The Vanderburgh County Redevelopment Commission will hold a meeting on Thursday, February 21, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. in Room 307 of the Civic Center Complex at 1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in Evansville, Indiana.
5 Injured at Shooting at Sidetrack Tavern; Evansville Police Investigating
5 Injured at Shooting at Sidetrack Tavern; Evansville Police Investigating
FEBRUARY 17TH, 2019 
AMANDA PORTER INDIANA
Six to seven shots fired were reported at the front entrance of Sidetrack Tavern on East Illinois Street in Evansville early Sunday Morning. Evansville Police Officer Ward responded to the scene and says he saw a person later identified as John Perteet near a maroon 2002 GMC Envoy with an Indiana plate that was stopped in the street facing west. In the Affidavit of Probable Cause Evansville Police say when Perteet saw Officer Ward, he immediately began walking to the car and entered the back driver’s side seat. Evansville police say Officer Ward then saw Howard Phipps with “blood on his person†prior to him approaching the back driver’s side door, where Perteet was located, beating on the car. Police say Phipps was later transported to Deaconess Midtown for a gunshot wound in his leg.
The Affidavit also says Officer Ward also identified Robert Owens as being the front passenger in the car, and Terry Eaulm later identified as the driver. EPD says Officer Ward gave verbal commands to stop with his service weapon drawn, but police say they refused and fled west on Illinois St.
A vehicle pursuit started when Evansville police tried to perform a traffic stop. Officers say they saw the car near Garvin St. and Franklin St., and says the car continued south on Heidelbach Avenue before stopping voluntarily at the intersection of SE 10th St near Cherry St. Officers later found a Glock 40 caliber handgun along the route the car took prior to stopping after the pursuit. 40 caliber shell casings and blood were found by officers in the street near Sidetrack Tavern.
Police say five victims were taken to Deaconess Midtown with gunshot wounds from the shooting. One woman was shot once in the leg. She told police she didn’t see a shooter, but heard gunshots and was struck twice. One man reportedly arrived at the hospital with wounds to his back, buttocks, and leg. That man told police he had his back to the shooter and didn’t see anything. Another woman’s thigh was grazed from a bullet. That woman was able to take a picture of the license plate area of the suspect car before it left the scene. A third woman suffered a gunshot graze wound to her neck, wrist, and leg, but told police she didn’t see the incident.
Terry Eaulm, Robert Owens, and John Perteet were taken to police headquarters and interviewed after police recovered video of the incident from Sidetrack Tavern’s security system. Police say the video shows a man identified as John Perteet outside a car firing numerous rounds toward a large crowd of people and cars. Police say the video shows Perteet then entering the driver’s side before Officer Ward trying to stop them. The video also reportedly shows a man identified by EPD as Robert Owens eventually entering the front passenger’s seat before fleeing the scene in the car. Police say Owens account of the incident matches the video, but Owen’s denies seeing Perteet firing a gun. Police say Owens is in the back of the car when the firing begins. Terry Eaulm’s account of the incident also matches the video, but police say he too denies seeing Pettet fire a weapon. Eaulm and Perteet were taken to the Vanderburgh County Jail for various charges.
Perteet has a criminal background. He was reportedly found to have been dealing with a controlled substance in Chicago and had a separate charge of dealing.
Troopers Arrested Four Impaired Drivers Overnight
Troopers were kept busy last night and early this morning with impaired drivers in Pike, Knox and Vanderburgh Counties. One driver arrested early this morning had a blood alcohol content of .44%, which is over five-times the legal limit.
Indiana State Police will continue to conduct saturation patrols to target impaired and dangerous drivers. Just last month, preliminary reports indicate that 404 alcohol-related crashes occurred on Indiana roadways resulting in 128 injuries and one fatality.
Arrested for Driving While Intoxicated in Knox County:
- Brittney Carter, 31, Vincennes, IN Â Â Â (BAC .12%)
- Rachelle Atwood, 35, Vincennes, IN Â Â Â (BAC .44%)
Arrested for Driving While Intoxicated in Pike County:
- Wayne Wedding, 29, Oakland City, IN (BAC .16%)
Arrested for Driving While Intoxicated in Vanderburgh County:
- Sharron Hendricks, 46, Evansville, IN (Refusal)
University of Evansville Game Two vs. Mercer Recap
For the second straight day in a row, the University of Evansville baseball team rallied from a big early deficit to throw a scare into Mercer, only to come up just short, falling 7-6 in Macon, Georgia Saturday afternoon.
“Another close game that didn’t go our way,” University of Evansville head coach Wes Carroll. “Proud of how we have competed though. A lot of positives to build off of especially with some of our newcomers contributing. These types of games early in the season will pay dividends later on. Â Need to salvage the weekend with a win tomorrow.”
Junior left-hander Nathan Croner made his first start of the season and escaped a first inning jam unscathed. However, Croner wasn’t as lucky in the second frame, as the Bears struck for five runs, capped by Kel Johnson’s 3-run home run.
The Aces would respond quickly with the long ball. Freshman designated hitter A.J. Fritz got Evansville on the scoreboard in the third inning with a 2-run homer to left, drawing UE within three. Senior outfielder Nate Reeder would follow that up with a 2-run round-tripper in the fifth frame, getting the Aces back within one, 5-4.
Nathan Croner would bounce back from his early issues to toss back-to-back scoreless innings, but in the bottom of the fifth, he would issue a lead-off walk, followed by a double, ending his day. Freshman right-hander Shane Gray would come in in relief, but couldn’t get out of the jam, as Mercer puts two more tallies across, making it 7-4 Bears. However, Gray would recover to keep Mercer off the scoreboard the rest of the game.
At the plate, Evansville would keep swinging. In the sixth inning, freshman second baseman Danny Bergstrom would stroke an RBI single back up the middle, driving in senior third baseman Sam Troyer, cutting the Bears’ lead to 7-5.
In the ninth, Nate Reeder would cut into it even further, drilling a lead-off home run to right, his second of the game, getting the Aces back within one. However, that was all the offense UE could muster, dropping the second straight one-run decision to Mercer.
The Aces will look to avoid the sweep tomorrow in the series finale. Coach Carroll will send senior left hander Alex Weigand to the hill. First pitch from OrthoGeorgia Park has been moved up to 11 am Central Time.
Lockhart tosses no-hitter as Aces sweep 4-game series
UE picks up two more wins over Southern
Highlighting another exciting day at the ballpark was a no-hitter by University of Evansville senior Emily Lockhart as the Purple Aces softball team clinched a 4-game series sweep over Southern.
Evansville earned a 4-2 win in the opening contest before wrapping up with an 8-0 triumph in five innings in the second game.
“Emily was dominant in the circle this weekend, I am so happy for her as she put together two of the best games she has pitched. She has been working really hard all offseason,†Aces head coach Mat Mundell said. “We have a lot to be excited about from this weekend with how we played. We are still looking for the right mix, but it has been great to see some players really step up.â€
Allison Daggett got the scoring started in the opening game with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first. She scored Katie McLean, who walked to lead off the game before stealing second.
Following a run in the third, the Aces went back to work in the fourth with McKenzie Johnson hitting a leadoff single. Pinch runner Toni Galas stole second and scored on a Mackenzie McFeron base knock. McFeron would cross the plate herself on a sac fly from Eryn Gould. Making the start was Izzy Vetter, who got the job done in the circle, pitching the complete game while allowing two runs on nine hits with UE taking the 4-2 win. Mea Adams led UE with two hits in the game.
In game two, the offense got off to another quick start when a Mea Adams hit scored Gould to give the Aces a 1-0 lead in the first. Katie McLean notched an RBI hit before a Gould 3-run home run saw Evansville push its lead to 5-0 in the second frame.
Bailee Bostic posted an RBI single to extend the lead in the third inning before Johnson put the icing on the cake a few innings later when her 2-RBI hit pushed the lead to 8-0. Lockhart continued to keep the Jaguars hitless as UE picked up the 8-0 victory in five innings. She struck out seven batters.
Another tournament is upcoming for the Aces when they travel to Chattanooga, Tenn. for next weekend’s Frost Classic. Evansville will face Creighton, Eastern Kentucky, Western Kentucky, Ohio University and Chattanooga.
Eagles run past Stars for Homecoming win
University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball used big second-quarter and fourth-quarter runs to earn a 74-47 Great Lakes Valley Conference home win over the University of Illinois Springfield Saturday afternoon on Homecoming at the Physical Activities Center.
After trailing by a point early in the second period, the Screaming Eagles scored 21 straight points to end the first half and build a commanding 42-22 halftime advantage.
The Prairie Stars (7-16, 4-11 GLVC) battled back in the third quarter, cutting the Eagles lead to 10 points before going into the final period facing a more manageable 53-42 deficit.
USI (17-7, 10-4 GLVC), however, responded with a 17-2 run to begin the final frame and end any chance of an Illinois Springfield comeback.
Second Quarter
USI outscored the Stars 23-5 in the second quarter. The Eagles went 9-of-12 (.750) from the field and 3-of-4 from downtown during their 21-0 run as they turned a one-point deficit into a commanding 20-point halftime advantage.
Fourth Quarter
With momentum and their 20-point halftime advantage slipping away, the Eagles used a dominating effort in the fourth period to earn the 27-point win. USI outscored the Stars, 21-5 in the final 10 minutes and were 7-of-12 (.583) from the field, 3-of-5 (.600) from three-point range, during its 17-2 run that put the game on ice
Key Stats
USI dominated the paint, outscoring the Stars 42-16 in the lane while holding a 45-36 rebounding advantage. The Eagles also held onto the ball, committing just eight turnovers, three of which were of the offensive control variety.
Statistical Leaders
Sophomore forward Imani Guy (Columbus, Indiana) finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Eagles, while sophomore guard Emma DeHart (Indianapolis, Indiana) added 16 points. Senior center Kacy Eschweiler (St. Charles, Missouri) added 11 points and six boards, while senior guard Alex Davidson (Salem, Indiana) finished with four points, eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals.
Junior center Katelyn Rosner had 10 points and nine rebounds to lead Illinois Springfield.
Up Next
USI returns to action Thursday at 5:30 p.m. when it hosts No. 11/16 Lewis University at the PAC. USI hosts the University of Indianapolis next Saturday for Senior Day and the final game in the PAC.
