News Release
S. Denby Shooting Update

SUMMARY

At 7:10pm tonight, officers responded to a 911 call in the 500 block of S. Denby for a person who had been shot. Officers arrived and found the victim in the front yard of 511 S. Denby. Officers attempted lifesaving measures on the victim, but he succumbed to his injuries.

Officers went to 505 S. Denby as part of the investigation. They interviewed several people who were at the address, including the person who fired the shot. During the interviews, detectives were given information from several witnesses that were consistent with the statement given by the shooter.

Investigators learned that all of the people involved in the incident were in the home at 505 S. Denby. A 17 year old female got into an argument with a 19 year old male. The male threatened to assault the girl and also threatened to use a “stun gun” on her. She ran from the house and the male chased her. He caught her in the yard and began beating her. The girl’s 79 year old grandfather was in the home and came outside to help her. He told the 19 year old male to stop beating his grand-daughter.

According to the people interviewed, the 19 year old then turned his attention to the grandfather. He threatened to use the stun gun on him as well. The 19 year old came towards the 79 year old, who was armed with a handgun. As the 19 year old got closer, he was reaching for his pocket. The 79 year old told him old several times to stop.

The grandfather told investigators he knew he could not defend himself against the bigger, younger attacker and feared the stun gun could kill him due to his heart condition. He told investigators he has a pace maker and a defibrillator. When the 19 year old continued to advance, he fired one shot. The 19 year old then ran to the front yard of 511 S. Denby and collapsed.

The gun was recovered from the home at 505 S. Denby. Investigators recovered a stun gun in the 19 year olds pocket.

The 19 year old was transported to the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office for positive identification and to establish an official cause of death.

At this time, no charges have been filed in this case. Investigators will complete a case file and forward it to the Prosecutor’s Office for review.

The name of the shooter will not be released at this time because he is not a suspect in a crime and has not been charged with any crime.

2013 Calendar of Events

PLEASE CLICK THE ABOVE LINK TO PULL UP ZOO CALENDAR FOR 2013

Half of all home heating fires occur in December, January and February.

Cold weather is here, and many Hoosiers turn to alternative heating methods to keep warm. The Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office wants to remind Hoosiers are to take extra care when using alternative heating methods to stay warm in their homes.

Alternative heating methods include fireplaces, gas or electric space heaters, wood burning stoves, and other fuel-burning sources.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in 2010, heating equipment was the second leading cause of home fires in the United States. More than 57,000 reported fires caused 490 deaths, 1,530 injuries, and more than $1 billion in property damage. Half of all home heating fires occurred in December, January and February.
“Every winter, firefighters across the state respond to thousands of home fires caused by improper heaters, fireplaces, wood burning stoves, etc.,” said Indiana State Fire Marshal Jim Greeson. “Anyone using heating equipment other than a central heating system needs to follow all manufacturer directions and exercise extreme caution to avoid starting a fire.”
The Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office is a division of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS).
Fireplaces
According to NFPA, between 2006 and 2010, the leading factor contributing to home heating fires was failure to properly clean creosote, an oily deposit that easily catches fire, from solid-fueled heating equipment such as chimneys.

· Use only dry, seasoned wood in a fireplace or wood stove to avoid the build-up of creosote,

· Use only paper or kindling wood, not a flammable liquid, to start the fire. Do not use artificial logs in wood stoves.

· Make sure your fireplace has a sturdy screen to prevent sparks from flying into the room.

· Allow fireplace and woodstove ashes to cool before disposing in a metal container, which is kept a safe distance from your home.
Space Heaters
If you have a space heater, know how to use it safely to avoid the risk of fire.

· Space heaters need space. Keep heaters away from flammable materials such as bedding, drapes, clothing, etc.

· Use the proper grade of fuel for your liquid-fueled space heater and never use gasoline in any heater not approved for gasoline use.

· Refuel space heaters only in a well ventilated area and when the equipment is cool.

· Plug power cords only into outlets with sufficient capacity, never into an extension cord.

· Turn off space heaters whenever the room they are in is unoccupied.

· Turn off space heaters when you go to bed each night to avoid knocking them over in the dark.
Generators
Knowing how to use your generator properly can protect you and your family from Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

· Never use a generator inside.

· Place emergency generators outdoors away from windows and doors to prevent fumes from entering the home.

· Have a CO detector in the house that sounds an alarm when dangerous carbon monoxide levels are found.
For more tips on being prepared for winter weather, visit GetPrepared.in.gov.

Evansville, IN – Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, December 20, 2012.

Robert Giles Dealing in a Counterfeit Substance – Class D Felony
DWS – Class A Misdemeanor
Operating a Vehicle with a BAC of .08 or More – Class C Misdemeanor

Mindy Mellinger Possession of Methamphetamine – Class D Felony

Michael Rueckel Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury – Class D Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement – Class A Misdemeanor (Two Counts)

Lewis Yates Theft – Class D Felony

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

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

Class Range
Murder 45-65 Years
Class A Felony 20-50 Years
Class B Felony 6-20 Years
Class C Felony 2-8 Years
Class D Felony ½ – 3 Years
Class A Misdemeanor 0-1 Year
Class B Misdemeanor 0-180 Days
Class C Misdemeanor 0-60 Days

December 21, 2012 – Evansville, IN – All eight Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library locations will be closed for the upcoming holidays.

All locations will be closed:
• Monday, December 24th and Tuesday, December 25th for Christmas
• Monday, December 31st and Tuesday, January 1st for New Year’s

Customers can access EVPL information and download materials anytime at evpl.org.

Applications Now Open for Health Science Institute Summer Program

Applications are now open for the Deaconess Health Science Institute (HSI) — a rigorous, two-week summer program for high-achieving high school students in Southwestern Indiana who are interested in exploring healthcare careers. The program will be from June 2 through June 15, 2013. Deaconess Hospital in Evansville sponsors HSI in partnership with the Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (SWI-AHEC) and the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation.

HSI is a valuable opportunity for students to experience a wide variety of health careers first-hand. Students live on the campus of Deaconess Hospital in Evansville for two weeks as they hear from 100+ health professionals, participate in 12 different clinical rotations (including witnessing surgery and sometimes a birth), and explore Deaconess facilities and local universities.

Over the past 22 years, more than 550 students have participated in the program; many are now serving in the healthcare field as physicians, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, and others.

Applications for the two-week program are on the EVSC website www.evscschools.com, under Academics and Programs. Students must be current sophomores or juniors in a Southwestern Indiana high school or home school in Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Pike, Perry, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, or Warrick counties who have at least a 3.3 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Interested students must submit the completed application and other application requirements (essay, transcript, science teacher recommendation, counselor signature) no later than 4:00 pm CST on Friday February 1, 2013 to:

Deaconess Hospital
ATTN: Karen Peake, Room 3321

600 Mary St.
Evansville, IN 47747

Cost for HSI is $700 (including all food, housing and supplies) and financial aid is available on a limited basis. For additional information, call 760-4007.

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The EPD is trying to identify the suspect in a Robbery with Injury case. The robbery happened at Busler’s Gas Station at 654 E. Diamond around 9:20pm last night. The suspect is in the attached photos. The suspect assaulted a female customer as she was filled her gas tank. He implied he had a gun, but never displayed one. Anyone with information is asked to call 812-436-7983.

Outstanding_Sheriff_Warrants

This list represents the active warrants held for service by the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office on the date listed. It is no longer current the moment it is produced. Therefore, the current validity of a warrant cannot be obtained from this information alone, but must be verified by the sheriff’s office. In general, the sheriff’s office will not confirm the validity of a warrant to non-law enforcement personnel over the telephone. This must be done in person.

If you have a tip or information about any of these warrants or the persons listed as wanted, please send an email to sheriffwarrants@vanderburghsheriff.com or call 421-6276.

As always, the sheriff’s office greatly appreciates any information or assistance you can provide in the apprehension of those persons who are wanted by the Vanderburgh County Courts.

Respectfully,
Eric Williams
Vanderburgh County Sheriff