Man dies of suspected overdose
HAMBLEN TWP. — A 32-year-old Brown County man has died of a suspected overdose, Brown County Coroner Earl Piper said last week.
Local police, Piper, Indiana University Health Lifeline and Cordry-Sweetwater Volunteer Fire Department all responded to a home on Aspen Drive on April 26 after the man’s mother called 911.
Piper said on April 27 that an overdose was suspected to be the cause of death due to paraphernalia found on the individual. The results of a toxicology report are pending.
The Brown County Democrat does not normally name anyone who dies from overdoses.
Felony charge filed for criminal recklessness
A Nashville man faces a Level 6 felony for criminal recklessness after a bullet from a gun he shot hit the wall of a neighbor’s home.
On March 7, Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Jacob Gibson initially responded to a home in the 2500 block of Shipley Hollow Road after a caller advised dispatch of people breaking into his house.
While on the way, the caller told dispatch he fired two rounds into his ceiling. Sgt. Colton Magner then had dispatch tell the caller, later identified as 49-year-old Joshua McCulley, to put the gun down and walk out to police, according to a probable cause affidavit.
McCulley said two men and two women had broken into his house. He told police he did not know who they were or where they went.
According to the probable cause affidavit, McCulley told police that one of the men had become unresponsive after being stabbed by one of the women, but was able to get up and walk away.
Magner and Gibson received permission to clear the home and checked the vehicle where McCulley thought the stabbed man was possibly laying down, but they reported not finding anyone or signs of blood. The officers also did not find any signs that a gun had been fired in the home.
McCulley was reportedly shaking, his eyes were bloodshot and he smelled of alcohol while talking to police. Police spoke with another individual in the home who reported not hearing any gunshots. Police then explained they could not find evidence of anyone else being there before leaving.
Around three hours after the first call officers were dispatched again to the home after a 911 caller reported hearing gunshots there. McCulley also called dispatch to say people were shooting and he was shooting back.
When police arrived, McCulley said the people from earlier were back and shooting at him. Gibson then checked the home and reported finding no evidence of gunshots.
The first caller said they heard at least four gunshots, but were not sure if McCulley had been the shooter and that after hearing the shots McCulley told her to call 911. McCulley later told police he had opened his door and shot outside into the air. While checking the home, Gibson reported seeing several handguns laying out that had been in a safe during the first call.
Neighbors also reported hearing gunshots. It was later determined a bullet had hit a bedroom wall in the neighbor’s home.
McCulley was formally charged on March 29.
Man faces misdemeanors for battery, interference
A local man has been charged with two misdemeanors after an altercation in early March.
On March 11, Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholson Briles and Indiana Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Joe Tenbarge spoke with an individual at the Law Enforcement Center who was upset and seeking advice on an abusive situation.
The victim said that earlier that evening, 47-year-old Nathan Mathis of Nashville was upset with them and became violent.
According to the probable cause affidavit by Briles, the victim reported that Mathis called them names and shouted at them. He reportedly took the victim’s phone when they were trying to call 911 and pushed them to the floor before repeatedly punching the victim in the head. He also blocked the victim from leaving the room the two were in together.
This was not the first physical altercation between the two, according to the affidavit.
The victim was transported to Indiana University Health Bloomington for further treatment of a head injury.
Police found Mathis at home. He told police he did not know why they were there and that there was no incident earlier that night. He was then arrested and transported to the Brown County jail.
Mathis was formally charged on March 15 with two Class A misdemeanors for domestic battery and interfering with the reporting of a crime.
Bedford man faces nonsupport charge
A Level 6 felony has been filed against a Bedford resident after he allegedly has not paid child support since 2017.
According to a probable cause affidavit from the Brown County Prosecutor’s Office, 46-year-old Tony L. Myers made no, or infrequent, payments in support of two children under a Brown County Circuit Court case.
Myers had been ordered to pay $77 per week for the support of the children.
The affidavit states Myers did not make payments from April 2017 until March 25 of this year, the day after the charge was filed.
As of March 24, Myers owed a total of $14,121.50 in child support.
Columbus man charged with OWI felonies
A traffic stop for driving left of center on March 26 resulted in three felonies for a 54-year-old Columbus man after police determined he had been driving while intoxicated.
Sgt. Chad Williams with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department conducted the traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Jeffrey Bradley on South Van Buren Street just after 5 p.m. During the stop, Williams reported smelling alcohol on Bradley, that his speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot, his balance was unsteady and his manual dexterity was poor. He also reported that Bradley had staggered from his vehicle during the stop, the probable cause affidavit states.
Bradley then failed three field sobriety tests. A breath test showed his blood-alcohol content to be 0.20, which is more than twice the legal limit.
A certified breath test administered at the jail less than an hour after the stop showed Bradley’s BAC to be 0.18.
Bradley was formally charged on March 28 with three felonies for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. His charges were elevated to felonies due to prior OWI charges in Bartholomew County earlier this year.
Woman faces 3 felonies for failure to pay support
A 30-year-old Ellettsville woman faces three Level 6 felonies after an investigation by the Brown County Prosecutor’s Office shows she owes more than $22,000 in child support.
Alysa Burton had been ordered to pay $95 a week in support for one child in 2016. According to a probable cause affidavit by child support administrator Jerrica Shrader, Burton had failed to make payments from April 29, 2017 to Sept. 15, 2018; from Nov. 26, 2019 to Aug. 30, 2020; and from Oct. 29, 2020 to April 1, 2022. During those times, Burton either made no or infrequent payments.
As a result of failing to pay, Burton owes $22,250.06 as of April 1.
She was formally charged with three counts of nonsupport of a dependent child on April 5.
Police: Man grabbed woman, caused injuries
Police say a 42-year-old Brown County man grabbed a woman, forced her backwards and injured her lip earlier last month.
Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Bowling reported in a probable cause affidavit that David Greenfield had grabbed the victim by her arm and hands. The victim reported to police she had a bruise on her arm, that she had a cut lip and pain in her back.
Bowling reported seeing a bruise on her right wrist and an abrasion on her upper lip.
Greenfield was formally charged April 4 with battery resulting in bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor.
