On October 16, 2024, at 6:01 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch was notified that64 year old Chet McCandless had come to the Oakland City Police Department to report a battery that had just occurred in the 6600 block of South State Road 57 near Somerville, Indiana. Oakland City Officer Michael McGregor and Mr. McCandless returned to the residence where Deputies with the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the incident. During the investigation officers on scene took statements and documented the scene. At the end of their investigation Deputy Bart Wagner placed Mr. McCandless and 54 year old Stephanie Scott into custody due to the complex nature of the incident and ultimately transported them to the Gibson County Jail where they were charged with Domestic Battery.
Assisting Deputy Wagner in his investigation was Oakland City Police Officer Michael McGregor, and Deputies Quinten Might and James Tucker.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wabash District #348 School Board Agenda
WABASH CUSD #348 BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
MT. CARMEL GRADE SCHOOL CAFETORIUM
Monday, October 21, 2024 Regular Board Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Regular Board Meeting Agenda
1. Call to Order/Roll Call
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Consent Agenda
a. Board Minutes
i. September 16, 2024 Budget Hearing and Regular Meeting
b. Monthly bills
c. Financial Reports
d. Correspondence
e. Administrative Reports
4. Reports
a. MCJSHS Assistant Principal Logan Crum and MCGS Assistant Principal Kevin Kling
5. Superintendent’s Comments
6. Public Comments
7. Executive Session pursuant to Section 2(c)(1) of the Open Meetings Act: “The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, and dismissal of specific employees’’
8. New Business
a. Employment of Personnel
9. Adjournment
Wabash County Board Of Commissioners Agenda
October 21, 2024
4:30pm
Wabash County Courthouse
AGENDA
1) Call to order:
2) Approve minutes of previous meeting:
3) Commissioner’s reports:
4) Officer’s reports:
5) Old Business:
a. ARPA Ordinance.
b. Construction of County Highway Building.
c. HVAC update in the Courthouse.
6) New Business:
a. Approve Special Use for Liquor License.
b. Review FY 2025 Probation Expenses Projections.
c. Reappoint Robert Cusick to the Housing Authority Board.
d. Wind Ordinance.
7) Executive Session:
a. Personnel
8) Correspondence:
9) Approval for payment of claims presented:
10) Adjournment:
Allendale Book Fair Winners
The book fair last week was amazing. Thank you Mychelle Blythe for all of your hard work. We also had a coloring contest. Congratulations to all of the winners. Kindergarten- Kathryn Moore 1st grade- Benjamin Keepes 2nd grade- Millie Spore 3rd grade- Avianna Hipsher 4th grade- Madisyn Weiss 5th grade- Henry Buchanan 6th grade- Ava Jones 7th grade- Elly Hayes 8th grade- Jaxon Morris
State's Attorney Statement On Officer Involved Shooting
From Wabash County State’s Attorney Kelli Storckman:
As your Wabash County State’s Attorney I want to express my deepest sympathies to those involved in the tragic October 10, 2024 officer-involved shooting as well as update the public on the status of the investigation.
As has been previously announced, the Illinois State Police were immediately contacted to investigate the events of October 10th . My office is working with the ISP as they continue this investigation, which remains ongoing. While substantial work has been done, additional investigative tasks remain. I do not know precisely when the investigation will be concluded, but I know that the investigators are working diligently and have made this a top priority.
Once it is complete, the investigative materials will be provided to my office for review. I would like the public to know there will be complete transparency regarding this investigation. I intend to timely release body camera footage and related information so that the community can be fully informed. Finally, I would like to thank the public for their patience and assure everyone that answers are forthcoming.
Oakland City man arrested for strangulation
On October 17, 2024, at 8:38 a.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report of a disturbance in the 12000 block E Harrison Street in Oakland City. Deputy James Tucker and Oakland City Police Officer John Pace arrived in the area and began an investigation into the incident. After speaking with all parties involved in the incident Deputy Tucker placed 42 year old Ryan Logston of Oakland City into custody and transported him to the Gibson County Jail. Upon arriving at the jail Mr. Logston was charged with Battery and Strangulation.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury Acquits Mt. Carmel Man On All Counts
30 year old Jordan Evans is a free man after a Wabash County Jury on Wednesday found him not guilty of three felony counts related to an alleged altercation with an Illinois State Police trooper last year.
Evans faced a Class 2 felony charge of aggravated intimidation, a Class 4 felony charge of aggravated assault; and a Class X charge of armed violence, which carried a possible prison term of 6 to 30 years.
During the one day trial, Trooper Adrian Meyer was state’s attorney Kelli Storckman’s first witness. He testified that on November 5th of last year, he was at the Wash ‘n Go Car Wash on West 9th Street when Evans approached him and threatened and intimidated him verbally and aggressively displayed a hatchet Evans had attached to his pants. Meyer said he and Evans are both from Lawrence County originally and knew each other casually from their school days.
Evans testified this afternoon he was friends in school with Meyer’s wife and had simply approached Meyer at the car wash hoping to say hello to his wife. Evans said Meyer’s testimony was wrong in the fact he didn’t have a hatchet attached to his pants and instead had it laying in his car from a planned hiking trip. He claimed he never threatened Meyer in any way.
In addition to Meyer and Evans, the only other witnesses to testify today were former Mt. Carmel Police officer Daniel Hopper, and 911 dispatcher Mary Sweppy.
The jury began their deliberations just before 3:30pm and returned the verdict in about 30 minutes.
Evans was represented by public defender Bill Easton….
Evans had been held in the Wabash County Jail awaiting trial and following the not guilty verdicts, Judge Denton Aud ordered he immediately be released from custody.
In a separate case, Evans still faces felony charges of threatening a public official and calling a false alarm or complaint to 911 along with a misdemeanor assault charge. A pretrial conference on those charges was set for November 25th.
Jury Seated In Trial Of Mt. Carmel Man
Opening statements will be heard Wednesday morning in the trial of 30 year old Jordan Evans in Wabash County Circuit Court. Evans is the Mt. Carmel man who was arrested last November for aggravated intimidation and armed violence following an incident at the 9th and Oak Street car wash. Police were called to that location when an off-duty Illinois State Trooper, who was attempting to clean their squad vehicle, requested assistance due to Evans approaching them while armed with a hatchet. Evans allegedly threatened the trooper and made concerning comments about their family before leaving the scene in his vehicle. Officers from the Mt. Carmel Police Department and a deputy from the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office located Evans parked at his residence while seated in the driver’s seat. Evans was taken into custody without incident. Officers located a hatchet in the front passenger seat as well as a box cutter in his pants pocket.
A jury was seated this morning with opening statements from state’s attorney Kelli Storckman and public defender Bill Easton. The trial is expected to last just one day.
