The Press-Dispatch

April 10, 2019

The Press-Dispatch

Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1102906

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 1 of 52

Local ...........A1-8 Obituaries....... A7 Sports .........B1-3 Classifi eds ..B4-6 Church ........C1-4 History ........... C5 Home Life....C6-8 School.......... C11 E. Gibson ...... C12 WHAT'S INSIDE: CONNECT WITH US: NetEdition ...pressdispatch.net/edition Facebook.....facebook.com/pressdispatch E-Mail .........news@pressdispatch.net Phone:.................. 812-354-8500 Fax: ...................... 812-354-2014 E-Mail . editor@pressdispatch.net NEWS TIPS: PIKE PUBLISHING Wednesday, April 10, 2019 Volume 149 Number 15 Phone 812-354-8500 Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 (USPS 604-34012) $ 1 Four sections 52 pages Five inserts See WRIGHT on page 2 Grow together this Spring! Spring HOME GARDEN & By Andy Heuring A 49 -year-old man was arrested on a charge of child solicitation after he repeat- edly contacted a social media profile he be- lieved to be a 13-year-old girl. Jerry Oliver Uppencamp, of Petersburg, was arrested in Hornady Park after he drove there with Mt. Dew and Kit Kat bars he brought to make his encounter with a 13-year-old girl more "romantic." Petersburg Police Sgt. Chad McClellan said a profile he operates presents itself as a 13-year-old girl living in Petersburg. Mc- Clellan said Uppencamp began contacting the profile on Saturday, March 30. During a series of conversations over next few days, Uppencamp made arrangements for him and the 13-year-old girl to meet in Horna- dy Park to have sex. Sgt. McClellan said in his report, initial- ly, Uppencamp said he could "kiss her irl." McClellan said this is text speech for "in re- al life." But as the conversations went on, Uppencamp said he could go to jail if they did anything because he was 49 and she was 13. As the conversations online continued, he suggested they meet in the park and they could have sex in the bathroom or in his car. He later said he would bring a blan- ket and they could walk around the park and look for a place to have sex. He said he would bring Kit Kat candy bars and chips, and they could have a picnic and it would be more romantic. When he made arrangements to meet her in the park at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, he also suggested oral sex. According to McClellan's report, Uppen- camp asked what she liked to drink and she told him Mt. Dew. On April 3, he changed the time to 6:30 p.m. Sgt. McClellan said he was in the park in an unmarked car when he saw Uppencamp drive into Hornady Park and go to the shel- terhouse by the pond. Uppencamp then got out of his truck and went to the nearby bath- room. When McClellan texted Uppencamp that the girl was on her way, Uppencamp exited the bathroom and got into his truck and drove closer to the park exit. Two offi- cers in marked cars took him into custody. Sgt. McClellan said Uppencamp had two Kit Kat bars and Mt. Dews in the seat of his truck. According to McClellan's report, Uppen- camp admitted the profile told him she was 13 and he had told her he was meeting her in the park for sex. But he said he did not plan to go through with it. He only went to the park to tell her no. He was arrested on a Level 4 Felony charge of child solicitation. Petersburg man charged with child solicitation By Andy Heuring The Easter Egg hunt schedule kicks in- to high gear this weekend. There are three in Pike County on Saturday and one the fol- lowing Saturday. OTWELL BEGINS AT NOON The Otwell Easter egg hunt is set for noon on Saturday. It is being co-sponsored by the Otwell Community Center and Ot- well Miller Academy. The hunt will be rain or shine. If there is bad weather, it will be moved inside the Community Center. The Easter Bunny will be there for pictures. PETERSBURG MOOSE AT 1 P.M. The Petersburg Moose sponsored Easter egg hunt is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Satur- day at Hornady Park. It will be divided in- to age groups of 0 -2, 3-5, 6 -8, 9 -10 and spe- cial needs. The rain date is April 20. UNION EASTER EGG HUNT ALSO AT 1 P.M. The Union Community Church spon- sored Easter egg hunt is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, beside the church on CR 850 W. They will also have free hot dogs, chips and drinks provided. It is rain or shine. They will give a scooter to the winning prize egg in each age group. The hunt is for children ages two to 12. LITTLE LEAGUE EGG HUNT ON SATURDAY, APRIL 20 The Petersburg Little League has sched- uled their first Easter egg hunt for 1 p.m. on April 20 at the Little League fields. They will have between 1,500 and 2,000 eggs for children up to 14 years old. Egg hunts scheduled for this Saturday Deer, fog triggers three-vehicle crash A deer and thick fog triggered a three-vehicle crash Tuesday morning on Highway 56 near the Pike-Dubois County line. Mallory Libbert, 28, of Jasper, was driving west on Highway 56, just east of Highway 257. Pike County Deputy Sheriff Brad Jenkins said a deer ran in front of Libbert and she braked hard. Carles G. Heller, 57, of Washington, was follow- ing her and due to the fog, he didn't see her slowing soon enough. Deputy Jenkins said Heller, who also had a trailer, couldn't get stopped so he tried to drive around Libbert. When he got into the other lane, he saw the oncoming trash truck driven by Charles E. Wiscaver, 57, of Petersburg. Deputy Jenkins said Heller then attempted to swerve back into the westbound lane, but hit Libbert and then was hit by Wiscaver. The accident was reported at 7:18 a.m. Damage was significant to all three vehicles, but no one was injured. Depu- ty Jenkins said it appeared due to the thick fog, none of the drivers were going very fast, which minimized the crash. By Andy Heuring A resigned Petersburg City Police Of- ficer has admitted to taking money from the evidence cage. He resigned last week and has since replaced the money he ad- mitted taking. Cpl. Scott Wright resigned last week. His resignation was announced at last Monday night's City Council meeting. At the time, it was announced he resigned for person- al reasons. "We found out at the end of last week," said Pike County Prosecutor Darin Mc- Donald. "By Monday, we had a fixed body of information of things we knew for sure. We believe there are three cases affected. Chuck (Baumgart) has had a look at the in- formation we got to confirm it, but it wasn't a true audit." He added the Indiana State Police are go- ing to be asked to conduct an audit. No charges have been filed yet against Wright. McDonald said, "We want their (State Police) say before we move forward," said McDonald. Wright was the evidence clerk for the Pe- tersburg Police Department. Petersburg Police Chief Chuck Baumgart and McDonald said Wright "has admitted certain things." "He came forward with the money and immediately replaced it. Once he came forward, he hasn't made any excuses oth- er than he is awaiting the investigation," said McDonald. Baumgart said he looked through the ev- idence involved in the three cases where Wright had admitted taking money that had Wright returns money, faces investigation By Andy Heuring Winslow's boil order will extend at least through Friday. A main waterline running along Main St. in Winslow broke between Lafayette and North St. on Saturday. It was noticed at about 10 a.m. when pave- ment on Highway 61 humped up, with wa- ter flowing from it and out a cut in the curb nearby. Gary McCandless, who is contract- ed by Winslow to oversee their water dis- tribution, said the location of the break in the line fooled them. He said they started digging in the area where the pavement humped up. But because of concrete in the area, the leak was about 10 feet away from where they were digging. He said they eventually had to rent a jack- hammer to get through the concrete to get to the line break. With the complications of the concrete, crews weren't able to find the line break un- til about 7 p.m. Waterline break causes Winslow boil order through Friday Petersburg Little League Opening Day is scheduled for Saturday, April 13. It will start at 10 :30 a.m. with lineup beginning at 10 a.m. It will begin on Walnut St. in front of the Old Petersburg Gym. The parade will proceed to Main St., then south to Fifth St. then onto the American Legion Field complex. Opening ceremonies will follow the pa- rade. Pike County Sheriff Kent Johnson will throw out the first pitch. The Petersburg VFW will provide a color guard. Emily Mc- Gillem will sing the National Anthem and Scott Fulcher with the Bible Baptist Church will have an opening prayer. Winslow's opening day parade is set for Saturday, April 27. It will start at the Win- slow Fire Department and proceed north on Main St to the Little League fields. They will introduce the teams, and the games in the various age groups will start. Petersburg Little League Opening Day is Saturday See WATER on page 2 Easter Egg hunts begin Kinsey Mattingly eagerly looks through the eggs she found during the Win- slow House of Mercy Easter Egg hunt on Saturday morning as her friend, Willow Green, looks over her shoulder. (See more photos on page A-8.) There are three more Easter Egg hunts next weekend.

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Press-Dispatch - April 10, 2019