West Terre Haute man charged with stalking
NASHVILLE — A 42-year-old West Terre Haute man, Joshua Holsinger, has been charged with Level 5 felony stalking, two Class A misdemeanors, intimidation and activity related to obscene performance, and Class B misdemeanor for harassment.
In July, Sheriff’s Deputy Jeffrey Dames took a report of harassment concerning messages the victim was receiving from someone she had met two years prior.
According to the report, the victim met Holsinger on the dating app Bumble, and he began texting her nearly every day. Holsinger would ask the victim to text him back, and when she did not, he would allegedly message her from a completely different number.
Between December 2022 and September 2024, Holsinger allegedly contacted the victim from 16 different phone numbers. The phone numbers were found to be “spoof numbers” — numbers generated by using a texting application used to conceal a person’s real information.
According to the report, Holsinger’s messages to the victim were sexual in nature, including unsolicited nude photographs and videos, disturbing messages and threats of blackmail.
Authorities said when the victim did not respond, Holsinger claimed that he knew where she lived and what her mother’s name was. According to the report, he also stated he was going to send nude images of her to her mom and coworkers if she did not message him back and meet him in person. He also allegedly threatened to blackmail her with the photographs if she did not have sex with him.
According to the report, the victim alerted Detective Brian Shrader that Holsinger wanted to meet up with her on Sept. 29 near the T.C. Steele Home on T.C. Steele Road. The meeting was to take place at 5 p.m., and Holsinger allegedly wanted to take the victim to the Painter’s Cabin. Shrader and Deputy Chief Paul Henderson went to the cabin to wait for Holsinger instead, and the victim alerted them when he arrived. When they saw Holsinger’s vehicle, a red Ford Fusion, sitting in the pull-off, they approached and instructed him to step out of the vehicle. According to the report, they found a handgun in Holsinger’s front pocket and a pair of blue medical gloves in the vehicle along with his keys and identification.
According to the report, Holsinger admitted that he was harassing the victim and blackmailing her with photographs, but was never going to send them to anyone. He also admitted that he looked up her address, mother’s information and coworkers on the internet.
Two-vehicle accident, one upside down in ditch
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP — On Oct. 6, sheriff’s deputies Heath Young and Jeffrey Dames responded to reports of a motor vehicle crash with unknown injuries on State Road 46 at the Bambi Lane intersection.
According to the report, a white Kia Soul driven by Austin Deshawn, 21, of Columbus, was upside down in a ditch and a bronze Mercury Sable driven by Jason Byrne, 46, of North Vernon, was sitting in the middle of the road. Deshawn advised the deputies that Byrne came into his lane and struck the vehicle head on, Deshawn’s vehicle stayed on the road for a short distance before rolling into a ditch and coming to rest on its roof.
Byrne was unable to give a statement as he was transported to the hospital. According to the report, Byrne has a suspended driver’s license with a prior conviction within 10 years.
Airborne item strikes car, driver injured
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP — On Oct. 3, Lt. Colton Magner was dispatched to State Road 46 near Jackson Creek Road for a crash with property damage. According to the report, an item had become airborne and struck another vehicle.
Samuel Robertson, 47, of Nashville, was driving a gray Tesla Model Y hauling a trailer when a section of the hot tub he was hauling allegedly flew from the trailer, striking red Kia Seltos driven by Ginny Henson, 42, from Morgantown. Henson’s vehicle sustained significant damage to the driver’s side hood, windshield, roof and driver’s mirror. Henson had minor cuts on her hands and arms that appeared to be from shattered glass. Robertson was uninjured and his vehicle received no visible damage. According to the report, the load had one wide ratchet strap, which Robertson stated had been holding everything from moving before he started driving.
