A Columbus North freshman is facing punishment after being accused of bringing pellet gun to school Tuesday morning. Our news-gathering partners at “The Republic” are reporting that the boy had posted a photo of himself, with the gun, on social media. That posting resulted in multiple students informing school staff, says the report.
The paper reports that the teen was removed from the campus and is suspended. Additional action may be forthcoming. School staff confiscated the pellet gun.
Schneck Medical Center and Jackson County Emergency Medical Services will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday at the new ambulance garage, located at 721 East Tipton Street in Seymour. The new garage is on the former site of the Indiana State Police Post. Wednesday’s event begins at 1 p.m.
Officials from Schneck Medical Center and Jackson County Emergency Medical Services say the groups are partnering to “better serve the healthcare needs of the surrounding communities and ensure access to emergency medical care.” Officials say the new ambulance garage is targeted at serving the east side of Jackson County and surrounding areas.
The Indiana State Police post in Versailles has announced the promotion of a Jackson County native. Superintendent Douglas Carter announced that Sgt. Paul Adams has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and now serves as the District Commander for the Versailles District of the Indiana State Police.
Lt. Adams is a 1988 graduate of Seymour High School. He went on to graduate from Indiana University Southeast with a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education. Lt. Adams graduated from the Indiana State Police Academy in June of 1995 and was assigned as a trooper in the Seymour District. In 1999, he was re-assigned as a detective in Jefferson County in the Versailles District. In 2004, Lt. Adams was again re-assigned to the Indiana State Police Gaming Division at Belterra Casino in Vevay, where he served as a Gaming Enforcement Detective. In 2006, Adams was promoted to the rank of Sergeant where he supervised troopers in the Versailles District where he most recently served.
Lt. Adams, a second generation trooper, is now tasked with supervising all troopers, as well as civilian personnel who work out of the Versailles District, which encompasses ten counties in Southeast Indiana.
A local woman was arrested on drug charges after a weekend traffic stop. Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman, says that
Kimberly Callahan; photo courtesy of Columbus Police Dept.
at approximately 4 a.m. on Sunday, Officer Travis Harbaugh stopped a car near 11th Street and Chestnut Street for a vehicle equipment violation. While speaking with the driver, 33-year-old Kimberly D. Callahan, Harbaugh reported smelling marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Harris says that a search revealed marijuana, methamphetamine and glass smoking pipes with drug residue.
Callahan was arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Methamphetamine.
A Batesville man was arrested by Columbus Police over the weekend after he allegedly stole several knives and a hatchet from a west-side store. Lt. Matt Harris, CPD Spokesman, says that at approximately 2:50 p.m. on Sunday, Sgt. Ben Goodin was dispatched to a home-improvement store in the 2300 block of Merchants Mile on a report of a shoplifter.
Richard Peetz; photo courtesy of Columbus Police Dept.
Store personnel reported that 44-year-old Richard L. Peetz was inside the store stealing knives. They allege that when Peetz left the store, he refused to stop for store security and began walking towards the parking lot with his hands in his jacket pockets. Sgt. Goodin reports that he gave Peetz several commands to remove his hands from his pockets, but says that he would only show his left hand. Harris says that after Peetz ignored two additional commands to show his hands, Goodin used his Taser on the alleged shoplifter. Police say that when Peetz kneeled over, they saw a large hatchet sticking out of the back of his pants. After Peetz was handcuffed, officers reported finding 15 knives, 12 of which had been stolen from the store.
Peetz is facing preliminary charges of Theft and Resisting Law Enforcement.
A local man was arrested over the weekend after Columbus Police say he led area officers on a 90 minute chase with his girlfriend and
Kyle Pacek; photo courtesy of the Columbus Police Dept.
eight-month old child in the vehicle. Lt Matt Harris, CPD spokesman, says that at 12:05 p.m. on Saturday, an officer saw a car without a rear bumper near Eighth and Maple Streets. A license plate check revealed that the driver, 28-year-old Kyle I. Pacek, had two warrants for his arrest. When the officer attempted to stop Pacek, he allegedly refused to pull over and initially led officers on a low speed chase on the city’s north side. A short time later, Pacek allegedly increased his speed and led officers out of Columbus and into Bartholomew County. Harris says the pursuit continued into southern Decatur County and northern Jennings County at speeds approaching 80 miles per hour. During the pursuit, police say that Pacek was able to avoid several tire deflation devices. Pacek eventually reentered Bartholomew County and stopped in the 7800 block of South County Road 800 East. Harris says that Pacek then got out of the car and fled on foot after his car was inadvertantly rear-ended by a Jennings County Sheriff’s Department vehicle. Pacek was caught by an Indiana State Police Trooper a short time later. When officers approached Pacek’s vehicle, they found Pacek’s baby, who was not hurt, in the backseat of the vehicle. Authorities say that Pacek’s girlfriend declined medical treatment for a minor facial injury.
Pacek was booked in the Bartholomew County Jail on a 48 hour hold. In addiiton to the warrants, he is facing preliminary charges of:
Neglect of a Dependent (Level 6 Felony)
Resisting Law Enforcement in a Vehicle Resulting in Bodily Injury (Level 5 Felony)
Resisting Law Enforcement on Foot (Class A Misdemeanor)
Criminal Recklessness (Class B Misdemeanor)
Criminal Confinement (Level 5 Felony)
Columbus Police thank Indiana State Police, the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department, Greensburg Police Department, Jennings County Sheriff’s Department and Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department for their help during this pursuit.
The Columbus Fire Department has announced a a promotion. Capt. Mike Wilson, department spokesman, says that Firefighter Michael Nida
Lt. Michael Nida; photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Dept.
has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. CFD says that Nida is a 17 year veteran of the department and holds numerous training certifications, including Emergency Medical Technician, Hazardous Materials Technician, Fire Inspector, Aircraft Rescue, Technical Rescue Awareness, and Strategies and Tactics.
Wilson says that Lt. Nida is also a 31 year veteran of the Indiana Army National Guard where he currently holds the rank of First Sergeant. During his Army career, Nida has been deployed to Bosnia, Iraq, and Kuwait. Nida is currently assigned to Squad 1, the department’s technical rescue response vehicle. Lt. Nida’s promotion was announced after the retirement of Lt. Steve Ahrmann, who retired in January after 32 years of service with the department.
Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop will be giving his second State of the City address on Thursday, March 9 from Donner Center.
City officials say the program will begin at 7:15 a.m. with breakfast provided by the Columbus Fire Department. The breakfast is free, but donations will be accepted for Columbus Fireman’s Cheer Fund. You are encouraged to attend.
Mayor Lienhoop says that he will share updates on several ongoing city projects, as well as new projects planned for this year. The mayor’s address is slated to begin at 8 a.m. and will be covered live on NewsTalk 1010 WCSI, online at www.1010wcsi.com, as well as the city’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/celebratecbus. City officials add that tours of Donner Center will be available immediately following Lienhoop’s address.
Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County recently awarded Community Fund grants totaling more than $90,000 to organizations whose programs benefit county residents.
Grant recipients were:
• Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum – $20,000 to construct a building to store and protect museum artifacts, add a large area for restoration and display creation, and free up museum space for more exhibits.
• Bartholomew County Historical Society – $30,000 for repairs to the Henry Breeding Farm barn, including repair of the metal roof, rotten floorboards, exterior walls and windows to prevent water penetration.
• Dyslexia Institute of Indiana – $20,000 to provide financial assistance to students attending Camp Delafield Columbus, a four-week day-camp for youth with dyslexia held at Columbus Youth Camp.
• Foundation For Youth – $10,000 to support the purchase of new customer relationship management software.
• Ivy Tech Foundation – $10,350 to implement a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program (Hope Squad) at the IUPUC and Ivy Tech Columbus campuses.
Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputies rescued a dog Friday morning in Hartsville. Judy Jackson, department spokeswoman, says that Deputy Adam Warner responded at 10:13 a.m. to a report of a dog “in distress” in the middle of a pond.
Photo courtesy of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Dept.
When deputies arrived, the owner told them that her two dogs were swimming in the pond when the animals appeared to get stuck. The owner told deputies that she jumped in and was able to rescue one of the dogs. However, the other dog, a five-year-old black lab, was paddling but struggling to stay above water.
Jackson says that off-duty Deputy Andrew Dougan, a member of the Bartholomew County Water Rescue Team, responded to the scene and was able to successfully rescue the dog. Neither the owner, nor her dogs, were injured.
