A Memorial Day crash in Bartholomew County led to the arrest of a Pekin man. Deputies were called to the scene of the crash in the 9000 block of South County Road 100W at about 1:50 p.m. Monday afternoon, finding an upside down SUV.

The driver, 20-year-old Austin C. Smith was found to be carrying marijuana and a prescription medication according to police reports. A pistol was also found in the vehicle and Smith did not have a carry permit for the gun.

He was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for treatment and then to the Bartholomew County Jail on preliminary charges of carrying a handgun without a permit along with possession of the drugs.

Two Columbus residents are being accused of bringing fentanyl and heroin into the community and selling it here. That is after a long investigation by the county Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team concluded the drugs were being smuggled in from Cincinnati.

After securing arrest warrants for 20-year-old Chandler B. Goddard and 23-year-old Bradley A. McRae, their vehicle was stopped Friday afternoon near Hartsville. A Bartholomew County sheriff’s department police dog alerted to the odor of narcotics and officers located fentanyl inside Goddard’s purse. Goddard was also found to be carrying a quarter ounce of fentanyl in a body cavity.

Goddard is facing preliminary charges of dealing in a narcotic drug along with possession of narcotics, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. McRae is being accused of dealing in narcotics and driving while suspended with a prior conviction.

Authorities are investigating a shooting Sunday in Jonesville.

Sheriff Matt Myers says the victim, a 49-year-old woman, is in stable condition after being flown by medical helicopter to an Indianapolis hospital suffering from a gunshot wound.

A suspect, 51-year-old Vicki Shade, is in custody on a preliminary charge of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon.

The incident happened at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon in the 300 block of Jackson Street in Jonesville, Myers said. Indiana State Police, Columbus Police and Seymour police are assisting in the investigation.

Hope officials will be trying to figure out how best to distribute money the town receives from income taxes.

Each year, the town has set aside about $60,000 from income tax revenues to promote economic development, by helping local not for profit groups and  organizers of community events. Recommendations on how those fund should be spent have been made by a mostly volunteer board. After the board reached a consensus, the final decision was left up to the Town Council.

But for months, Town Council members have been questioning how that money is being allocated to promote the town, who should serve on the board, how big the board should be and if it should even exist at all. Council member Nellie Meek and town attorney Scott Andrews said last week that they couldn’t find another town with a similar arrangement.

All of the remaining volunteer board members have recently quit, citing concerns over what the council actually wants done with the money.

The council will hold a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow to discuss the issue.

A traffic stop on North US 31 near Lowell Addition resulted in the arrest of a wanted Columbus man. At approx. 7:46 p.m. Thursday, a deputy initiated a traffic stop and confirmed that the driver, Jeremy Morgan, 32, had an outstanding warrant.

Along with the warrants, Morgan is facing new preliminary charges of:

– Possession of Heroin
– Possession of Marijuana
– Possession of Paraphernalia
– Legend Drug Injection Devices
– Body Attachment
– Driving While Suspended

Morgan remains behind bars on $128,000 bond.

Local and state police will be out in force this weekend, looking for drivers and passengers who are not buckled up.

Overtime patrols for the Click It or Ticket campaign are paid for through federal grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

Data from the institute and the IU Public Policy Institute show that unrestrained motorists make up 53 percent of traffic deaths. Unrestrained motorists are 10x more likely to die in crashes in cars and SUVs, 14 times in pickup trucks and 15 times in vans.

A Columbus teen was arrested twice within 20 hours on charges of driving while impaired.

A Bartholomew County deputy noticed a vehicle violating several traffic laws in the 500 block of Central Avenue at about 8:13 p.m. Thursday evening. After pulling the vehicle over, the deputy noticed marijuana in plain view inside the vehicle.

The driver, 19-year-old Zoe A. Conrad, appeared to be under the influence and was arrested. A search also revealed a controlled substance in the vehicle.

Conrad is facing preliminary charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence, along with possession of the drugs.

The arrest came less than a day after deputies arrested Conrad on a previous charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, authorities say.

Sheriff Matt Myers said he hopes the young woman gets the help she needs before she gets behind the wheel again.

The F-4 Phantom fighter jet displayed at the Atterbury Bakalar Air Museum will soon have a companion. The museum is announcing a C-119 Flying Boxcar static display will be added at the museum at the Columbus Municipal Airport.

Nick Firestone with the museum explains that the planes were a common site at the airport, from the mid 1950s to when the base closed in 1970.

Firestone said that history led the museum to search for a suitable plane to display on the opposite side of the street from the F-4. The museum has already purchased the non-flying plane which will have to be broken down and shipped to Columbus.

The search finally led them to Wyoming.

The plane will be installed on the opposite side of the street from the current fighter jet display.

Airport director Brian Payne explains the size of the new addition

If you would like to help with the costs of the project, you can soon find a link with more information on the museum’s website at atterburybakalarairmuseum.org or at the museum’s Facebook page.

Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputy Sheriff Robert A. Cooper graduated from the 217th class of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy on Saturday, May 18th. Sheriff Matt Myers says that due to Cooper’s extraordinary display of leadership, his 141 peers at the academy nominated him to be the recipient of the prestigious Joshua Chamberlain Award.

The Chamberlain Award is named in honor of Joshua Chamberlain, an American college professor from the State of Maine, who volunteered to join the Union Army during the American Civil War. Chamberlain is best known for his gallantry at the Battle of Gettysburg for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

“I am extremely proud of Deputy Cooper for his hard work and dedication. “He is another example of a quality person who has chosen to serve the citizens of Bartholomew County,” said Sheriff Myers.

Deputy Cooper is a native of Franklin and retired from the U.S. Army after 20 years of service.

Schneck Medical Center in Seymour is offering a “Safe Sitter Program” for children in grades six through eight.

Hospital officials say the Safe Sitter program offers young adults an up-to-date and well-rounded youth development program with a medical basis. This class is designed to teach babysitters the life and safety skills they need, while equipping them with the tools to handle emergencies when caring for younger children.

A two-day class and a one-day class are being offered.

Dates for the two-day program include:
– June 13 and 14
– June 27 and 28
– July 11 and 12
– July 25 and 26

The two-day classes will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Schneck Simulation Lab in the Jackson Medical Building.

A one-day is also being offered on June 8 and July 6. The one-day class will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Family Life Center at Schneck Medical Center.

For more information or to register, call (812) 523-4770 or (812) 522-0421.