The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/63159
A-2 Wednesday, April 25, 2012 The Press-Dispatch May primary to offer three contested Democrat races ries in recent history will be decided in two weeks. In local races it features three Dem- ocrat contested races. A four-way commis- sioner race for District 1, a three-way com- missioner race for District 3 and four coun- ty councilmen candidates vying for three Democrat nominations. In the District 1 commissioner race, re- One of the more hotly contested prima- By Andy Heuring ly Clay, Madison and Logan precincts. Several candidates have filed for pre- Bastin and Pike County Sheriff Jeremy Britton discuss events that had just occurred during the apprehension of Justin Gordon on US 41 Wednesday morning after a high-speed, three-county chase. Gordon was driving a pick-up truck belonging to Jerry Sullivan of Peters- burg that had been reported stolen early Wednesday morning. Pike County Sheriff's Deputy Adam Thompson, left, State Trooper Paul H High-speed chase ends in arrest Bank in Princeton. He was told Gibson County Sheriff George Ballard had located the truck and it matched the description of a truck fleeing an attempted bank robbery in Princeton. Ballard was following Continued from page 1 the truck on the "Wheeling Road" headed toward Pike County. Sheriff Ballard was work- feelings once in a while. Something told me to go up by Wheeling. I decided to go out east and check some county roads," Ballard said during a media interview af- ter the hour-long chase. "I saw the white truck. I had a pretty good description. It was off one letter on the li- cense plate. So they (bank employees) did a good job (of getting a description)." It was in the Wheeling ar- ing in his office at the sher- iff's department around 10:30 a.m. when Central Dispatch received word of an attempted robbery at the German American Bank in downtown Princeton. The branch sits just one block west of the Gibson County Courthouse. "You know you get these back up because he knew Gordon had a shotgun. Sheriff Britton said he and ea, north of Francisco, when the sheriff spotted Gordon in the white truck. Ballard was waiting for Thompson headed south on county roads trying to get in- to a position they could put out stop sticks. "We wanted to try and end the pursuit be- fore it got to the highway and into traffic." After waiting for back-up on Highway 41 through Fort Branch and Haub- stadt. Sheriff Britton said the chase didn't end until an officer did a "pit maneuver" causing Gordon to crash in- to a guardrail. Britton said the truck spun back on- to Highway 41 and Gordon fled on foot jumping a fence with barbwire on it and run- ning about 300 yards across a field. He was caught when he got to a large ditch. Police used a taser on him to sub- due Gordon and he fell face first in the mud. Gordon is being held in volved so Adam and I just laid back." Gordon continued south that he was out watching for civilians today," said Sheriff Ballard. "There were nu- merous times where people had to stop and just get all the way off the road to keep from getting hit by him." "It was a very dangerous "I'm just thanking God pursuit. He had no regard for anyone," said Sheriff Britton. Sheriff Ballard said he three-term incumbent Dale Nalley is being challenged by Brandon Hartke and Ter- ry Woolsey. Woolsey works for Pike-Gib- son Water Corp. Hartke, a boilermaker by trade, is the son of former county commis- sioner Dordon 'Duke' Hartke. The winner in the primary will face Republican candi- date Charles 'Chuck' Baumgart, a farmer and Petersburg Police Chief. Four candidates are vying for three coun- ty council-at-large nominations. They are incumbent Joe Sutton, attorney Kerry Al- dridge, retired railroad union official Tom Hensler and Jack Phillips. There are several races at the state and federal level on both the Republican and Democrat ballots. Six-term US Senator Richard Lugar is fac- pearance in Gibson County Superior Court on Thurs- day. Princeton attorneys Ja- son Spindler and Dean Hig- ginbotham were by appoint- ed by Judge Earl Penrod to represent him. Gordon was due back in the Gibson County Jail on six separate charges: crim- inal confinement, a Class B felony; intimidation with a deadly weapon, a Class C felony; attempt to commit armed robbery, a Class B felony; criminal reckless- ness with a deadly weapon, a Class D felony; resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, a Class D felony, and crimi- nal recklessness, a class A misdemeanor. Gordon made his first ap- thought about calling the chase off, Sheriff Ballard said no, citing the fact that Gordon is an alleged bank robber and the high speeds of the case. Police deployed stop believes Gordon tried to out-run police in the north bound lanes, because he thought police would give up the chase. When asked if he ever ing the toughest battle of his 36-year senato- rial career in State Treasurer Richard Mour- dock, who is a former Petersburg resident. The winner will face Democrat business- man Joe Donnelly. In the race for US Representative for the sticks at least four or five times trying to get Gordon's vehicle to stop. "At times, he was so non- chalant about it that he had his one hand up on the steer- ing wheel, like he was out for a Sunday drive," he said. Sheriff Ballard said Gor- Republican side incumbent Larry Buschon is being challenged by Tea Party candidate Kristi Risk. At the state level there is a race for the Eighth District, there are three Democrat candidates: Thomas Barnett, William Bryk and Dave Crooks. On the tired mailman and business owner Ernest Hume, former Deputy Sheriff Bill Walk- er, former commissioner Lawrence "Bust- er" McCandless and newcomer David Dur- cholz associated with Pike County Citizens for Integrity are battling for Mark Flint's seat. Flint is not seeking re-election. The winner will face Republican Jeff Nelson, an electrician. In the District 3 commissioner race, cinct committeeman races on the Repub- lican side. They are: Republican precinct committeemen: Barry Whitaker, Wash 1 Tim Cochren, Patoka 2 Larry Evans, Petersburg 4 James Carlisle, Lockhart Jesse Nixon, Patoka 1, Randall H. Clark, Marion David Miley, Petersburg 3 Travis McCandless, Winslow, Jeffrey Davis, Madison Wayne Stone, Washington 2 Angi Brown, Logan Mike Horrall, Wash. 3 Jeff Nelson, Jeff 1 Clifton Vinson, Clay Michael A. Morton, Jeff 2, Larry P. Davis, Petersburg 1 There were no Democrat precinct com- mitteemen filings. Other local primary filings include: Delegate to Democrat convention: Thomas Hensler, Anisia Burkhart and Craig, Roxi M. Lamberson and Robert A. Lamberson Jr. There are several new voting locations Twyla Flint. Delegates to Republican Convention: Barry Whitaker, Debbie Mercier, Jon W. that will be used for the first time in the May 8 primary. All Petersburg precincts will vote at the Gospel Center Church on Illinois St. Oth- er changes include Monroe moving to Jor- dan Memorial Park from the New Liberty Church Fellowship Hall, and Patoka 1 and Logan are moving to the Glezen General Baptist Church from North Patoka fire sta- tion on Highway 57. BELOW ARE THE VOTING PLACES: don "displayed one (gun)" at the bank, however, he "nev- er saw any display of any weapon" during the chase. At one point, police at- ecutor's office is expected to charge Gordon with auto theft, a class D felony. to arrive, Sheriff Ballard at- tempted to pull over Gor- don, when Gibson County Deputies Charles Finnerty and Tim Botton showed up. Bottom tried to block Gor- don but he drove around him. That is when the chase began. Gordon took off and soon came into Pike Coun- ty. He was on CR50 N and CR625W in the area of the Olive Branch Church. Even- tually he made his way to Highway 65 and Mark Ford Road. Sheriff Britton said he and driving through a field along Highway 65 and got to High- way 41 where he began driv- ing south at a high rate of speed in the northbound lane. "The pursuit was fairly Deputy Thompson were try- ing to get in front of Gordon, but he kept turning at what seemed like random inter- sections and they were un- able to get into position in front of him. At one point Gordon was well organized by the time we got to Gibson County and they had plenty of units in- AT were between 80 and 100 mph," the most dangerous part of the chase was when Gordon was driving south on U.S. 41 in the northbound lanes. That occurred from three miles north of Pato- ka to Princeton all the way south to just south of Inter- state 64. DURING CHASE While the chase's "speeds NO INJURIES court Monday morning for his bond hearing. Details of that hearing were not imme- diately available. The Pike County Pros- ble cause affidavit filed in the case, Gordon entered the German American Bank "with a pump shotgun." Once inside, he "cocked the shotgun" and ordered every- one to "get down" and "get your hands up." Dennis Mc- Graw, a Princeton police of- ficer, wrote that witness- es told police "they were scared and did not get up until" he left. BANK ROBBERY According to the proba- Republican nomination in State Representa- tive District 64. Attorney Tom Washburne, a former staff member for Congressman John Hostettler is facing James Amick. The win- ner will face Democrat candidate Mark Nor- ton. The seat is now held by Democrat Kreg Battles, but the district was redrawn and Battles no longer lives in the district. In Pike County the new District 64 now includes on- Clay ...................... Union Community Bldg. Jefferson 1 .......... Algiers United Methodist Church Jefferson 2 ..........Otwell Community Center Lockhart ............. Stendal Community Bldg. Logan .................. Glezen GB Church Marion ................ Bettye Lee residence Monroe ................ Jordan Park Patoka 1 .............. Glezen GB Church Patoka 2 .............. South Patoka Fire Station Washington 1 ..... Twin Oaks Church Winslow ..............Winslow Community Center Madison, Washington 2 and 3 will all vote at 4-H Building in Hornady Park, All four Petersburg precincts will vote at the Gospel Center Church on Illinois St. tempted to shoot out the tires of Gordon's truck, but that was unsuccessful. H Spring Yard Debris Pick-Up pick up week (Debris placed at curb, no limbs larger than 2" in diameter). 2. Fall Clean-Up Days in the fall (Dates to be an- nounced). 4. After severe storms– off trash, appliances, fur- niture etc. Residents drop- ping off those items will only when announced. Residents may not drop Continued from page 1 1. A spring yard waste (Home Pick Up for Elderly and Disabled). 3. Bagged Leaf Pick Up tersburg City Hall at 354- 8511 to schedule pickup by the city Special Services Department staff. their yards and pile the debris at the front of their yard on a city street to have it picked up. It has been done to allow residents to clean up their yards and landscaping, not for other purposes or trash. They should call the Pe- be asked to remove them, and can be cited for illegal dumping. Residents can clean up at City Hall and residents may notify city hall for pickup of debris between April 23 and April 30. The staff may take a couple of days to pick up the items as they also have other work they must complete. their own yard debris to dump bins at Fourth and Cherry. This is for items cleaned up from the resi- dents yards only. This is not for regular household trash or large items. Information is available Residents may also haul more than a chew toy WAY Subscribe Today! 354-8500 WHITE HORSE EXTENDED SUMMER HOURS Friday & Saturday: 4-8PM Sunday: 11AM-2PM *Groups of 5 or more, please make reservations.* STILL SERVING LUNCH Monday—Saturday: 11AM-2PM FAMILY STYLE MEALS COUNTY COUNCIL AT LARGE ✮ Life-long resident of Pike County ✮ My wife Lynne and I live on our family farm in Iva ✮ Member of the Glendale Masonic Lodge # 461 I pledge to work with all local officials to bring good paying jobs to our County while holding the line on taxes. Your vote is appreciated." "With I-69, the future is now. PHILLIPS Jack Vote May 8th for 4032 N. St. Rd. 61, Petersburg (enter from Pride's Creek Road) * 354-2867 OR 354-6013 Paid for by Jack Phillips for County Council