East Mt. Carmel Man Arrested Following Chase Through Wabash & Gibson Counties

Thursday night at approximately 11:30 pm, Mt. Carmel Police attempted to stop an orange vehicle for multiple traffic violations on Walnut Street. The vehicle failed to stop and continued into Indiana on Highway 64.

Gibson County authorities were notified while the officer, with the assistance of a Wabash County Deputy, continued to pursue. The suspect driver primarily drove on the secondary roads in the East Mt. Carmel, Lyle Station and the Patoka area while still failing to stop. Gibson County authorities took over the pursuit and were able to deploy stop sticks to stop the vehicle in the Patoka area.

The driver was found to be Michael I. Perkins, age 52, currently of East Mt. Carmel, to be the driver. Perkins was taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail.

Mt. Carmel Police will seek an arrest warrant for Perkins for Aggravated Fleeing and Attempting to Elude and Driving While License Revoked as well as other potential charges.

In May 2022, Perkins pled guilty to Delivery of Methamphetamine in Wabash County from a 2020 case and was placed into the Wabash County Drug Court program.

MCPD Chief Mike McWilliams said, “The Mt. Carmel Police sincerely thank all Gibson County law enforcement agencies that assisted along with the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office. Due to the mutual teamwork on this incident, we were able to reach a safe conclusion while keeping the public safe”.

Southern Illinois Man Killed In Marion County Crash

ILLINOIS STATE POLICE TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT 

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by

Illinois State Police District 12 

WHAT:                      Two Vehicle Fatal Traffic Crash       

  

WHERE:                   Illinois Route 37 at Sassafras Road, Marion County

 

WHEN:                      June 23, 2022 at approximately 9:51 a.m.

  

VEHICLES:              Unit 1 – 2005 Red Dodge Truck

 

Unit 2 – 2017 Black Ford Truck

 

DRIVERS:                 Unit 1 – Jessie P. Scott, 43-year-old male from Valier, IL - Deceased

 

                                    Unit 2 – Ryne M. Smith, 32-year-old male from Centralia, IL – Transported to a regional hospital with life-threatening injuries.

PRELIMINARY:      A preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling northbound on Illinois Route 37 at Sassafras Road.  Unit 2 was traveling southbound at the same location. For unknown reasons, Unit 1 lost control, entered the southbound lane, and struck the front of Unit 2. The driver of Unit 1 was pronounced deceased on scene by the Marion County Coroner.  The driver of Unit 2 was transported to a regional hospital with life-threatening injuries. Both lanes of Illinois Route 37 were closed for the crash investigation and reopened at approximately 1:35 p.m. No further information is available at this time. 

Bailey Campaign Stops In Mt. Carmel

Minus the candidate himself, Darren Bailey’s 102 counties in 14 days campaign rolled into Mt. Carmel yesterday for a brief rally at Wabash Valley College. Lieutenant Governor Stephanie Trussell spoke to supporters rallying voters ahead of Tuesday’s primary. Recent polls have shown Bailey with as much as a 15 point lead over Richard Irvin for the Republican gubernatorial nomination to face democrat JB Pritzker in the November election. Trussell said their campaign’s lead is thanks to supporters like those that showed up in sweltering heat yesterday afternoon….

 Trussell said Bailey was in Chicago for the final candidate debate .

The primary election is Tuesday in Illinois as polls will be open from 6am to 7pm. The Wabash County Clerk’s office will be open tomorrow from 9 to noon to accommodate early voters. 

Indiana State Police Investigating Officer-Involved Shooting Incident

Lynnville- Indiana State Police Detectives has begun an investigation into the death of a Chandler, Indiana man after a multiple-day fugitive search. 

The situation initially began on the evening of Tuesday, June 21, 2022, when Warrick County Deputies began a vehicle pursuit of a suspect who had active warrants for his arrest. During the pursuit, Deputies reported that the suspect fired rounds from a handgun, exited the vehicle, and then fled on foot through a wooded area. Over the next few days, law enforcement officers from multiple agencies and the Indiana State Police Aviation Section began diligently searching the area attempting to locate the suspect who was then believed to be north of Lynnville.

On Thursday, June 23, 2022, Officers from the US Marshal's Multi-Agency Taskforce located the subject near the Lynnville area and an exchange of gunfire occurred before the suspect retreated into a nearby barn. All efforts to communicate with him were unsuccessful and the Indiana State Police SWAT found the suspect to be unresponsive. Officers secured the scene and provided medical care until EMS arrived. Warrick EMS discovered that the suspect succumbed to his injuries. The Warrick County Coroner's Office was called to the scene. No officers were injured during the exchange of gunfire. 

This investigation is ongoing. After the completion of their findings, the case will be presented to the Warrick County Prosecutor’s Office for review. 

This is all the information that will be currently released and there is no timeframe to provide further information. All crimes mentioned are alleged and all suspects are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Removal of bridge to close Illinois 1 in Mount Carmel beginning June 30

EFFINGHAM – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that Illinois 1 between 11th and 12th streets in Mount Carmel will close for the removal of the bridge over an abandoned railroad on Thursday, June 30.

The existing bridge has concluded its life cycle. Rather than building a new bridge, it is more cost-efficient to replace the existing bridge with a road. Benefits include a long-term cost savings and less time for Illinois 1 to be closed. A detour will be posted utilizing North Market Street/College Drive and 1550th Boulevard. Work is expected to be complete by mid-August.

Only local traffic will be permitted on Illinois 1 between North Market Street and 1550th Boulevard during the road closure. Motorists are encouraged to follow the posted detour and should allow for extra travel time. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,500 miles of highway and 9 million square feet of bridge deck as part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Two included approximately $5.2 billion of improvements statewide on 3,020 miles of highway, 270 bridges and 428 additional safety improvements.

Mt. Carmel Man Arrested For Allegedly Strangling His Girlfriend

On 6/23/22, Mt. Carmel Police arrested David M. Dudley, age 38, of Mt. Carmel, on a Wabash County Warrant for Aggravated Domestic Battery. On 6/15/22, MCPD investigated a domestic violence complaint regarding Dudley battered and strangled his girlfriend while at his residence in the 300 block of W 2nd Street. Police found evidence into this claim and attempted to arrest Dudley; however, Dudley was unable to be located. States Attorney Kelli Stockman reviewed the incident and requested an arrest warrant which was later granted on 6/22/22 in Wabash Circuit Court. This morning, an MCPD officer located Dudley at 2nd & Walnut, placed him into custody, and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he issued the warrant and held on a $3000 cash bond.

County Looking To Cover Increased Fuel Costs

The Wabash County Board of Commissioners may use ARPA funds to help off-set sky-high fuel prices that are wrecking the sheriff’s department and highway department budgets. At Tuesday’s county board meeting, chairman Tim Hocking said he will come up with an amount to transfer from American Rescue Plan funds to the department’s fuel budgets. Because of the number of hours driven and hours equipment is used, the sheriff’s and highway department are impacted the most by the unprecedented fuel prices. Commissioner Rob Dean suggested the county should seek bids on the county’s fuel needs. Commissioners will gather more information before any decisions are made. No numbers were offered at the meeting as to what extent the two departments have been negatively impacted by the inflated prices.