Still Several More Weeks Left In Storm Cleanup

On the topic of brush and storm debris, Mt. Carmel Mayor Joe Judge took time at Monday’s City Council meeting to update the community on the clean up efforts from the July 1st storm. He said it will still be several weeks before public works crews get back to a normal brush pickup schedule…

Public works director Mike Gidcumb said close to 1,000 truck loads of brush and trees from the storm have been hauled to burn site on Golden Aces Way. To further complicate the situation, Gidcumb said the city’s brush chipper is out of service due to a parts issue. He hopes it is back in service by the end of this week.

City Adjusts Brush Harbor Hours

It’ll soon be more convenient for Mt. Carmel residents to dispose of their brush at the city’s brush harbor. The city council Monday adjust the hours of the brush harbor from 7:30 to 3:30 on Monday’s and Friday’s to 9 to 5pm those two days starting August 7th. Saturday hours of 9 to noon will remain the same. Officials said the change will make it easier for residents to take their brush to the brush harbor when they get off work.

Multi-State Investigation Leads to the Arrest of Two Individuals for Possession of Child Pornography

Daviess County - On June 26th, 2023, Detective Sergeant Brock Werne was contacted by the Odon Town Marshal and was given information on a Matthew Taylor that was possibly in possession of child pornography. Detective Sgt. Werne began his investigation and received enough information for a search warrant through the Daviess County Prosecutor’s Office. Detective Sergeant Werne, Trooper Chase Snider, and Trooper Jon Villanueva executed the search warrant on Mr. Taylor’s residence and arrested Matthew Taylor of Montgomery for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia as well as seized electronics from Mr. Taylor’s residence. After searching those electronics, Taylor was arrested for Possession of Child Pornography. During that investigation, Detective Sergeant Werne found evidence that a subject in Missouri was trading child pornography with Taylor.

Investigators with the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control/Digital Forensics Investigations Unit were contacted by Detective Sergeant Werne, regarding a child pornography investigation involving Stephen Earl Raymond Marez, of Farmington, Missouri. On Tuesday, July 13, 2023, Missouri State Highway Patrol Troopers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Marez, for a traffic violation. During this traffic stop, officers questioned Marez and seized his cellular telephone. Based on information provided by Indiana State Police, investigators executed a search warrant for that cellular telephone and discovered video files of child pornography. On July 19, 2023, Marez was formally charged by the St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney.

Arrested in Indiana and Charges-

  • Matthew Taylor, 24, Montgomery, IN

Possession of Child Pornography – Level 5 Felony

Possession of Methamphetamine – Level 6 Felony

Possession of Marijuana – Class B Misdemeanor

Possession of Paraphernalia – Class C Misdemeanor

Arresting Officer – Trooper Chase Snider

Assisting Officers – Detective Sergeant Brock Werne and Trooper Jonathan Villanueva

Matthew Taylor, 24, Montgomery, IN

Arrested in Missouri and Charges-

Stephen Earl Raymond Marez, 31, Farmington, MO

Possession of Child Pornography – Class B Felony (3 Counts)

Promoting Child Pornography – Class B Felony

Arresting Officer – Corporal Dustin Reed Missouri State Highway Patrol

ISP Investigating an Officer-Involved Shooting in Terre Haute

Vigo County - Detectives from the Indiana State Police Putnamville Post have been requested by Vigo County Prosecutor Terry Modesitt to investigate an officer-involved shooting incident that took place on July 25, 2023, at approximately 9:00 a.m., at 1309 Fruitridge Avenue in Terre Haute.

At approximately 7:00 a.m., officers of the Terre Haute Police Department were dispatched to 1309 Fruitridge Avenue in reference to a male suspect in a storage building making verbal threats and pointing a firearm at employees.  Upon locating the suspect in a storage building and seeing that the suspect did have a handgun, officers from the Terre Haute Police Department began giving loud verbal commands for the suspect to put down the weapon and exit the building.  The suspect did not comply, and a perimeter was then established around the storage building.  

The Terre Haute Police Department Special Response Team and negotiators were then requested to make the scene.  Negotiators attempted to make contact with the suspect for approximately two hours to no avail. Unexpectedly, the suspect then exited the building on the south side and engaged uniformed officers by pointing a firearm towards them.  Two officers gave verbal commands for the suspect to drop the firearm, but the commands were disregarded. Both officers then fired their police-issued weapons at the subject, resulting in the subject being shot.

Medical assistance was immediately rendered at the scene and the suspect was subsequently transported to a local hospital in Terre Haute.  However, the suspect, who has not yet been positively identified, succumbed to the injuries. An autopsy has been scheduled by the Vigo County Coroner’s Office.

The two officers from the Terre Haute Police Department involved in this incident have been placed on administrative leave, which is customary in officer-involved shootings.  

The investigation is being conducted by Indiana State Police detectives, Don Curtis, Jason Schoffstall, Ryan Winters with the assistance of First Sergeant Brian Maudlin, Sergeant Michael Featherling, CSI Sergeant Brandon Mullen, CSI Sergeant Tim Rader, and Sergeant Michael Organ of the Putnamville State Police Post.

This is an active and ongoing Indiana State Police investigation.  There is no further information to release at this time.  Upon completion of their investigation, Indiana State Police detectives will submit a full report of the incident to the Vigo County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

Mt. Carmel Man Picked Up On Indiana Warrant

On 7/21/23, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Bruce A. Smith, age 38, of Mt. Carmel on a Spencer County Indiana Warrant.  The arresting officer stopped Smith operating a maroon GMC truck pulling a trailer with no working lights or registration in the 1200 block of Chestnut Street.  The driver, found to be Bruce Smith, was found to have a suspended driver’s license, no insurance and a valid warrant out of Spencer County.  Smith was taken into custody and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was issued the above citations and held pending extradition back to Spencer County. 

Mt. Carmel Man Arrested For Allegedly Shoplifting At Dollar General

On 7/24/23, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Jason M. Blair, age 38, of Mt. Carmel for Retail Theft following a theft complaint from Dollar General.  Employees alleged that Blair failed to scan all items he left the store with while paying at the self-checkout during two different occasions on this date.  After reviewing store video footage, police allowed Dollar General staff to sign a complaint against Blair.  Blair was later located and placed under arrest.  Blair was transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was processed and later released on a Notice to Appear.

Lane restrictions planned for roadwork in Owensville

GIBSON COUNTY, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation announces lane restrictions for State Road 65, State Road 165, and State Road 168 in Owensville.


Beginning on or around Monday, July 31, crews will begin a project to collect soil and pavement samples from three separate roads in Owensville. This project will collect samples from State Road 65, State Road 165, and State Road 168. This work will restrict traffic to one lane. Traffic flow will be handled by a flagger.


All three projects are expected to last through mid-August. All work is dependent on the weather. INDOT urges drivers to slow down and stay alert near crews.

Lane restrictions planned for State Road 57

VANDERBURGH COUNTY, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation announces lane restrictions for State Road 57 in Evansville.

Beginning on or around Thursday, July 27, crews will begin to restrict State Road 57 in Evansville near the Evansville Regional Airport. Traffic will be restricted down to one lane during this project. Traffic will be directed utilizing a temporary traffic light. A 10-foot width restriction will also be in place.

These restrictions will allow for concrete patching and joint repair to the roadway. This project is expected to last through the end of August, depending on the weather.

Crash On US 41 Kills Knox County Man After Car Hit By Stolen Truck

Knox County – On Friday afternoon, July 21, at approximately 3:21 p.m., Indiana State Police responded to US 41 at Old US 41 in Oaktown to investigate a crash that occurred during a police pursuit. Sullivan County Sheriff’s Deputies received information that a stolen 1997 Dodge Dakota from Vigo County was traveling south on US 41. Deputies responded to the area and spotted the vehicle. Deputies attempted to stop the truck, but the driver refused to stop and continued traveling south on US 41eventually entering Knox County where the driver collided into another vehicle, ending the pursuit.

Preliminary crash investigation revealed all three juvenile passengers in the alleged stolen vehicle were reported missing from Vigo and Owen Counties. A 16-year-old Terre Haute male was driving the 1997 Dodge Dakota south on US 41and approaching Old US 41 at Oaktown.  As the driver was approaching the intersection, he entered the right turn lane and attempted to turn right onto Old US 41. The vehicle was traveling too fast to negotiate the right turn and collided into the driver’s side of a 2006 Chevrolet Impala that was stopped at the stop sign on Old US 41 at US 41.  The driver of the Chevrolet Impala was identified as Jimmy Mayall, 88, of Oaktown.  Mayall was airlifted to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he later died from his injuries.  The driver of the Dodge Dakota was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for minor injuries and later transported to Southwest Indiana Regional Youth Village in Vincennes. A 16-year-old Poland female was also taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes for minor injuries and later transported to Southwest Indiana Regional Youth Village.  A third passenger, a 15-year-old male from Terre Haute, was airlifted to Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville. His current condition is unknown.

This is an on-going investigation. Criminal charges are pending