Daviess County Man Arrested on Multiple Charges

Daviess County- On Saturday, Trooper Andrew Beaver and Master Trooper Gaven Wilson took Thomas A Hughey,(27) of Washington, into custody on numerous charges for violating a protection order, after a struggle.

When Troopers arrived at Hughey’s residence, an RV Camper on his parent's property, Hughey refused to come to the door. Hughey’s mother was able to unlock the RV and allowed Beaver and Wilson to enter. Hughey then barricaded himself in the small bathroom and continued to refuse the troopers’ orders to come out. At one point, Wilson delivered a chemical agent into the bathroom Hughey was barricaded in, however, the spray was unsuccessful.

Wilson was able to get the door open and troopers learned Hughey had been holding the door shut to prevent them from entering. Beaver was able to grab one of Hughey’s wrists and Wilson was able to get one handcuff on him. At that time, Hughey began to struggle with the troopers and failed to comply with their orders. Beaver and Wilson were able to get Hughey onto the ground where Hughey refused to give up his other hand and continued to struggle. Eventually the troopers were able to get Hughey’s other hand into handcuffs.

Hughey sustained minor injuries and was taken to  Daviess Community Hospital where he was treated and released. Hughey was then transported to the Daviess County Jail. 

Hughey is being charged with:

• Stalking, Level 5 Felony

• Intimidation, Level 6 Felony

• Invasion of Privacy, Class A Misdemeanor

• Harassment, Class B Misdemeanor; and

• Resisting Law Enforcement Class A Misdemeanor.

Indiana State Police was assisted by Daviess County Sheriff’s Department, Daviess County EMS, and Daviess County Community Hospital.

All suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Oakland City Man Arrested after Shooting his Father

Gibson County – Last night, Indiana State Police arrested Colin J. Cooper, 19, of Oakland City, in connection with a homicide that occurred yesterday evening at 430 South Walnut Street in Oakland City.

On December 19 at approximately 5:12 p.m., Gibson County Dispatch received a 911 call reporting a shooting with an injury at 430 South Walnut Street. When officers arrived at the residence, they discovered Calvin L. Cooper, 44, had been shot. Officers attempted to revive Cooper by administering CPR and deploying an AED, but he succumbed to his injury and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Preliminary investigation revealed Colin Cooper and his father, Calvin Cooper, were involved in an altercation inside the residence when Colin Cooper shot his father. Colin Cooper resides at the residence where the shooting occurred. Calvin Cooper resides at 516 Walnut Street in Oakland City.

Colin Cooper is currently being held in the Gibson County Jail without bond.

This is an on-going investigation.

Investigating Agency: Indiana State Police

Assisting Agencies: Oakland City Police, Gibson County Sheriff’s Office, and Gibson County Coroner’s Office

City Wrapping Up Leaf Vac Season

It’s last call for the 2020 leaf season in Mt. Carmel. At Monday’s city council meeting, Mayor Joe Judge said the leaf vac is beginning to wrap things up for this season….

On a similar note, Judge said the city’s brush dump will be closed the same days as City Hall during the holidays..those dates being Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Plus, the brush dump will be closed the Saturday’s following those holidays.

Bleyer: District #348 Targeting Return To In-Person Learning January 5th

Today is the last day of the first semester for District #348 students before the Christmas break begins. But what about the second semester? Will it be all remote learning, in-person, or a hybrid of the two? Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bleyer said administrators have a plan in place for when classes resume on January 5th….

Bleyer also told the school board Monday night that he constantly monitors all of the latest information from local health sources and will use that in making the determination on what happens with the second semester. He said the introduction of COVID vaccines hopefully loosens up the ability to return to all in-person learning.

Troopers Increasing Holiday Patrols

Jasper, IN — Indiana State Police Jasper Post announced today it will be increasing patrols during the holiday season, as part of the winter Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over national enforcement mobilization. Now until Jan. 1, officers will be showing zero tolerance for impaired drivers, whether it’s alcohol or drugs, and will be on the lookout for unbuckled motorists.

The patrols are funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through an Indiana Criminal Justice Institute grant.

“Holiday celebrations may look different this year due to the pandemic, but precautions still need to be taken on the road,” said Lieutenant Jason Allen, Commander of the Jasper Post . “Officers will be out in greater numbers, but it’s going to take everyone working together to keep our roads safe. Drive sober and buckle up this holiday season.”

The holiday season is one of the deadliest times of the year for impaired-driving fatalities. According to NHTSA, during the Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday periods in 2018 alone, there were more drunk-driving-related fatalities (285) than during any other holiday period that year in the U.S. Last December in Indiana, there were 415 alcohol-related crashes, resulting in 105 injuries and 11 fatalities.

In every state, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. In Indiana, drivers under 21 with a BAC of .02 or higher are subject to fines and a license suspension for up to 1 year.

However, impaired driving includes more than alcohol. Drugs and even some over-the-counter medications can also cause impairment, and can slow coordination, judgment and reaction times on the road.

“You can’t drive safely if you’re impaired, whether it’s from drugs, alcohol or prescription medications,” said Devon McDonald, ICJI Executive Director. “This has been an extremely difficult year for many families, which is all the more reason to make good decisions before getting behind the wheel.”

To further save lives and prevent traffic fatalities, officers will also be watching for seat belt violations.

According to NHTSA, from 1975 to 2017, seat belts have saved an estimated 374,196 lives. While Indiana’s seat belt usage rate is above the national average of 90.7 percent, more than half of the people who were killed in motor vehicle crashes last year were not buckled up.

“With inclement weather and busier roads this time of year, it’s especially important to buckle up,” said Robert Duckworth, ICJI Traffic Safety Director. “We want everyone to have a safe holiday season, and wearing a seat belt is the best way to protect yourself on the road.”

Indiana has a primary seat-belt law, meaning that police officers may ticket unrestrained drivers or passengers, even if no other traffic violation has taken place. Children under eight must be properly restrained in a federally approved child or booster seat.

For safety tips from NHTSA, click here for impaired driving or here for seat belts. To learn more about Indiana State Police, please visit https://www.in.gov/isp/

Traffic Stop Nets 50 Grams of Synthetic Marijuana, Two Arrested

Warrick County – Last night at approximately 10:30, Trooper Otolski was patrolling in the area of Epworth Road and Lincoln Avenue when he stopped the driver of a 1997 Ford Escort for a defective headlight and false registration. The driver was identified as Gavin McCuiston, 23, of Evansville. A female passenger originally gave false information about her identity, but she was later identified as Danielle Tucker, 26, of Evansville.

A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 50 grams of synthetic marijuana, which was packaged in over 25 individual baggies. Troopers also discovered one gram of meth and scales inside the vehicle. McCuiston and Tucker were arrested and taken to the Warrick County Jail where they are currently being held without bond. While Tucker was being processed in the jail, correctional officers discovered more baggies containing synthetic marijuana inside her bra.

Arrested and Charges:

• Gavin McCuiston, 23, Evansville, IN

1. Possession of Meth, Class 6 Felony

2. Possession of Synthetic or Look-a-like Drug, Class A Misdemeanor

3. Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Class A Misdemeanor

• Danielle Tucker, 26, Evansville, IN

1. Obstruction of Justice, Class 6 Felony

2. Failure to Identify, Class A Misdemeanor

3. Possession of Synthetic or Look-a-like Drug, Class A Misdemeanor

4. Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Class C Misdemeanor

WGH Officials Update Board On COVID Vaccine Availability

The first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine should arrive at Wabash General Hospital within the next two weeks. That according to WGH President/CEO Karissa Turner who told the hospital board Tuesday the Wabash County Health Department will be notified about two days before the vaccine is due to arrive… 

Wabash General has purchased two freezers to store the vaccine, including one ultra-cold unit to store the Pfizer vaccine. Turner said hospital employees won’t be required to take the vaccine, but she said a survey of employees indicated many would take the emergency use vaccine.  

Also on Tuesday, Chief of Staff Dr. Levi McDaniel brought the board up to date on when the vaccine might be available to the public… 

Tuesday’s board meeting was the last for McDaniel as chief of staff. Dr. Karsten Slater will assume the role in 2021. Turner and the board thanked McDaniel for his work as chief of staff this year during the pandemic.  

Getting Around Illinois provides latest winter road conditions

SPRINGFIELD – With the potential for the first major storm this winter fast approaching, the Illinois Department of Transportation is reminding the public to visit and bookmark GettingAroundIllinois.com for continually updated information on road conditions.

“Weather conditions can change quickly and whether you’re driving a short distance or several miles, Getting Around Illinois is a great resource to keep you updated on winter road conditions throughout the state,” said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “Before you travel, always ask yourself: Is this trip really necessary? The safest decision you can make during inclement weather always is to stay home.”

The Centers for Disease Control advises that travel can increase your chance of spreading and getting COVID-19, however, if travel is necessary, be sure to take these steps to protect yourself and others.

GettingAroundIllinois.com is available on your computer and optimized for smartphones. The site includes the ability to identify and zoom in to a location, travel route or destination on a state map. Road conditions are recorded by plow drivers out in the field and relayed to GettingAroundIllinois.com through a cloud-based system to provide a general overview on IDOT-maintained highways.

The road conditions map averages more than 2.5 million pageviews during snow-and-ice season, featuring a color scheme of pinks and blues to differentiate from the red, yellow and green of traffic congestion reporting as well as to increase accessibility for those who have difficulty distinguishing colors.

City Council Accepts HLR's Bid For 13th And College Drive Work

The Mt. Carmel City Council has approved an engineering agreement with HLR Engineering in Mt. Carmel for the widening and reconfiguring of the 13th and College Drive intersection. The work will accommodate the expansion at Wabash General Hospital and it’s expected the associated road work will be done next summer. The price tag for the engineering work came in at just over $12,000 as HLR was the lone bidder for the work.

City Taking Steps To Increase Security

This week’s warning of people posing as Mt. Carmel city workers and trying to gain entrance into local homes has prompted some security upgrades for city government. At Monday’s City Council meeting, City Clerk Rudy Witsman said city employees will soon be given photo ID badges for easy identification.

In addition, Mayor Joe Judge said city vehicles will soon be rebranded with the new city logo and other identifying markings. Currently, police squad cars are the only city vehicles that are marked.

Witsman said the incidents have brought home a simple reminder… 

Witsman said if someone says they’re a city employee, call city hall or the police department to confirm their identity.