Bartholomew County commissioners are checking whether fines could be increased for motorists caught driving through “road closed” barricades during flooding.
By a vote of 2-1, the Bartholomew County commissioners agreed to ask county attorney Grant Tucker to use specific parts of existing ordinances from Jackson and Vanderburgh counties to fashion a new Bartholomew County ordinance for consideration. These counties have established $500 fines for violations of driving past barricades.
On Monday, Bartholomew County Emergency Management Director Shannan Hinton asked the commissioners to increase the fine for these violations from the county’s current fine of $140 to $500.
“If there is more of a financial impact on the pocketbook, maybe that will get the attention (of drivers) to stop before they get stuck,” Hinton said.
However, having a proposed ordinance drawn up doesn’t necessarily mean the commissioners will support it, Commissioner Carl Lienhoop said twice during Monday’s meeting.
Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz brought up an example of a hypothetical single mother who is working multiple jobs to illustrate his concern.
“I don’t think she really contemplates whether there is going to be a fine,” Kleinhenz said. “She’s just trying to get home or get to work. And if it’s a $500 fine, how is she going to pay it?”
Casting the only vote against creating an ordinance, commissioners Chairman Rick Flohr said he doesn’t believe a higher fine will deter most people from driving past “road closed” signs into high water.
“The flooding is happening in areas that people already know where it’s possible to drive through or not,” Flohr said.
Hinton replied no driver understands how fast a current is moving, whether asphalt has collapsed under water or whether hidden debris may damage their vehicle.
There are times when “road closed” signs stay up for hours after the water recedes, rendering hefty fines inappropriate, audience member David Doup said.
In response, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department’s road division commander Capt. Dave Steinkoenig said his deputies have discretion, and likely would not write a ticket if there was no high water.
Bartholomew County residents ignoring “road closed” signs during floods is nothing new. There have been 514 calls for water rescues in Bartholomew County over the past five years, Hinton said.
A 2-year-old Indianapolis boy drowned May 2 after his mother drove through high water in Wabash County, she said.
A few weeks ago, 10 drivers were cited for driving through a “road closed” sign on South Gladstone Avenue, Hinton said. In February, several drivers drove around “road closed” signs and manned patrol cars to get through a flooded road in German Township, Steinkoenig said.
Most first responders in Columbus, including police, firefighters, emergency dispatchers and city garage administrators, said they favored higher fines during a March discussion, Hinton said.
Being fined $140 may sting a little bit, but it’s not enough to discourage repeat offenders, Columbus Fire Department Deputy Chief Andy Lay said.
Jackson County is considering raising its current $500 fine to $1,000 in order to raise money for their water rescue efforts, Steinkoenig said.
In contrast, the Bartholomew County Water Rescue Recovery team doesn’t have its own budget, and is almost entirely dependent on donations and grants, Hinton said.
If approved, some money from increased fines should be used to help fund the recovery team, as well as acquire more “road closed” and “high water” signs, Hinton said. These signs frequently disappear from where they were placed, Steinkoenig said.
While most people are unaware of any fines for driving past “road closed” signs, Hinton said the county highway department is willing to post fine amounts on their signs, as well as install attention-getting flashers.
No timetable was set during the meeting for Tucker to present a draft of the proposed ordinance.
