The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1359118
Wednesday, april 7, 2021 PIKE PUBLISHING VOlUMe 151, nUMBer 14 NEWS TIPS Phone: ���������������������812-354-8500 Email ����� editor@pressdispatch�net INSIDE Local ���������������� A1-12 Obituaries ���������������A6 East Gibson������������ A7 School �������������� A8-9 Opinion ����������B10-11 Sports �����������������B1-2 Church ��������������B3-5 Classifieds ���������� B6-8 History �������������������B9 Home Life �������� B10-12 Home & Garden ������� S USPS 604-34012 $1.00 40 paGes FOUr seCTiOns Three inserTs peTersBUrG, in 47567-0068 Ed Fox See SPIDER-MAN on page 2 See FOX TRIAL on page 2 By Andy Heuring The trial of a rural Petersburg man charged with murdering his wife has been rescheduled to July 26, 2021. Edward A. Fox, 64, of 3081 N. CR 575 E., Petersburg, is scheduled for a four-week tri- al beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, July 26 in Pike Circuit Court. Fox is charged with murder, a level 1 felo- ny; burglary, where serious bodily injury oc- curs, a level 1 felony; and burglary to a dwell- ing, a level 4 felony. Fox was arrested about three months after the death of his estranged wife, Sharon. He called police on the afternoon of Sunday, Ju- ly 19, 2020, to tell them his son said he hadn't been able to get ahold of Sharon for a few days. Fox asked police to check on her. When police went to the Fox residence, Pike County Deputy Sheriff Jar- ed Simmons saw Sharon's body at the bottom of the basement steps. The next day, when po- lice talked with Fox, he became belligerent when they asked to take control of his cellphone and got into a physical alter- cation with them. He was arrested at the time and charged with obstruction of justice, know- ingly or intentionally interfering in an official proceeding and resisting law enforcement. Two days later, on July 24, he was charged with residential breaking and entering. Over the next few weeks, as police inter- viewed Fox four separate times, they said he repeatedly gave them incorrect information or omitted information. Indiana State Police Detective Tobias Odom, in a probable cause, stated, "Each successive interview sought to clean up false statements Edward had made in the previous interview, essentially by Edward's admission to the deception and then again being deceit- ful in trying to explain the concealment or omission." Investigators got search warrants for Fox's CPAP (breathing) machine and cellphone tracking data. They also found he had at least one insurance policy on Sharon, with him as Fox murder trial reset for July 26 By Andy Heuring A nine-year-old girl was injured Tuesday evening when she rode into the side of a pass- ing vehicle on Main St., Petersburg. Lily Burns, 9, of 1406 E. Main St., Peters- burg, suffered head, hand and possible inter- nal injuries in the accident. Indiana State Trooper Hunter Manning said Cassie Loveless, 37, of Winslow, was driving south on Highway 57 and Burns rode from 14th St., which tees into Highway 57, just north of the Christian Church. "She (Loveless) said she was driving about 30 to 35 mph and didn't see Burns until her bike hit her Jeep Rene- gade. She thought she was going about 30 to 35 mph, which makes sense because it didn't take her long to stop," said Trooper Manning. He said Burns was thrown from the bike, away from Loveless' vehicle. He said she hit at the front left corner of the car. "If it had been just a millisecond sooner, it would have been a front-end impact," said Manning. Burns was taken by Pike County EMS to Deaconess Midtown in Evansville on Tuesday. On Thursday, Trooper Manning said she was still in the hospital for observation of possible internal injuries. Lily was released from the hospital on Mon- day. Neighbors said several children were out Tuesday evening riding bikes in the area just shortly before the accident happened. Petersburg girl injured in collision with vehicle By Andy Heuring A man claiming to be Spider-Man was arrested after running in a busi- ness and scaling a wall to an up- stairs balcony two stories high Sun- day afternoon. Jason Hammock, 45, of 304 S. 15th St., Petersburg, was arrested on charges of public intoxication, disorderly conduct, criminal mis- chief (less than $750) and residen- tial entry, a level 6 felony. It started at about 4:30 p.m. Sun- day at the office of CPA Greg Wil- lis. Greg and his wife, Carla, were in the office when Carla heard a noise at the back of their office like some- one was trying to get in. She went to check on it and when she opened the door to look out, Hammock, who was hiding behind an air-condition- er unit, ran toward her and barged into the office. Greg heard Car- la scream and went to check on it, and saw Hammock, who was say- ing "Help me, the police are shoot- ing at me." Willis unlocked the front door and asked Hammock to leave and he did without incident. Petersburg Patrolman Bryce Manning responded to a call about Hammock running around down- town and climbing on buildings. A witness saw Hammock jump from a balcony on a Main St. apartment, walk on electrical weather heads to get to a lower floor, then jump off the roof of Willis' building to the ground, then try to get into Willis' back door. Patrolman Manning said Willis told him Hammock had gone south on Main St. when he left his office. Pike County Deputies Cody Jones and Brad Jenkins joined in the search of Hammock. Petersburg fireman Corey Roach waved down police and told them Hammock was on the roof of Pe- tersburg City Hall. Manning said he then saw Hammock on a patio of an upstairs apartment above Stacy's Dance Studio. Police requested EMS on the scene. Manning said when he got out of his patrol car, he saw Hammock banging on a door and asking some- one to open the door of the third floor patio. Manning, in a probable cause af- fidavit, said he looked around the 'Spider-Man' arrested after climbing on Main St. rooftops By Andy Heuring The Winslow Fall Festival is plan- ning on making a return this year. The nearly three decades old festi- val was cancelled last year due to COVID, but local officials have it back on the calendar. It is set for Saturday, September 18. It is just in the planning stages, but so far it looks like it will include the all-day flea market on Main St., food booths and vendors, games for kids and live music, as well as kara- oke. The event will culminate with the traditional light-up Winslow pa- rade after dark. Debra Lamb, with the Winslow Li- ons and Beautification Committee, said they are planning other events, but haven't finalized those plans yet. Winslow Fall Festival to return this year Emergency personnel tend to Lily Burns, 9, last Tuesday after she and her bicycle collided with a vehicle on Main St. Peters- burg at 14th St. Burns was hospitalized with head, hand and possible internal injuries in the crash that happened at 6:40 p.m. Riding skills displayed Savannah Harris, riding on Maverick, completes one of numerous tasks at Cowboy Trail Riding Competition on Saturday near Otwell. Matt Gamble and the Winslow Lions Club hosted the event, attended by competitors of all ages and from several states. Harris, above, picked up the PVC pipe from a barrel and then rode a 360 degree circle and placed it back on the barrel. The competition was won by Jessica Bunch. See more photos on page A-4.