unresponsive and not breathing. They administered several doses of Narcan, however, it proved ineffective. Marshall says that paramedics from Rescue 20 worked diligently to save Clark, but were unsuccessful either. Jennings County Coroner Gene Rudicel pronounced the young man dead at the scene.

Lt. Marshall says that, while on the scene, officers learned that Clark had been down for at least 10 minutes before any calls for help were made. After getting a search warrant for the home, police reported finding several items of paraphernalia.

North Vernon Police say that the case remains under investigation. No autopsy is planned, however, blood was drawn to determine what Clark had ingested.

An armed man who allegedly fled from a Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputy Thursday evening and caused authorities to alert residents to lock themselves in their homes is behind bars. The Sheriff’s Department put out the call for residents in the 100 block of Ross Street in Columbus to protect themselves shortly after 5:30 p.m. Authorities gave the “all-clear” about an hour later. Our news-gathering partners at “The Republic” have identified the suspect as 26-year-old Ian Gardner, of Seymour.

We will update this story as more information becomes available.

Indiana Sixth District Rep. Luke Messer is calling on Congress to forgo its Easter recess, in order to repeal and replace Obamacare.

Messer joined members of House Republican Leadership Thursday to announce an amendment to the American Health Care Act. Messer says the amendment “safeguards patients with pre-existing conditions in a way that will also lower premiums.”

The Palmer-Schweikert amendment creates a $15 billion Federal Invisible Risk Sharing Program. The program is designed to help states reduce healthcare premiums by reimbursing health insurance issuers for high cost individuals, beginning in 2018.

One man is dead and another is behind bars after a fatal shooting Wednesday night in Jackson County. The Sheriff’s Department says that 35-year-old Dustin Robbins was killed in an altercation with 56-year-old Darrell Stanton.

Investigators say that officers were called to 8049 East County Road 400 South just before 7 p.m. on a report of a shooting. When they arrived, officers found Robbins outside of the home, suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Robbins was transported to Schneck Medical Center where he died.

The Sheriff’s Department says that investigators have determined that Robbins was the son of Stanton’s girlfriend. Robbins and his wife were at the home when Stanton arrived. Police believe that Stanton, carrying a shotgun, approached Robbins and his spouse while threatening him. A struggle ensued and the gun went off, killing Robbins.

The Sheriff’s Department says that Stanton is being held in jail, awaiting an initial hearing.

Bartholomew County judges say that their staffing needs must be addressed. Judges Jim Worton, Kathleen Coriden and Kelly Benjamin says the problem is the state’s new Odyssey system. Odyssey is designed to connect courts across the state, making it easier for judges and court staff to search court cases easier. Judge Worton elaborated on the problem during a county council work session last month.

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Coriden, judge for Circuit Court II, told the council then that the courts’ staffing levels are simply inadequate.

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Judge Coriden appeared before the county council during a work session this week, repeating her call for an increase in staffing. Laura De DeDomenic, president of the council, opined that court staff have not had adequate time to get fully acquainted with Odyssey and that the body should wait a few more moths to determine if increased staffing is truly needed. Judge Coriden says that she “respectfully disagrees.” DeDomenic, and a few other council members, expressed concerns that the county could even afford to hire new people even if they are needed.

Councilman Mark Gorbett vigorously disagreed. He said that the judges have shown a clear need for increased staffing, noting that department heads throughout county government have given the body adequate notice that staffing needs would have to be addressed. Gorbett again chided his fellow council members for not taking steps to bring in additional revenue to county government. “We’ve been kicking this can around for years and we can’t kick it anymore,” said the former Sheriff. Gorbett says the council is in for a rude awakening come budget time, noting that many needed actions, like increased manpower, building maintenance and public-safety items like cars for the Sheriff’s Department, are going to have to be addressed. He urged the council to take steps now to address them.

DeDomenic disagreed, saying that she wanted to wait for a detailed report of the county’s financials, which she says is expected in the coming several weeks. Councilman Jorge Morales also disagreed with Gorbett, saying that he does not want to increase any taxes until he knows how much additional money would be generated for the county.

Between Superior Court 1, Superior Court 2 and the Circuit Court, judges want to increase head-count by a minimum of two. They want that extra staffing as soon as possible. Council members are expected to discuss the request further during next week’s regular session.

A Columbus fugitive was arrested Tuesday night in Johnson County. Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department, says that 21-year-old Michael W. Nida, II was arrested just after 10 p.m. after authorities learned he was inside of a Greenwood apartment. CPD, with help from detectives from the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Greenwood Police Department, took Nida into custody without incident.

Lt. Harris says that Nida was transported back to Columbus and booked in the Bartholomew County Jail on the following charges:

Bartholomew County Probation Warrant on original charge of Intimidation (Level 5 Felony)
Domestic Battery with Bodily Injury (Level 5 Felony)
Strangulation (Level 6 Felony)
Interfering with the Reporting of a Crime (Class A Misdemeanor)

Nida is being held on $200,000 bond.

Two people were killed in a crash Tuesday morning on I-65 in Jackson County. Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, spokesman for the Indiana State Police, says events unfolded shortly after 6:30 a.m. after a crash in the southbound lanes near mile marker 47 involving two tractor trailers. About a half-hour later, a second crash near mile marker 48 occurred. Investigators say that a car ran into the back of of a stopped semi, killing two Indianapolis residents.

ISP says the first crash happened when a semi driven by Donald W. Pickens, of Manchester, TN, rear-ended a flat-bed trailer, driven by Gordon A. Gorr, Jr., of Indianapolis. That crash led to partial blockage of the southbound lanes of I-65 for nearly four hours.

Investigators say the second crash occurred when a van, driven by 62-year-old Thomas L. Harding, was unable to stop for the slowed traffic. The van struck the rear of a box-trailer driven by 47-year-old Jacek Kamienski, of Burbank, IL.

Sgt. Wheeles says that the second crash resulted in the deaths of Harding and his front seat passenger, 59-year-old Joyce M. Harding. They were both pronounced dead at the scene by Jackson County Coroner Michael Bobb. A backseat passenger, 19-year-old Francisco J. Rodriguez, also of Indianapolis, was injured. He was transported to Schneck Medical Center, then flown to University of Louisville Hospital for serious injuries. His condition has not been released.

ISP says the investigation into the crash is ongoing.