Nashville man leads police chase on motorcycle
COLUMBUS – A 35-year-old Nashville man Phillip Parke has been charged with a level 6 felony for resisting law enforcement.
On Aug. 21 Sheriff’s Deputy Jacob Gibson was on State Road 46 when he observed a black motorcycle pull out in front of him and take off at a high rate of speed. According to the report, Gibson caught up to the motorcycle and measured it to be traveling 70 miles per hour. The motorcycle began passing cars in a no passing zone and Gibson turned on his emergency lights and siren as they approached State Road 135 South.
Gibson observed the driver looking at him in his mirror before accelerating to 100 miles per hour. According to the report, Gibson notified dispatch that he was wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans and a white helmet.
They continued the chase, forcing oncoming traffic to pull off the road to avoid being hit. As they entered Bartholomew County, the motorcycle allegedly sped up to approximately 110 miles per hour.
Gibson provided dispatch with the motorcycle’s license plate number and it returned to Parke from Nashville on a Harley Davidson. According to the report, Sheriff’s Deputy Oliver Hitz caught up with them.
They allegedly had to swerve in and out of traffic to avoid hitting oncoming cars, but Bartholomew County police blocked the first stoplight intersection entering Columbus, causing Parke to slow and move to the shoulder.
According to the report, Gibson was able to block the shoulder and give Parke commands to get off his motorcycle. The motorcycle was then towed by Brown County Tire.
Columbus man charged for failure to register as sex offender
Morgantown – A 55-year-old Columbus man John Wilkerson has been charged with a level 6 felony for failure to register as a sex or violent offender.
On Aug. 27, Sheriff’s Deputy Jacob Gibson and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Officer Jonathon Willey served a search in the 7100 block of State Road 135 in Morgantown to locate Wilkerson who had an outstanding warrant in Marion County. According to the report, Gibson had prior knowledge that Wilkerson was a registered sex offender and supposed to be living in the 1000 block of Nelson Ridge Road.
While serving the warrant, Gibson spoke with the property owner Sarah Bonham who told him that she hired Wilkerson in July to do work around her property and during the first few weeks of his employment he stayed in a tent with his girlfriend Aaleyiah Jackson. After that, Wilkerson and Jackson were sleeping in Bonham’s sleeper van because of the rain. Bonham told the officers that she also let them sleep in her house because of the heat.
According to the report, Gibson received cell phone records from Willey where he located a conversation between Wilkerson and Bonham. In the conversation, Wilkerson was allegedly asking Bonham if he could put a tent up on her property on Aug. 13.
According to the report, Gibson took Wilkerson to jail for failure to register and not updating his living status.
Motorcyclists in ditch on Lanam Ridge Road
VAN BUREN TWP. – On Sept. 1, Sheriff’s Deputy Oliver Hitz responded to a crash between two vehicles on Lanam Ridge Road at the Lester Sisson Road intersection.
According to the report, there were six motorcycles driving together on Lanam Ridge Road when Benjamin Fallon on a red Yamaha YZF-R1 came around a turn and drove off into a ditch on the far-left side of the roadway. Luke Cajda on a yellow Honda CBR saw the crash and when he attempted to stop lost control of the motorcycle causing him to land in the same ditch. When Hitz arrived, medics and firefighters were on the scene treating the drivers for their injuries, before they were transported to IU Health Bloomington Hospital. Both drivers had bruises on their shoulders and upper arms.
The motorcycles were towed to Brown CountyTire .
Vehicle strikes tree debris; driver and passenger unconscious
JACKSON TWP. – On Sept. 2 Sheriff’s Deputy Cody Loncaric responded to a crash on Bear Creek Road at the intersection of Richards Road. Upon arrival he observed a red Chevrolet Equinox off the roadway and firefighters attempting to enter the vehicle.
Both Driver Patricia Murr and Passenger William Murr were unconscious.
According to the report, the fire fighters were unable to get the doors open because they were locked and an odor of gasoline fumes was evident. The fire units broke the glass of the back driver’s side window to open the doors. Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene and began treating the individuals before they were transported to a hospital by Life Line Helicopter Transports.
According to the report, the vehicle left the roadway after losing traction on the gravel and struck tree debris. The vehicle had disabling damage and was transported to Brown County Tire.
