EPD Activity Report: August 19, 2013

Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Monday, August 19, 2013.

Mario Butler Dealing in a Schedule IV Controlled Substance-Class C Felony

Alanna McNeal Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering a Person with a

Passenger Less than 18 Years of Age-Class D Felony

Donald Robb Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon-

Class B Felony

Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury-Class A Misdemeanor

(Habitual Offender Enhancement)

Eric Toone Dealing in a Schedule III Controlled Substance-Class B Felony

Possession of Marijuana-Class A Misdemeanor

(Enhanced to D Felony Due to Prior Convictions)

Possession of Paraphernalia-Class A Misdemeanor

Fabian Bennett Felony Carrying a Handgun-Class C Felony

Possession of Marijuana-Class A Misdemeanor

(Habitual Offender Enhancement)

Ukuru Stell Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon-

Class B Felony

For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Kyle Phernetton at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at KPhernetton@vanderburghgov.org

Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

On Tuesday, October 01 at 6:30 p.m. a Candlelight Vigil will be held to kick off Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Vigil will be held at Four Freedoms Monument in Downtown Evansville to honor victims and survivors of domestic violence and to raise awareness of the growing problem in our community and in the State of Indiana.

The vigil is being organized by the Evansville-Vanderburgh Commission on

Domestic and Sexual Violence in collaboration with Albion Fellows Bacon Center, the YWCA, Holly’s House, Lampion Center and the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office Victim/Witness Assistance Program.

In the last year, several local women have died in alleged domestic violence incidents. In 2012, 64 people died in the state of Indiana due to domestic violence. As part of an alarming national trend, Albion Fellows Bacon Center and the YWCA, both local domestic violence agencies, report that domestic violence continues to increase locally. This increase significantly affects the safety of women in Evansville and the surrounding area.

This crime is a community issue. Community representatives will speak out at the candlelight vigil and encourage our community to step up and do their part to help end domestic violence as well as remind victims where to receive services and find assistance.

For further information on this event or services from any of the aforementioned organizations, please contact Kyle Phernetton, Director of Public Relations with the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at kphernetton@vanderburghgov.org.

Last week ten Indiana State Police officers were recognized in Indianapolis by Superintendent Douglas Carter for their resolute dedication and appointment to the department’s Underwater Search Rescue/Recovery Team (USRT). The scuba team members had recently completed their six month probationary period as divers and received their uniform pins from Superintendent Carter, designating them as USRT members.

Superintendent Carter addressed the new diver’s with heartfelt emotion and respect. The superintendent started his diving career with the state police in 1986 when he attended the state police Basic Underwater Dive School (BUDS). The superintendent recalled completing the school the hardest thing that he had ever done and respected the divers for their dedication to the program.

The state police BUDS program started in 1960 with 14 men that were sent to a six day scuba school. The program his since evolved into a 24 day school where more than 25 dives are completed combined with 40 hours of classroom work.

USRT Commander Sgt. Alan Lowrance commented that the divers leaving the BUDS program today are well equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to safely navigate the often dangerous waters of public safety diving. Public safety divers often dive in less than ideal conditions including zero visibility and entanglement hazards, commented Lowrance.

Today the state police have 35 divers on the USRT stationed around Indiana to respond to various types of water related incidents including evidence recovery, drowning, and swift water rescue.

New divers
Tpr. Caleb Clark – Peru
Tpr. Christopher Lockman – Seymour
Tpr. Richard Clay – Pendleton
Tpr. Eric Meyer – Wolcottville
Tpr. Andy Cochran – Warsaw
Tpr. Ryan Royer – Lafayette
Tpr. Adam Duffitt – Kokomo
Tpr. Zachary Smith – Henryville
Tpr. Matthew Lazoff – Hudson
Tpr. Skyler Whittington – Pendleton

Posey County – Monday afternoon, August 19, at approximately 12:25 p.m., Indiana State Police and Posey County Sheriff’s Department responded to a single vehicle crash on I-64 at the 4 mile-marker that killed a 69-year-old Kansas woman and her pet dog.

Preliminary investigation revealed Edwina Cabe, 69, of Overland Park, KS, was driving her 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck westbound on I-64 at the 4 mile-marker when for unknown reasons her vehicle left the roadway on the south side striking the guardrail then crossing both westbound lanes striking the north side guardrail. The vehicle then crossed both lanes again striking the concrete barrier and coming to a final rest in the passing lane. Cabe, who was wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Posey County Coroner’s Office. Cabe’s pet dog was also killed in the crash.

The investigation is continuing.

Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, August 16, 2013.

Derrick Collins Theft-Class D Felony

(Habitual Offender Enhancement)

Laquita Crenshaw Operating a Motor Vehicle after Forfeiture of License for Life-

Class C Felony

Neglect of Dependent-Class D Felonies (Two Counts)

Floyd Stevison Operating a Motor Vehicle after Forfeiture of License for Life-

Class C Felony

Operating a Vehicle with an ACE of .08 or More-Class C Misdemeanor

Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Class C Misdemeanor

Brandon Humphry Operating a Motor Vehicle after Forfeiture of License for Life-

Class C Felony

Dealing in Marijuana-Class D Felony

Possession of Marijuana-Class D Felony

For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Kyle Phernetton at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at KPhernetton@vanderburghgov.org

Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

Each year lives are lost in construction zone crashes nationwide. Construction zone workers are struck by vehicles passing through the zones and vehicle occupants are killed most often in rear end collisions that occur when traffic begins to slow or stop. This danger has become all too evident most recently in northwestern Indiana. On July 31 and again on August 15 traffic was slowed or stopped in a construction zone or construction zone back up when, on both occasions, a semi crashed into the rear end of a passenger car pushing it into the rear of another semi and killing the occupants of the passenger car. In the August 15 crash, seven people died including four children seven years of age and younger. The primary cause of both tragic incidents-DRIVER INATTENTION.

While these most recent tragedies happened in northwestern Indiana, such crashes can happen anywhere. Drivers must follow the direction of construction zone signs to include speed limits and lane restrictions. But most of all, drivers must PAY ATTENTION!! Construction zone crashes can be reduced by following these tips:

1. PAY ATTENTION!! When you observe signs indicating a construction zone is ahead, prepare to reduce your speed to observe construction zone speed limits, make lane changes as directed by signage, and be alert for vehicles ahead of you slowing or stopping. Remember, back-ups can occur miles from the actual construction zone.
2. Make appropriate lane changes IMMEDIATELY upon seeing signs indicating a particular lane will be closed ahead. Although traffic will be moving slower, by observing this traffic control device immediately, bottle necks can be reduced or avoided thus reducing the likelihood of traffic coming to a complete stop.
3. As drivers enter a construction zone or construction zone back up, keep a significant distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead.
4. Watch traffic in your rearview mirror as it approaches from behind and be alert for possible escape routes ie, shoulder of the roadway, ditch, or median should vehicles approaching you from the rear appear as though the may not be slowing down or may not be able to stop before striking your vehicle in the rear end.
5. Be alert for workers in the construction zone and give them as much room as possible while traveling through the zone.
6. Avoid distracting behavior in construction zones. Stay off your cell phone, don’t look away at construction work, avoid eating or drinking while traveling through construction zones, and STAY ALERT!

As annoying and inconvenient as construction zones can be, our nation’s roadways need to be maintained to allow for safe travel and the movement of interstate commerce. By staying alert at all times, observing the signs and other traffic control devices, taking your time, and being tolerant of other motorists, construction zone crashes and the serious injuries and fatalities that often result can be greatly reduced.