Woman faces drug, child neglect charges

VAN BUREN TWP. — A Brown County woman is facing three Level 6 felony charges, two for possession of a syringe and one for neglect of a dependent, after she had two encounters with police within three days.

On Nov. 30, Officer Billy Bryant was traveling on State Road 46 West when he checked a license plate number and found that the driver’s license was suspended. He pulled over the driver, Jennifer Lee, 34, of Garrity Road.

Lee was crying, Bryant wrote in his report. She told the officer she had a sick child at home and had just gotten off work. She acknowledged that her license was suspended.

Bryant wrote that he recognized Lee from past drug-related incidents. Sgt. Colton Magner arrived to assist in a vehicle search. Lee told police that she did have a syringe in the vehicle in the passenger seat which a co-worker had left in her car. Bryant reported finding a syringe cap on the floor of the driver’s side and two caps in the middle console.

Police cited Lee for possession of a syringe and she was released from the scene with her vehicle, but was told she needed to call a licensed driver to take her and the vehicle home.

On Dec. 2, a Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Officer was called to go to Becks Grove Road regarding a child left alone by the mother. Lee had been found in Bartholomew County trespassing in a barn with her vehicle.

Lee told police that she had left her daughter with a friend. She said she heard the door of her house open and close before she left, so she assumed that this person had come in, but she did not actually see her friend there or check on her daughter before she left, the police report said.

She told officers she didn’t know what happened after she left until she had a man pointing a gun at her somewhere at a barn in Bartholomew County, and then deputies arrived.

She told officers that she had new and used syringes in her home and wanted officers to remove them.

Magner said that he recalled being on the traffic stop where she was the driver, and he believed she was the owner of the syringe found in her vehicle.

Lee was booked into jail on Jan. 29 and was released on bond the next morning.

Traffic stop leads to marijuana charges

A Bloomington man who was pulled over on 46 West has been charged with possession of marijuana.

Deputy Austin Schonfeld and Officer Billy Bryant stopped the vehicle on Dec. 3 which was traveling 74 miles per hour in a 40 mph zone. The driver, Douglas Steele, 29, of Bloomington, told police he did not have an Indiana driver’s license. Police noted that Steele kept moving his feet across the floorboard and picking up his phone, going through pictures.

Police were able to find an expired driver’s license from North Carolina and suspended license from Florida for Steele. He told police he was coming from a friend’s house in Columbus. Steele reportedly told police there was nothing illegal in his vehicle. Officers deployed K-9 Kronin for a free air sniff, and officers reported finding a cannabis edible and a leafy green substance police believed to be raw marijuana in the car, the police report said.

Steele admitted to owning the edible but denied knowing the marijuana was in the vehicle.

He was charged on Jan. 21 with a Class B misdemeanor.

Indianapolis man faces paraphernalia charge

Officers arrested an Indianapolis man after they reported finding drug paraphernalia in his car.

On Jan. 8, Officer Billy Bryant was traveling west on State Road 46 when he saw a stationary vehicle in the 1700 block with its hazard lights on. Bryant asked the driver, Michael Perez, 43, Indianapolis, if he needed help. Perez told police he was lost and looking for directions back to Indianapolis.

Perez told police he was working in Nashville. When asked where he worked, Perez hesitated, then answered that he was trying to find work and stayed in Nashville when he was working. Police asked where he was staying, to which Perez was unable to give an answer.

Another deputy told Bryant that the same vehicle was involved in a harassment allegation earlier in the day.

Dispatch reported that Perez did not have an Indiana driver’s license and had a warrant out of Texas. Perez consented to a vehicle search, which led to the finding of a glass smoking device. Perez told police he used it for smoking methamphetamine, the report said.

He was taken to the Brown County jail on a charge of possession of paraphernalia and the felony warrant.

Columbus man faces multiple drug charges

A 19-year-old from Columbus faces five misdemeanors after police pulled him over for impaired driving.

On Nov. 12, dispatch alerted officers of a possible impaired driver traveling west on State Road 46 East. Officer Chad Williams stopped the vehicle after seeing it fail to stay in the westbound lane.

Williams reported that he could immediately smell the odor of fresh marijuana and he could see marijuana flakes on the passenger seat. The driver, Riley M. Hurt, 19, Columbus, told police he was going to a friend’s house in Columbus and said he had been smoking marijuana all day.

Deputy Austin Schonfeld searched Hurt’s backpack and reported finding marijuana, wax and paraphernalia. Hurt agreed to a chemical test and was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital for a blood draw.

On Jan. 8, Hurt was charged with five misdemeanors: operating a vehicle while intoxicated — endangering a person, operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance or its metabolite in the blood, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

Report of possible overdose leads to felony

Police responded to a report of a possible overdose on Dec. 4 and administered Narcan to a Nashville man, who now faces a Level 6 felony for possession of a syringe.

Nashville Police Officer Cody Poynter arrived at an apartment on Locust Lane to find an unconscious man, Jason Wolf, 38, of State Road 46 East, on the bathroom floor and an uncapped needle next to him. EMS administered a dose of Narcan due to him being unable to breathe on his own.

According to the police report, Wolf eventually woke up and began to curse at law enforcement and EMS. He told police that he was not overdosing, but asleep, and he did not want to be transported to the hospital.

Wolf told police he hadn’t taken anything. EMS workers called their supervisor and were told that they t take the patient to a hospital if he didn’t want to, the police report said.

Police executed a search warrant and found nothing else illegal in the house, the report said.

Battery charge filed against woman

HELMSBURG — A Helmsburg woman is facing a Level 5 felony charge for domestic battery.

Sgt. Colton Magner was dispatched to the area of North Street on Jan. 24 and found Loretta Scott, 37, to be “noticeably intoxicated,” his report said. She told police she had gotten into a verbal argument with a woman who had since left, but nothing had gotten physical.

The other woman contacted police, saying she had bumps on her forehead where Scott had “put her into a wall.”

Magner spoke with a child who witnessed the altercation, who said that Scott shoved the other woman during an argument, which caused the other woman to fall and hit her head against a wall. The injured woman told police that Scott was angry because she (the injured woman) went to do community service in town, the police report said.

Scott was arrested for domestic battery. A preliminary breath test showed her blood-alcohol level to be 0.247, more than three times the legal threshold of intoxication, the police report said.

Traffic stop leads to methamphetamine charges

Nashville Police Officer Cody Poynter pulled over a vehicle on State Road 46 West for having no license plate lights and ended up making a methamphetamine arrest on Dec. 5.

Two people were in the vehicle: Justice McIntosh, 31, of Washington, the driver, and Stephanie Cecil, 32, of Columbus, the passenger. Trooper Matt Hatchett asked for consent to search the vehicle and K9 Axe conducted a free-air sniff around the vehicle. The dog gave a positive alert. Police reported finding a bag of suspected methamphetamine under the trim on the passenger side nearest the console.

Both occupants told police that they did not know about the narcotics. Police said that since since neither wanted to confess, both would be charged with possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, they were given summonses to appear in court and were released from the scene.

Police report: Drugs found during traffic stop

A traffic stop for a license plate light resulted in drug charges being filed against a Morgantown man.

Nashville Police Officer Billy Bryant stopped Michael Graves, 57, of Bean Blossom Trailer Court, on State Road 135 North near Nashville shortly before 7 p.m. Nov. 29. Bryant reported noticing the smell of alcohol coming from the vehicle and asked if Graves had anything to drink. Graves told Bryant that he’d had a beer earlier in the day, the police report said.

Deputy Josh Stargell was also on scene and asked why Graves’ eyes were red and he said that he had smoked marijuana the day before, and gave Stargell a pill bottle containing marijuana, the report said.

Police reported finding an open beer can that was about half empty. Graves told police he opened it when he left the liquor store and was drinking it while traveling home.

Police also reported finding a smoking pipe inside the pill bottle.

Graves was released from the scene. He was charged on Jan. 22 with possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor; and possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.

Man involved in argument gets misdemeanor

A Nashville man has been charged with possession of paraphernalia after police were dispatched to a trespassing call.

Nashville Police Officer Billy Bryant responded to a call on Gould Street about a man who would not leave a house. He found a woman sitting on the porch who told him that she and David Wert, 60, were having an argument and that he was inside.

Bryant and Deputy Josh Stargell found Wert packing his things. Wert said that the argument was over a mattress. Police found a broken plate on the table and both the caller and Wert said they had been drinking, the police report said.

Wert told police he could only go to his mother’s house in Martinsville. Officers said they could dispatch Morgan County law enforcement for a courtesy ride.

Police patted Wert down before he got into the patrol vehicle and found a smoking pipe in his right pocket, which he said he uses for medical marijuana. Medical marijuana use is not legal in Indiana.

He was charged on Jan. 22 with possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.

Failure to use turn signal results in felony charge

A 39-year-old Brown County man faces a felony for possessing methamphetamine after police reported finding it during a traffic stop Jan. 16.

Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy William Pool stopped a vehicle driven by Noah Ford at the Bean Blossom Overlook after he saw Ford turn south onto State Road 135 North from Gatesville Road without using a turn signal. He also noticed Ford put his seat belt on as he made the turn, according to an incident report.

While speaking with Ford, Pool reported smelling marijuana in his vehicle. Ford told Pool he had an old rolled marijuana cigarette in the ashtray and he was not sure there was any left of it. In the car, Pool reported finding four rolled marijuana cigarettes in the ashtray along with a pack of cigarettes.

In the pack of cigarettes, Pool reported finding a corner of a plastic bag that had been tied in a knot and inside was a white powdery substance Ford later told Pool was meth, the police report said. Pool also found a white twist-top container with marijuana in it. Deputy Austin Schonfeld assisted with the search and reported finding more marijuana in the pocket of a coat lying in the rear floorboard, the report said.

Ford was issued a warning for not using a turn signal and not wearing a seat belt. He was issued a summons for possession of meth and marijuana and was released from the scene.

On Feb. 11, Ford was charged with possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony; and possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor.

Stop for speeding results in felony OWI charges

Felony charges have been filed against a 35-year-old Indianapolis man after a traffic stop last September.

Bradley Haynes was charged Feb. 1 with operating a vehicle with an ACE of 0.15 or more and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, both Level 6 felonies. His charges were elevated to felonies due to prior convictions in the last seven years.

Nashville Police Patrolman Davis Huynh stopped him near the Pine Tree Hills entrance after clocking Haynes driving 51 mph in a 30 mph zone on Sept. 26, the police report said. Dispatch told the officer that Haynes had an arrest warrant out of Johnson County.

Haynes told police he was not aware of the failure to appear warrant. Police searched his vehicle. Huynh also reported smelling alcohol on Haynes. He told police he had two beers in Nashville. A preliminary breath test showed his blood-alcohol content at 0.09, over the legal limit of 0.08.

Haynes gave his consent for his blood to be drawn, which was done at Columbus Regional Hospital. He was booked into the Brown County jail.

Charges filed against driver in November crash

Multiple misdemeanors have been filed against an 18-year-old Brown County woman after she crashed her car on Nov. 20.

Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Dan Acres responded to the crash at Forest Hills Apartments. The driver, Danielle Cramer, had to be pulled from the car, the accident report states. She was on the ground when Acres arrived and told him she could not breathe. She was unable to squeeze Acres’ hand, and gave no response when Acres asked her if she could feel her legs and feet. She then began foaming from the mouth and Acres put her on her side so she would not choke, the report states.

EMS arrived on scene and began treating Cramer. While inventorying the vehicle, police found that Cramer had a prescription for hydrocodone, and an empty bottle of prescription nerve pain medicine on the floor that had a tampered label. There was also an empty bottle of Fireball whiskey in the vehicle, the report said.

The passenger told police he did not see Cramer drink or take pills. He said they had just stopped at a gas station.

Another driver behind Cramer told police that Cramer started eastbound on 46 East at a high rate of speed. He kept up with her until she 90 mph and estimated her speed to be 120 mph by the time they drove through Gnaw Bone.

When they arrived at Forest Hills, Cramer reportedly tried to make a left turn while speeding. She slid on wet pavement and hit a brick sign head-on. All airbags deployed. Cramer and her passenger were wearing seat belts.

A warrant was issued for Cramer’s blood draw results. A chemical test showed Cramer’s blood-alcohol content to be 0.08, the report said.

On Feb. 2, Cramer was charged with four misdemeanors for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and reckless driving.

Felony OWI charges filed after crash

A 61-year-old Brown County man has been charged with two Level 6 felonies after a blood test showed he was driving while intoxicated when he crashed in November.

William Payton was charged on Feb. 3 with operating a vehicle while intoxicated — endangering a person and operating a vehicle with an ACE of 0.08 or more. His charges were elevated to felonies due to a prior conviction in the last seven years.

Sgt. Colton Magner with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department responded to the crash in the 6100 block of Railroad Road just before 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 14. He reported smelling alcohol on Payton, that his speech was slurred, his manual dexterity was poor and that his balance swayed. The results of a chemical test came back in February and showed his blood-alcohol content to be 0.14 at the time of the crash, over the limit of 0.08. according to the affidavit.

Report: Driver in crash had meth, fentanyl in system

Results from a chemical test showed a 42-year-old Seymour man had methamphetamine and fentanyl in his system when he crashed his van in September, police say.

Daniel Hoene was charged on Feb. 2 with three misdemeanors for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, including operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance or its metabolite in the blood, a Class C misdemeanor.

Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Bowling responded to the crash on Sept. 1 in the 4800 block of Sweetwater Trail just after 9 a.m. Bowling noted that Hoene’s manual dexterity was poor. He also noted that Hoene was groggy.

Hoene submitted to a chemical test and those results were not available until February.

Police: Driver had controlled substance in system

A 27-year-old Brown County man has been charged with three misdemeanors for operating a vehicle while intoxicated after he crashed his vehicle while under the influence of prescription drugs, police say.

Just before 10 p.m.Sept. 11, Sgt. Colton Magner with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department responded to a crash on Greasy Creek Road involving an overturned vehicle, according to a probable cause affidavit filed Feb. 3. Magner and Deputy Dan Acres found the crash in the 2700 block of Greasy Creek Road in the grass.

The driver, Codie Eirhart Wiederhold, was out of the vehicle and appeared uninjured. Magner wrote that he immediately noticed Wiederhold was “extremely sweaty” for the cool temperature at that time. Magner also noted that Wiederhold was moving constantly like he was unable to stand still, the affidavit states.

Wiederhold told police he had taken one quarter of a 7.5mg Percocet pill around 4 p.m. that day. Wiederhold said he had a prescription for a former health issue and took it for knee pain that day.

He was checked out by EMS and refused transport to the hospital. Magner noted that Wiederhold’s eyes were closing constantly, he had unsteady balance, his eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred, according to the affidavit.

A preliminary breath test showed his blood-alcohol content at 0. Wiederhold refused a chemical test and he was placed in handcuffs. A search warrant was granted for the results of a blood test, which was done at Columbus Regional Hospital. He was then taken to jail.

On Feb. 3, he was charged with three misdemeanors for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.