Township trustee, wife, injured in chain-reaction hit-and-run accident

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July 2, 2019

Columbus Township Trustee Ben Jackson and his wife Amy suffered minor injuries after being involved in a chain-reaction hit-and-run accident at Central Avenue and U.S. 31 this morning.

At about 8:30 a.m. this morning, Jackson and his wife were traveling behind a minivan southbound on Central and were stopped at U.S. 31, when a Cadillac rear-ended Jackson’s truck, causing it to strike the minivan in front of it, said Sgt. Alyson Eichel, Columbus Police Department spokesman.

The driver of the Cadillac, later identified as Daniel R. Murray, 36, of 3301 McCullough Lane, then backed up, did a U-turn and headed north on Central Avenue, Eichel said.

Because of damage to the Cadillac’s front end, officers were able to track leaking fluid from the car from where it drove away and witnesses helped officers locate the vehicle in a garage in the 3300 block of McCullough Lane, Eichel said.

When officers arrived, and began requesting a search warrant at the scene, Murray ran away from the residence on foot and was pursued by Columbus police officers for about two blocks, when he stopped, and was then taken into custody, Eichel said.

Murray was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital to be checked out and then to the Bartholomew County Jail on a preliminary charge of leaving the scene of an accident, Eichel said.

The Jacksons were treated and released from CRH and the occupants of the minivan were not believed to be injured, according to investigators.

Duke Energy seeks 15 percent rate increase on electric service

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Staff Reports

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July 2, 2019

PLAINFIELD — Duke Energy has filed a rate increase request with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to increase its annualized revenue by $395 million, for an overall average rate increase of about 15% across all customer groups.

If approved, the increase will be added to bills in two steps, approximately 13% in mid-2020 and 2% in 2021.Timing will depend on state regulatory commission action.

The increase will vary among consumers depending on the cost to serve different types of customers. If approved by the commission, the company’s typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month could expect a monthly bill increase of about $23, or approximately 77 cents per day, which includes both steps of the increase.

“We’ve made investments to meet the needs of a customer base that has grown by more than 100,000 since our last full-scale rate review,” said Duke Energy Indiana President Stan Pinegar. “We also have environmental responsibilities and are taking significant steps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and move to a cleaner power generation mix. And we are upgrading our electric grid to improve reliability, help avoid power outages and speed service restoration when outages do occur.”

To help customers save on their electric bills, the company is proposing a pilot program with time-of-use rates where customers can lower their bills on high power demand days by shifting their power usage to times of day when energy is less expensive.

The regulatory review process will include an opportunity for public comment.

For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.

Looking Back – July 2

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Staff Reports

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July 2, 2019

From left, Marilyn Jerman, David Green, Debbie Riga and Randy Stafford were recipients of the Jack Cramer Ideals of Athletic Competition Award in 2009. From The Republic archives

2009

Irwin Financial Corp. sold about $190 million in commercial loans and planned to sell three of its Indiana bank branches to First Financial Bank to allow more time to complete a deal that would infuse the corporation with capital after the loss of more than $400 million in the previous five quarters.

1994

The Catholic Community of Columbus, including St. Bartholomew and St. Columba churches, began operating as one, unified parish under the name St. Bartholomew, making it the 10th largest parish in the Indianapolis Archdiocese with 4,000 parishioners.

1969

School board members met with the architect of Southside Junior High School to discuss stopping water seeping into and filling the swimming pool area at the new school, scheduled to open in September.

Local Police, Fire – July 2

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Staff Reports

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July 2, 2019

Police, Fire

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following information was summarized from the records of city, county, and state police, fire and hospital agencies.

Arrests

Friday

Jerry W. Cossell, 43, of 238 N. Ross St., Columbus, battery, two Bartholomew County warrants, 5:46 p.m., by the Columbus Police Department, held in lieu of $16,500 bond.

Allan W. Burke, 66, Seymour, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident, 6:50 p.m., by the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, released on $7,500 bond.

Dustin L. Carroll, 27, Indianapolis, Bartholomew County warrant, 8:06 p.m., by the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, released on $3,500 bond.

Brett A. Henderson, 43, of 2817 13th St., Columbus, Bartholomew County warrant, 11:16 p.m., by the Columbus Police Department, held in lieu of $750.

Hunter C. Albright, 20, 154 Hitchcock Drive, Hope, battery, intimidation, 11:46 p.m., by the Hope Police Department, held in lieu of $18,500 bond.

Saturday

Alicia C.R. Frazer, 19, of 31 S Ross St., Columbus, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession or use or legend drug or precursor, legend drug injection devices, 2:35 a.m., by the Columbus Police Department, held in lieu of $126,000 bond.

Bryan W. Lambert, 25, Edinburgh, public intoxication, three Bartholomew County warrants, 3:48 a.m., by the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, held without bond.

Weldon C. Willey, 43, Shelbyville, possession of marijuana, legend drug injection devices, out-of-county warrant, possession of paraphernalia, 5:14 a.m., by the Hope Police Department, held without bond.

Troy R. Fear, 48, of 2714 31st St., Columbus, operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol content of .15 percent or more, 5:51 a.m., by the Columbus Police Department, released on $5,000 bond.

Fire, medic runs

Friday

2:34 a.m. — Person injured in a fall in the 800 block of Main Street.

11:31 a.m. — Person injured in a fall in the 18000 block of East Columbine Court.

11:40 a.m. — Person injured in a fall in the 2400 block of Franklin Street.

12:31 p.m. — Person injured — work related in the 9000 block of East 25th Street.

6:48 p.m. — Person injured in a fall in the 300 block of South Gladstone Avenue.

Incidents

Friday

1:58 a.m. — Battery in the 2400 block of 17th Street.

3 a.m. — Theft in the 1400 block of South Heights Court.

4:16 a.m. — Residential entry in the 500 block of Parkway Drive.

6:33 a.m. — Battery in the 2100 block of Sixth Street.

7:05 a.m. — Property-damage accident in the 300 block of Oakbrook Drive.

9:50 a.m. — Residential burglary in the 12000 block of South County Road 400W.

10:45 a.m. — Property-damage accident in the 3000 block of North National Road.

11:55 a.m. — Theft in the 700 block of Harrison Street.

12:25 p.m. — Residential burglary in the 6500 block of South County Road 550W.

1:34 p.m. — Theft in the 2100 block of Pennsylvania Street.

1:37 p.m. — Subject refusing to leave in the 1000 block of Sycamore Street.

2:36 p.m. — Property-damage accident at the intersection of Second and Brown Streets.

3:52 p.m. — Theft in the 600 block of Glendale Drive.

4:10 p.m. — Property-damage accident in the 3100 block of 25th Street.

5:04 p.m. — Shoplifting in the 3100 block of Columbus Center.

8:52 p.m. — Vandalism in the 2000 block of Central Avenue.

9:57 p.m. — Shots fired in the 700 block of Seventh Street.

10:17 p.m. — Leaving the scene of an accident in the 15000 block of South County Road 200W.

TV Sports Today – July 2

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Staff Reports

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July 2, 2019

STOCK - TV Sports — Friends Watching Sport Celebrating Goal

Beach volleyball

FIVB World Championships, Noon (NBCSN)

MLB

Brewers at Reds, 7 p.m. (Fox Sports Indiana)

Yankees at Mets or Phillies at Braves, 7 p.m. (MLB)

NBA

NBA Summer League: Grizzlies vs. Spurs, 7 p.m. (NBA)

NBA Summer League: Lakers vs. Warriors, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)

NBA Summer League: Cavs vs. Jazz, 9 p.m. (NBA)

Men’s soccer

CONCACAF Gold Cup: Mexico vs. Haiti, semifinal, 10:30 p.m. (FS1)

Women’s soccer

FIFA World Cup: United States vs. England, semifinal, 3 p.m. (FOX)

Tennis

Wimbledon: first round, 6 a.m., 11 a.m. and second round 6 a.m. Wednesday (ESPN)

WNBA

Dream at Lynx, 8 p.m. (CBSSN)

One rescued, one missing after boat accident on the Ohio River

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Staff Reports

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July 2, 2019

CLARKSVILLE — One man has been rescued from the Ohio River by the Clarksville Fire Department after the boat he was in crashed into the upper gates of the McAlpine Dam on Monday.

Indiana Conservation Officers along with multiple other agencies are resuming their search this morning for the boat and its operator, who failed to resurface after the boat capsized.

Shortly after 6:30 p.m. Monday, emergency crews responded to the McAlpine Dam area after witnesses observed the boat capsize, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

The operator, Donald Watson, 26, of Louisville, and his passenger, Levell Washington, 28, of Jeffersonville, were both thrown overboard after an apparent malfunction with the boat’s motor near the dam.

Washington managed to jump from the boat and was swept through the gates of the dam before being rescued by Clarksville Fire Department. Watson was seen struggling to stay afloat before disappearing beneath the surface.

Preliminary investigation indicates that Washington had purchased the 18-foot fiberglass boat earlier this week, and this was his first time operating the boat on the Ohio River. Neither of the men was initially wearing life jackets, but according to interviews both did manage to put them on just prior to the collision.

Indiana Conservation Officers are continuing to investigate with assistance from local agencies. Multiple agencies responded to the scene including Indiana conservation officers, Clarksville Fire Department, Clarksville Police Department, New Albany Fire Department, New Albany Police Department, Indiana State Police, Louisville Fire Department, Jeffersonville Fire Department, and Yellow EMS.

Upcoming Sports – July 2

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Staff Reports

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July 2, 2019

Cincinnati Reds baseball

Today vs. Brewers, 7:10 p.m. (Fox Sports Indiana)

Wednesday vs. Brewers, 7:10 p.m. (Fox Sports Indiana)

Thursday vs. Brewers, 2:10 p.m. (Fox Sports Indiana)

Indianapolis Indians baseball

Today at Louisville, 7 p.m.

Wednesday at Louisville, 6:45 p.m.

Thursday vs. Toledo, 6:15 p.m.

Indy Eleven soccer

July 13 vs. Hartford Atlantic, 5 p.m.

July 20 vs. Loudoun United FC, 7 p.m. (WISH-8)

July 27 at Nashville SC, 8 p.m.

NASCAR Monster Energy Series

Saturday at Daytona, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

July 13 at Kentucky, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

July 21 at New Hampshire, 3 p.m. (NBCSN)

NTT IndyCar Series

July 14 at Toronto, 3:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

July 20 at Newton, Iowa, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)

July 28 at Mid-Ohio, 4 p.m. (NBC)

Chas “Gene” Settle

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Staff Reports

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July 2, 2019

COLUMBUS

Chas Eugene “Gene” Settle, 101, of Columbus, passed away July 1, 2019 at Silver Oaks Health Campus. Arrangements are pending at Myers-Reed Chapel.

Sharon K. Tompkins

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Staff Reports

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July 2, 2019

COLUMBUS, INDIANA

Sharon K Tompkins, 72, of Columbus, passed away Sunday June 31, 2019 at Our Hospice of South Central Indiana Inpatient Facility. She was born December 31, 1946 in Columbus, Indiana to the late James F. and Ruby M. (Eades) Robertson.

Sharon was the owner of Bartholomew County Title Company for many years. She loved to travel and enjoyed watching the hummingbirds around her home.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday July 6, 2019 at Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home with Pastor Roy Hendershot officiating. Following the service, she will be laid to rest in Garland Brook Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

The family has requested that those wishing to make memorial contributions in memory of Sharon be made to Our Hospice of South Central Indiana through the funeral home.

Sharon is survived by the joy of her life, her son Chris (Danyel Jones) Tompkins of Columbus; her sister, Phyllis (Jim) Hole of Columbus; step grandchildren, Gaby Martindale and Luc White; niece Jennifer Grant and nephew Brian Hole.

You are invited to view her video tribute, light a virtual candle and share a memory of Sandra via the funeral home website: jewellrittman.com

Hal Victor Driver Jr.

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Staff Reports

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July 2, 2019

COLUMBUS, INDIANA

Hal Victor Driver Jr., 73, of Columbus, Indiana, died Saturday, June 29, 2019.

He was born to Hal V. and Mary C. Dally Driver on June 8, 1946 in Yokohama, Japan.

He graduated from Brownstown Central High School in 1964 and received a BA and MS in Education from Indiana University in 1970. He married Annette Schneider in 1970.

Hal was an elementary teacher at Richards Elementary until he retired, and then worked at Walmart in Seymour, Indiana.

He is survived by his wife, Annette, and their children, Tom (Laura) Driver of Chicago, Illinois and Susan (Jason) Ziegler of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania; and grandchildren, Madeleine and Hammond Ziegler.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

A memorial service will be held at 12:30 p.m. Friday, July 5, 2019 at Faith Lutheran Church, 6000 West State Road 46, Columbus, Indiana, with Pastor Todd Riordan officiating. Friends are welcome to visitation from 11:30 a.m. until service time Friday.

The committal service and inurnment will follow at 3 p.m. Friday at River View Cemetery in Aurora, Indiana.

In lieu of flowers the family ask that memorial contributions be given to Faith Lutheran Church or the donor’s choice of charities.

Online condolences and special memories may be shared with the Driver family at www.barkesweaverglick.com.

Caring service is being provided by Barkes, Weaver & Glick Funeral Home.