MOUNT VERNON, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is announcing there will be temporary lane restrictions on the State Road 62 Wabash Memorial Toll Bridge.  

On Thursday, May 16, bridge inspection teams will finish their bi-annual inspection of the structure. This work is scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time.  Crews will use Friday, May 17, should weather be a factor.  

The east bound lane of S.R. 62 will be closed to allow crews and equipment to set up for the inspections.  Traffic will be maintained on the west bound lanes and will be controlled by flag persons on each end of the work site.  Motorists should anticipate delays. 

INDOT encourages motorists to slow down and pay special attention while traveling in work zones throughout Indiana.  For the latest news and information about INDOT, please visit www.in.gov/indot and www.trafficwise.in.gov

Posey County – Friday morning, May 10, at approximately 8:15 a.m.., Indiana State Police arrested Alice M. Gates, 64, 10340 Middle Mount Vernon Road, Evansville, for practicing nurse-midwifery without a license. A felony warrant was issued for her arrest yesterday. 

On December 21, 2012, Indiana State Police initiated a criminal investigation after receiving information an infant had been transported by ambulance from a home in rural Posey County to St. Mary’s Hospital in Evansville. The infant, who was later identified as Mara McDonald, was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. 

The mother, Annika McDonald, 21, of 10032 Wolfinger Road, Mt. Vernon, started to receive prenatal care with Gates, who claimed to be a midwife, at around nine weeks. McDonald was also seen by a physician on two separate occasions. According to Detective Toni Walden, the mother never had an ultrasound or any blood tests during her pregnancy. 

Gates was summoned to the McDonald residence at approximately 2:00 a.m. on December 20th after she started to experience labor pains. Approximately two hours later, McDonald gave birth to her daughter. Gates was present during the birth, but left the residence about two hours later. At approximately 3:00 p.m., the parents summoned Gates back to their residence because their daughter was having difficulty breathing. Gates allegedly examined the infant and determined the respiratory distress wasn’t severe and that the parents could continue to watch their child at home or take her to a hospital. The parents decided to keep their child at home and continue to monitor her condition. During the early morning hours on December 21, both parents noticed their newborn daughter had stopped breathing and summoned an ambulance. Medical personnel attempted to revive the infant, but they were unsuccessful. 

An autopsy revealed Mara McDonald’s death was caused by respiratory arrest due to acute lobar pneumonia. 

Further investigation revealed Gates did not have a license to practice as a nurse-midwife. She was arrested this morning without incident at her residence and taken to the Posey County Jail where she was released after posting bond. 

Arrested and Charge: 
• Alice M. Gates, 64, 10340 Middle Mount Vernon Road, Evansville, IN 
1. Practicing Nurse-Midwifery without a License, Class D Felony 

Investigating Officer: Detective Toni Walden, Indiana State Police 

MOUNT VERNON, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is announcing there will be temporary lane restrictions on the State Road 62 Wabash Memorial Toll Bridge next week.  

Starting on Monday, April 22, bridge inspection teams will be completing their bi-annual inspection of the structure.  This work is scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time each day through Wednesday, April 24, weather permitting.     

The east bound lane of S.R. 62 will be closed to allow crews and equipment to set up for the inspections.  Traffic will be maintained on the west bound lanes and will be controlled by flag persons on each end of the work site.  Motorists should anticipate delays. 

INDOT encourages motorists to slow down and pay special attention while traveling in work zones throughout Indiana.  For the latest news and information about INDOT, please visit www.in.gov/indot and www.trafficwise.in.gov

Gibson County – Tuesday night, February 19, at approximately 7:47 p.m., Trooper John Davis was operating radar on S.R. 64 at Jackson Street in Oakland City when he stopped the driver of a 2001 Chevrolet pickup truck for driving 47 mph in a 30 mph zone. The driver was identified as Joseph Tieken, 36, of Mt. Vernon. His 17-year-old girlfriend was a passenger. Trooper Davis detected an odor of burnt marijuana while talking to Tieken. During the traffic stop it was revealed that Tieken had been smoking marijuana earlier while driving. It was also determined that Tieken had allegedly given a small bag of marijuana to his girlfriend to hide in her shirt. Further investigation revealed his girlfriend had placed the marijuana inside her shirt just prior to Trooper Davis approaching the vehicle. Tieken was arrested and taken to the Gibson County Jail where he is currently being held on bond. The 17-year-old female was not arrested. Tieken was arrested in January 2012 for possessing marijuana. 

Arrested and Charges: 
• Joseph S. Tieken, 36, Mt. Vernon, In 
1. Possession of Marijuana with a Prior Conviction 
2. Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Class A Misdemeanor 

Arresting Officer: Trooper John Davis, Indiana State Police
Assisting Agency: Oakland City Police 


SOURCE: Indiana State Police

Posey County – Friday night, February 15, at approximately 11:56 p.m., Sergeant Russ Werkmeister stopped the driver of a 2008 Toyota for making an unsafe lane movement and speeding on SR 62 near Davis Road. The driver was identified as Erika Thomas, 43, of Mt. Vernon. Her 15-year-old daughter was a passenger in the car. Further investigation revealed she had a blood alcohol content of .21 %. Thomas was arrested and taken to the Posey County Jail where she is currently being held on bond. 

Arrested and Charge: 
• Erika B. Thomas, 43, Mt. Vernon, IN 
1. Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated with a Passenger less than 18 years of age, 
Class D Felony 

Arresting Officers: Sergeant Russ Werkmeister and Trooper Korey Mauck, Indiana State Police 


SOURCE: Indiana State Police

SHARING A NOTICE FROM A FACEBOOK FOLLOWER:
ATTENTION: Evansville and surrounding areas, a group of my friends have put together a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the loves lost in Newtown, Connecticut. This vigil will be held at the Mount Vernon riverfront on Friday the 21st at 6 p.m. I hope you all can make it please bring your own candles as many as you would like and also there will be a box for cards and they are trying to raise $2,500 for those families for funeral costs etc.. Thank you in advance. Please come light a candle in honor of those innocent lives that were lost!

Posey County – Early Sunday morning, December 16, at approximately 1:20 a.m., Trooper Korey Mauck and Trooper Lucas Zeien stopped the driver of a 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser for making an unsafe lane movement on S.R. 62 near State Street in Mt. Vernon. The driver was identified as James O’Toole, 38, of Evansville. While talking to O’Toole, Trooper Mauck noticed a plastic bag containing pills in his front coat pocket. After O’Toole was ordered to exit the vehicle, Trooper Zeien observed a hypodermic needle lying on the driver’s seat. When troopers searched O’Toole they found a spoon in his left pants pocket with a white unknown substance on it. A search of the vehicle revealed a large unmarked prescription bottle under the driver’s seat that contained more pills. Between the pills found in the plastic bag and the bottle, troopers had 230 pills that were later identified as Oxycodon. Further investigation revealed the hypodermic needle and spoon contained meth. O’Toole was arrested and taken to the Posey County Jail where he’s currently being held on bond. 

ARRESTED AND CHARGES: 
• James M. O’Toole, 38, Evansville, IN 
1. Possession of Meth, Class D Felony 
2. Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance, Class D Felony 
3. Possession of Hypodermic Needle, Class D Felony 

Arresting Officer: Trooper Korey Mauck, Indiana State Police 
Assisting Officer: Trooper Lucas Zeien, Indiana State Police 

MT. VERNON, Ind. – The Wabash Memorial Toll Bridge is improving customer service and enhancing toll collection services while maintaining the convenience of no-stop tolling. During pavement repairs to Indiana State Road 62 approaching the bridge, workers installed new electronic tolling equipment with message boards for improved communication. 

The improvements require no changes to current Wabash Pass transponders. Existing accounts logging in to www.wabashpass.com will be asked to update account information, including a valid email address. The enhanced Wabash Pass website allows customers to auto-replenish toll payment accounts. 

Motorists crossing the Wabash Memorial Toll Bridge must maintain a Wabash Pass account balance and affix the transponder tag to their vehicle’s front windshield. To create an account, make a payment or order a transponder tag, please visit www.wabashpass.com or call toll free 1-855-Wabash1 (1-855-922-2741). 

Tolls for the bridge connecting White County, Ill., and Posey County, Ind., are 50 cents for cars, 30 cents for motorcycles or bicycles and $1.70 for six-axle trucks. Tolls have not been increased since 1984 and pay for continued maintenance of the bridge, which opened in 1956.


SOURCE: INDOT

Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office News Release:
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office has arrested a Mt. Vernon, Indiana man on multiple out-of-state and local warrants  The sheriff's office first received information that Ivan Joseph Stark may be in the area in July of this year. Stark was wanted on warrants out of Colorado,  Missouri and Vanderburgh County. Stark was not located at that time. 

On October 25, 2012 additional information was developed and the investigation was renewed. On 10-31-12, deputies with the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Officer, U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force , Indiana State Police and the Posey County Sheriff's Office located Stark at a Posey county residence. He was arrested without incident. 

The address was his residence which he shared with his wife under an assumed name. He was apparently married under this name and had established an identity as a professional fisherman and race car driver. A 2011 Toyota Sequoia that was reported stolen from Broken Arrow, OK was also recovered. Deputies discovered information leading the to the recover of a stolen race car in Clarksville, TN. 

Stark was arrested and is currently housed in the Vanderburgh County Detention Center for the $2,500 for the local warrant as well as no bond holds for the out-of-state warrants.


Arrested:
Ivan Joseph Stark, Jr. aka Bobby Joseph Stark, age 40 - Mt Vernon, IN

Charges:

• Warrant - Forgery - $2,500 bond, Vanderburgh County, IN
• Warrant - Theft, Fraud by Check - $30,000 bond, Larimer County, CO
• Warrant - Larceny - $50,000 bond, Jefferson City, MO
• Warrant - Larceny - No Bond Info, Jefferson City, MO
• Warrant - Fraud - No Bond Info, Jefferson City, MO
• Warrant - Larceny - No Bond, Douglas County, CO
• Warrant - Theft, Fraud by Check - No Bond Info, Lakewood PD, CO

MOUNT VERNON, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is announcing there will be temporary lane restrictions on State Road 62 (S.R. 62) in Posey County at the Wabash Memorial Toll Bridge. 

Starting on or after Tuesday, October 16, crews will begin a pavement repair project at the Toll Bridge.  As part of the project, the existing overhead gantry will be moved to the east to accommodate equipment upgrades. It also includes guard rail improvements.   

The roadway will be reduced to one 13-foot 5-inch lane and traffic will be maintained by temporary traffic signals.  There is also a restriction that no loads over 13 feet 6 inches in height will be allowed through the work zone.  All work is scheduled to be complete within two to three weeks, weather, material and equipment permitting.  

INDOT encourages motorists to slow down and pay special attention while traveling in work zones throughout Indiana.  For the latest news and information about INDOT, please visit www.in.gov/indot and www.trafficwise.in.gov