Troopers in Pike County Keep Busy Overnight with Four Arrests

Pike County: Last night and early this morning, Indiana State Police arrested three motorists for driving while intoxicated and one female for public intoxication.

Friday night, September 5, at approximately 9:01 p.m., Trooper Jack Fischer stopped a vehicle on North CR 200 E near Petersburg for not having taillights. The driver was identified as Cathi Myers, 75, of Petersburg. The driver displayed signs of impairment and failed field sobriety tests. Myers was arrested for driving while intoxicated with a prior conviction, a Level 6 Felony. She was taken to the Pike County Jail.

Friday night, September 5, at approximately 9:02 p.m., Trooper Sturm was dispatched to the area of I-69 between the 50-54 mile-marker reference to a female walking into traffic. Moments later, Trooper Sturm located Madison Wilder, 25, of Evansville. She was extremely intoxicated. Wilder was arrested for public intoxication, a Class B Misdemeanor and taken to the Pike County Jail.

Friday night, September 5, at approximately 11:50 p.m., Trooper Sturm stopped the driver of a 2017 Polaris side by side on CR 400 South for speeding. The driver was identified as Timothy Moore, 39, of Winslow. Moore displayed signs of impairment and failed field sobriety tests. Moore was arrested for driving while intoxicated, a Class C Misdemeanor and taken to the Pike County Jail.

Saturday morning, September 6, at approximately 2:12 a.m., Trooper Gage Cummings stopped Joshua Miller, 45, of Carmi, IL, for driving 88 mph on I-69 near the 47 mile-marker. Trooper Cummings detected the odor of burnt cannabis inside the vehicle. Miller displayed signs of impairment and failed field sobriety tests.  Miller was arrested for driving while intoxicated, a Class C Misdemeanor

Kumala Graduates Academy

Wabash County Deputy Michael Kumala graduated from the Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy Friday..

The SWIC Police academy is a 16 week course where recruits are trained in various aspects of policing. Session 156 graduated over 70 officers and deputies Friday.

Deputy Kumala first served the Sheriffs Office as a Corrections Officer and later moved to Court Security.

Deputy Kumala will now enter field training and fill the void on patrol.

The SWIC Police Academy is located in Belleville Illinois.

Pictured: Jail Administrator/Special Deputy James Sullivan, Deputy Kumala and Sheriff J. Derek Morgan.

(Photo provided by MCPD Officer S. Pearson-VanWormer)

County Commissioners Set Salaries For Office Holders

The Wabash County Commissioners have voted to increase the pay for four county office holders while keeping their own pay the same. At their meeting Tuesday, commissioners set the salaries for county clerk, treasurer, circuit clerk, and assessor at $52,500 for the 2026-27, and 2027-28 fiscal years. The salaries will increase to $55,000 a year for the 2028-29 and 2029-2030 fiscal years. The salaries for county commissioners will remain at $650 a month. The salaries for state’s attorney and sheriff are set by the state and are not under control of the county board.

Owensville woman arrested for DUI

On September 4, 2025, at 10:55 p.m. Gibson County Deputy Wyatt Hunt conducted a traffic stop on a White 2016 Nissan Rogue for a moving violation that he observed while traveling on State Road 168 near County Road 175 East.  Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Hunt detected the odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle.  At that point he began a roadside DUI investigation.  Once the inquiry was concluded Deputy Hunt placed the driver 33-year-old Christina Tanner of Owensville into custody and transported her to the Gibson County Detention Center.  Upon arriving at the detention center Ms. Tanner was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated and Neglect of a Dependent.    
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Oakland City woman arrested on multiple charges

On September 3, 2025, at approximately 6:44 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report of a person being struck by a White Cadillac at a residence in the 6600 block of South State Road 57.  The reporting party advised that the vehicle then drove away at a high rate of speed.  Multiple law enforcement Officers were dispatched to the area, and upon arriving Deputy Wes Baumgart spoke with the person who had been struck by the vehicle, and they were able to give the name of the person driving and information about where to find the person.  After gathering statements from witnesses on scene Deputy Baumgart located the vehicle, a White 2002 Cadillac passenger car in the Lighthouse Christian Church parking lot.  Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Baumgart identified the driver as the suspect, 55-year-old Stephanie Scott of rural Oakland City.  At that point Deputy Baumgart continued his investigation into the incident.  At the finish of his inquiry, he placed Ms. Scott into custody and transported her to the Gibson County Detention Center.  Upon arriving at the detention center Ms. Scott was charged with Battery With a Deadly Weapon, Possession of Marijuana, Criminal Recklessness With a Deadly Weapon, and Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated.   
 
Sgt. Loren Barchett and Eric Powell of the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office assisted Deputy Baumgart in his investigation.  Oakland City Officer Mike McGregor also assisted in this investigation. 

The person who was struck was not seriously injured.
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WGH Construction Projects Winding Down

For the last several years, there’s been an almost constant stream of construction projects at Wabash General Hospital. But that work is beginning to slow according to Doug McPherson, who is chairman of the hospital board’s construction and building committee..

Wabash General President/CEO Karissa Turner told the board that the new Olney clinic is off to a strong start with roughly 50% of the available appointments already booked there.

Jobless Rate Ticks Up Locally In July; But Still Lowest In So. Illinois

Wabash County’s unemployment rate edged up in July but is still tied for the lowest in southern Illinois. The Illinois Department of Employment Security reports that the July jobless rate in Wabash County stood at an even 4%, up 7-tenths of a percentage point from the 3.3% mark recorded in June. But despite the increase, the unemployment rate in Wabash County last month was still lower than the 4.6% figure in July of 2024.

The IDES reports that in the Mt. Carmel-Olney area, total nonfarm payrolls decreased by 175 jobs last month, compared to July 2024.

Employment gains were posted in Private Education-Health Services and Government. Year-over-year, payroll totals were unchanged among employers in Information, Natural Resources-Mining, Other Services and Professional-Business Services. Payroll job losses occurred among employers in the Leisure-Hospitality, Trade-Transportation-Utilities, Construction, Financial Activities and Manufacturing sectors. Wabash County’s jobless rate last month was tied with Richland County for the lowest in southern Illinois. The highest rate in the southern part of the state was in Alexander County at 7.3%.

City Council Clears Way For Local Company To Relocate

SOUTHGATE INDUSTRIAL PARK WAS SUB-DIVIDED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF MT. CARMEL CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY. THE COUNCIL THEN APPROVED PURCHASE OF THE EAR-MARKED 1.5 ACRES OF PROPERTY TO TONY DELGADO , OWNER OF T.L.D. ELECTRIC. DELGADO BOUGHT THE PROPERTY FOR 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS AND PLANS TO MOVE HIS BUSINESS THERE BY MARCH OF 2026. CITY COUNCIL, IN VOTING FOR THE MEASURES, ALSO NOTED BENEFITS OF IMPROVED SEMI PARKING AT SOUTHGATE. SOME 14 SEMIS ARE PARKED THERE NOW, SCATTERED THOUGHOUT THE INDUSTRIAL PARK.