A Louisville man is accused of leading police on a chase through Jackson and Bartholomew counties yesterday.

Indiana State Police are reporting that a trooper noticed a car with no license plates speeding just north of Seymour on Interstate 65 at about 4:30 Wednesday afternoon. The trooper tried to stop the vehicle near the Jonesville exit but instead the driver took off.

Other police agencies joined the chase, which ended when the car hit two state police vehicles north of the Columbus exit.

The driver, 29 year old Derek Smith was taken into custody and found to be carrying two handguns, one of which had been reported stolen out of Louisville. Smith was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital to be checked out before being taken to the Jackson County Jail on preliminary charges of Resisting Law Enforcement in a Vehicle, Possession of Stolen Property, Reckless Driving, and Possession of a Handgun without a Permit.He was also wanted on a warrant out of Lafayette.

The Bartholomew County 911 center is making plans to go mobile in case of an emergency that wipes out service at the center.

Todd Noblitt, director of the 911 center, told the county commissioners this week that as part of the ongoing upgrades to the 911 phone system, the county now has the opportunity to use mobile command units. Noblitt said that the portable equipment will give the county the ability to operate 911 services from alternate locations. It will replicate all the center’s capabilities all the way down to the location detection technology that allows dispatchers to locate the caller’s exact spot.

The equipment will also allow the center to increase its capacity by four fully-functioning consoles, Noblitt said. That would come in handy during major emergencies or crisis situations such as during a flood or other disaster.

Noblitt said he would like to find a location that could be used as a secondary dispatch center and permanently store the consoles there but until then, they would be stored at the dispatch center. However, commissioners said they would prefer them to be stored at a 24-hour facility such as the county jail. But they agreed that the units needed a permanent home.

The four mobile command units will cost just over $104,000 and Noblitt said it would be paid for out of federal funds from the CARES act allotted for COVID-19 expenses.

Commissioners approved the addendum to the 911 center’s contract with AT&T.

Gov. Eric Holcomb announced this afternoon during his afternoon press conference that Indiana was moving to Stage 5 of the Back on Track Indiana plan.

The state will move to the next stage on Saturday.

Holcomb said that masks are still going to be required. He said that residents’ adherence to mask requirements is what is letting the state move to the next stage.

According to the Indiana Back on Track plan, Stage 5 will mean reopening, with appropriate social distancing:

• Restaurants, bars, and nightclubs may operate at full capacity
• Personal services may open at full capacity
• Gyms, fitness centers and workout facilities may operate at full capacity
• Conventions may resume at full capacity
• Amusement parks, water parks, and like facilities may operate at full capacity. Social distancing guidelines should be maintained
• Cultural, entertainment, and tourism sites may open at full capacity. This includes museums, zoos, aquariums, and like facilities
• Pari-mutuel horse racing and county and state fair racing may operate at full spectator capacity
• Raceway events may return to full capacity

This story will be updated

Vice President Mike Pence is safe after Air Force Two hit a bird

Our news-gathering partners at TTWN Media Networks report that, it happened as the vice president was leaving New Hampshire. Air Force Two returned to the airport out of an abundance of caution and landed safely.

No one on board was hurt. Pence had to take a cargo plane back to Washington, D.C.

A Columbus man is being accused of stealing delivered packages left on a porch.

Columbus police say that officers were called to the 1700 block of Central Avenue after a witness report a man taking two packages off a porch. Officers reviewed security camera footage from outside the home where the theft happened.

Police found the man, 51-year-old Anthony B. Mitchell, a short time later and recovered the two packages, which contained moped parts.

He was arrested on a preliminary charge of theft.

Columbus police are looking for information after more than 15 vehicles had their windows shot out by a pellet gun early this morning.

Investigators say the damaged vehicles were parked in residential neighborhoods near Parkside Elementary School. Police are asking homeowners in the area to review any security camera footage that might have captured the vandalism or any suspicious activity.

If you have any information regarding the vandalism you can contact the Columbus Police Department at 812-376-2600. Tips and information can be submitted anonymously.

Indiana basketball great Damon Bailey’s father was killed in a motorcycle accident Monday in Brown County.

Wendell Bailey, was  pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on State Road 46 in Nashville, according to the Brown County Sheriff’s Department. His wife, Beverly, was flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.

According to the Brown County Sheriff’s Department, the crash happened at about 2:47 p.m. in the 3600 block of East State Road 46 in Nashville.

Based on deputies investigation, a car driven by Jacob Waltermire, was attempting to pass a tractor-trailer and noticed the oncoming motorcycle. He pulled back behind the semi, lost control and crossed the centerline striking a vehicle driven by Hana Cai, who was behind the motorcycle.

The sheriff’s department says it is unclear how the motorcycle became involved in the crash. The accident remains under investigation.

No other injuries were reported.

The IU basketball team posted their condolences on Twitter this morning saying “Our thoughts and prayers are with Damon Bailey and his family during this difficult time. We are so sorry for the loss of your father, Wendell, and for injuries suffered by your mother, Beverly, in this terrible accident yesterday.”

Changes to a neighborhood business zoning in Bartholomew County will be blunted somewhat, after county commissioners had time to consider the issue.

The city-county planning department proposed changes to the county’s Commercial Neighborhood zoning designation to make it more consistent with the similar zoning in the city of Columbus. Jeff Bergman, director of the city-county planning department, said that the Commercial Neighborhood zoning is fairly rare in the county but it includes businesses located right beside homes.

Under the proposal, which was presented for final approval at Monday’s commissioners meeting, changes would include making uses inconsistent with a neighborhood setting as conditional uses or even prohibited entirely in the CN zoning districts. Those would include fitness centers, night clubs, bars, parking lots, athletic complexes, and liquor stores.

The commissioners dropped the requirement for bicycle racks and sidewalks in the zoning district, and agreed to allow drive through windows at businesses.

The Columbus Redevelopment Commission gave its approval for a plan to swap land with the Bartholomew County government that could allow for a hotel conference center and parking garage between Second and Third Streets downtown.

The Columbus Redevelopment Commission voted unanimously to provide up to $1.5 million dollars toward the design and construction of a new court services building behind the county jail. Anything above the $1.5 million would be paid by the county through a rental agreement at 3 percent interest over 15 years.

In exchange, the county will give up its parking lot across the street from the jail, as well as the existing court services building at the corner of Third and Franklin streets.

The county would also receive 100 spaces in the future parking garage, which is actually more than are available in the current surface lot, said Heather Pope, redevelopment director for the city.

The commission also agreed to seek to purchase the former Eynon law offices building and property on First Street, which will be the site for the new court services building. The average of two appraisals of the property were about $550 thousand dollars, which would be the upper limit of the purchase price said commission attorney Stan Gamso. Gamso said that if the price is more than $500 thousand it would have to receive approval from the City Council.

Columbus police say a suspect was able to wriggle out of a handcuff in the back of a patrol car, and they found fentanyl scattered around where she was sitting.

The incident started on Saturday night when police stopped a vehicle in the 1100 block of Union Street at about 10:50 p.m. being driven by 33-year-old Delman S. Bryant of Columbus. A police dog alerted to the odor of drugs in the vehicle and a search revealed narcotics and drug paraphernalia inside, according to police reports.

Bryant, and a passenger, 48-year-old Mackcena G. Kirby of Columbus were taken to the jail. But officers realized that Kirby had gotten one hand free and a powder was scattered in the back seat of the vehicle. A test revealed that it was fentanyl.

Kirby is facing preliminary charges of possessing a legend drug injection device, methamphetamine, a legend drug, cocaine or a narcotic, a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, as well as obstruction of justice.

Bryant is being accused of possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device and Drug Paraphernalia