Road closure planned for State Road 64 in Gibson County

GIBSON COUNTY Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation announces a road closure for State Road 64 in Gibson County.

Beginning on or around Monday, August 25, crews will close State Road 64 near Francisco. This closure will occur one mile west of Francsico.

This road closure will allow for a deep patching roadway repair project. Work is expected to take a week to complete, depending on the weather.

The official detour for this project is I-69 to State Road 168 to U.S. 41. Local traffic will have access up to the point of closure.

Update On Mt. Carmel Water Situation

From City Clerk Ryan Turner:

Here is the morning statement regarding the water issues and the upcoming work over the next couple of days.

 

Current Boil Orders:        Cherry Street from 6th Street to 9th Street

                                                East 8th from Mulberry to Pear

 

Currently, we are working on six service line leaks that are expected to be finished today. This will only affect individual houses.

 Tomorrow, August 14th, at 6:30 pm, the City will experience a City-Wide water outage. The water plant will be shut down until this issue is resolved. This could last several hours and may extend into the early morning hours. Once the plant is shut down, no water will be delivered to homes.

 Once the water is back online, there will be a boil order in place until the Illinois EPA lifts it. This could be 2-3 days before the boil order is lifted. There could also be discoloration of water when the water is turned back on. Be aware of this as you do laundry.

 Shutting the plant down was a last resort. We have contacted advisors and engineers on this project in hopes we could avoid this situation, but unfortunately, the last resort is the only option we have left. We chose this time to limit the impact on our community. We have contacted local leaders to let them know of our plans. Please plan accordingly.

Gibson County Law Enforcement to increase impaired driving enforcement ahead of Labor Day

As summer winds down, the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office as well as other Gibson County Law Enforcement agencies are partnering with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) to prevent impaired driving and save lives. From August 16 through August 30, officers will increase patrols and conduct sobriety checkpoints as part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over national enforcement campaign, led by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Our top priority is keeping our roads and our community safe,” said Sheriff Bruce Vanoven. “The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is an awareness effort to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal and it kills. Let’s make this a partnership between law enforcement and drivers: Help us protect the community and put an end to this dangerous behavior.”

In 2024, nearly 14% of all traffic fatalities in Indiana involved alcohol, while more than 35% of all traffic fatalities involved drug impairment, according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). “If you are impaired, whether from alcohol, drugs, or even medication, you should not be behind the wheel,” said Douglas Huntsinger, executive director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. “As we head into the final stretch of summer, we’re urging Hoosiers to make the responsible choice and plan ahead for a safe, sober ride.” Drivers are encouraged to make transportation plans before consuming alcohol. Impaired judgment can lead to dangerous and even deadly decisions. Drivers should secure a designated sober driver or call a taxi or rideshare for a sober ride home. If a driver finds they are unable to drive, they should give their keys to a sober driver so that person can get them home safely. When a friend has been drinking and is considering driving, friends should be proactive. Take away the keys and help them get a sober ride home. If you see a suspected drunk driver on the road, safely pull over and contact local law enforcement. For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving

Appellate Court Deny Isham's Appeal

The predatory criminal sexual assault conviction of a Mt. Carmel man has been affirmed by the 5th District Appellate Court in Mt. Vernon. 35 year old Jeffrey Isham was sentenced to 45 years in prison after a Wabash County Jury found him guilty of the Class X felony in December of 2022.

Isham was charged in September of 2019 for an incident with a then 11 year old family member who testified Isham dragged her by the hair into a bathroom where the assault took place at Isham’s Keensburg home. The jury deliberated just 90 minutes before returning their guilty verdict on December 8th of 2021.  

Isham appealed his conviction arguing the evidence presented at trial did not prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, his 45 year prison sentence was excessive; he received ineffective legal counsel; and errors were made during jury selection.

But, on a 2-1 decision handed down last Monday, the appellate court rejected Isham’s claims and affirmed the conviction and 45 year prison term.

Illinois DOC Photo

Warrant service nets two arrests

On August 10, 2025, at 6:47 p.m. Gibson County law enforcement officers went to a residence in the 9600 block of West State Road 165 to serve arrest warrants out of Vanderburgh County on 47-year-old Sean Enyeart and 62-year-old Kevin Hunter both of the rural Owensville area.  Upon arriving on scene Deputy Eric Powell knocked on the door and recognized Mr. Enyeart as he came to the door.  Mr. Enyeart was asked to step outside and refused.  At that point Deputies made entry and placed Mr. Enyeart and Mr. Hunter into custody.  Both individuals were transported to the Gibson County Detention Center where they were charged with resisting law enforcement.  Mr. Hunter is being held on a Felony Theft warrant through Vanderburgh County.  Mr. Enyeart is also being held on Failure To Appear Warrants for Drug Paraphernalia and False Informing Charges out of Vanderburgh County.
 
Arresting Officer Eric Powell and Wes Baumgart were assisted in their investigation by Owensville Town Marshal Rodger Leister and Sgt. Loren Barchett and Wyatt Hunt of the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office. 
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

City Council Considering Surcharge For Mailed Water Bills

The city of Mt. Carmel is looking into the possibility of adding a surcharge to bills that are mailed to water customers. At Monday’s City Council meeting, city clerk Ryan Turner said presently the city emails 1,093 water bills on a monthly basis. Of the 1,093 bills, the city also mails 893 hard copies of the bills to those same people. Turner said the city is facing increasing costs and unreliability from the postal service along with the expense of having the bill cards printed, and the time it takes workers to mail them. In total, Turner said the city mails 2,800 water bills a month. The council took Turner’s information under advisement and may make a decision on the issue at a later date.

Warrant service nets three in Patoka

On August 5, 2025, at 12:55 a.m. law enforcement from the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office and Princeton Police Department went to the M&M Trailer Court located at 200 South Main Street in Patoka to serve a Failure to Return to Lawful Detention Warrant on 25-year-old Colton Linxwiler.  Upon arriving at the residence Deputy Eric Powell detected the odor of burnt Marijuana coming from inside the residence while speaking with 52-year-old Jason Thomas of Patoka.  During a sweep of the residence for Mr. Linxwiler, he attempted to flee out of the back of the residence where he was quickly taken into custody.  Once Mr. Linxwiler was in custody, Deputy Powell conducted a drug investigation where Mr. Thomas and 41-year-old Josie Lewis, also of Patoka, were taken into custody.  All three individuals were transported to the Gibson County Detention Center where they were booked in on multiple charges.
 
Colton Linxwiler was charged with Failure to Return to Lawful Detention and Resisting Law Enforcement. 
 
Jason Thomas was charged with Possession of Methamphetamines, Possession of Cocaine, and Possession of Paraphernalia
 
Josie Lewis was charged with Possession of Methamphetamines, Possession of Cocaine, and Possession of Paraphernalia. 
 
Deputies Michael Bates, Wes Baumgart, Wyatt Hunt, and Sgt. Loren Barchett assisted Deputy Powell in his investigation.  Princeton Officers Matt Perry and Jackie Woods also assisted in this investigation. 
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law