The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/103825
A-2 Wednesday, January 16, 2013 The Press-Dispatch 'Hitman' email sent to teacher was hoax A truck driven by Christian Stepanek, 16, of Petersburg crashed into a utility pole on Monday afternoon near the intersection of Highway 56 and the Winslow-Cato Road. Two injured in separate accidents By Andy Heuring Minor injuries were reported in two accidents, and both the drivers were cited. A Petersburg teen escaped serious injury Saturday morning, but faces charges following a crash into the woods in the Patoka River bottoms. Jacob P. Barr, 16, of 1305 N. Main St., Petersburg was driving a red 2002 Ford F150 truck north on Highway 57 just south of the Pike-Gibson line, according to Indiana State Trooper Matt Jacobs. Trooper Jacobs said Barr went airborne off the roadway into some trees. He went down a step embankment and his truck overturned. He suffered lacerations to his arms and neck in the accident. Jacobs said Barr was cited for minor consumption and driver under 21 years of age with a blood alcohol content of 0.02 to 0.08 percent. Barr tested 0.07 percent for blood alcohol content. On Tuesday afternoon, a teen hit a utility pole in Cato, totaling his truck, but causing only minor injuries. Christian Stepanek, 16, of 1996 E. CR50N, Petersburg was driving east on Highway 56, on his way home from school. Pike County Chief Deputy Sheriff Todd Meadors said Stepanek was following two vehicles east that slowed at the intersection with the Winslow-Cato Road. He said one vehicle turned right and Stepanek assumed the second one would as well, but instead it turned left. Stepanek swerved left to miss the other vehicle. Meadors said no contact was made with the other vehicle, but Stepanek collided with a utility pole, breaking the pole and damaging his 1983 Chevrolet truck. He had two passengers. Logan Montgomery hit his face and had loose teeth. He was taken to Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released. A second passenger, Emily Mincey, complained of pain but wasn't taken to the hospital. Meadors said Stepanek was cited for probationary license violation. He said Stepanek was still on a probationary license and wasn't allowed to have passengers with him. By Andy Heuring Petersburg Elementary School had some scary moments last week. A teacher received a threatening email telling her a hitman had been hired to kill her and had been following her. Eventually it was recognized by investigators as a 'blast' email scam. Indiana State Police Master Trooper Frank Coleman investigated, and said it turned out to be a massgenerated email known as the "hitman scam." He said it states "Joe Batter," a renowned mobster from days ago, had been hired to kill the email recipient. It goes on to say the email recipient has been followed for several days and the hitman realizes they are the person he was hired to kill. It gives contact information for the person to contact to get this stopped. Coleman said they didn't contact the number but added, "I'm sure if you call that number, they will tell you, you have to pay so much money to get the hit stopped." One of the versions of the Man charged with battery after striking passenger By Andy Heuring A Winslow man was arrested Saturday morning after police saw him hit his passenger with a plastic pipe. Scott A. Kirby, 50, of 6134 E. SR56, Winslow was arrested at about 11 a.m. by Petersburg Police Cpl. Scott Wright. Wright said central dispatch got a call from a resident reporting seeing a a man in a brown pickup truck stop near the Alternative School on Walnut St., get out of the truck, open the passenger door and start hitting the passenger. The If they don't get the tax most underserved areas in truck then drove toward the credit, he said the develop- the state in medical care. Elementary School. er and Good Samaritan will While preparing informaCpl. Wright said he went have to decide if they want tion for the Stellar project, to the area and located the to wait and resubmit their it was learned Pike County's truck at 602 Hill Drive in Perequest at the next round population-to-doctor ratio is tersburg. He said as he apof tax credits being issued, 3,131 to 1, while the average proached the truck there was a man (later identified or to go ahead and do it pri- in Indiana is 889 to 1. vately. The Main St. project is one of several projects that A Petersburg man was ar- November. It is illegal in Inwas part of Petersburg's Stellar Community projects. rested Saturday on a charge diana to have even consenPike County is one of the of sexual misconduct with a sual sex with someone less minor. than 16-years old. Aaron J. Sanders, 20, of The investigation of Sand1304 E. 11th St., Petersburg ers began when an ex-girlwas arrested on a warrant by friend called the ProsecuSheriff Jeremy Britton. several unsuspecting areas. According to a probable tor's Office and told them Flowing water, such as riv- cause affidavit, Sanders had Sanders was having sex with ers and streams, should be sex with a 14-year-old girl in a 14-year-old. avoided when covered by a layer of ice. Water that is surrounded by sand many times freezes with inconsistencies. Wind, waterfowl and beavers can also keep areas of ice thin. Indiana Conservation Officers say the best rule of thumb is for everyone to believe they are "walking on thin ice." H Main Street buildings to be razed soon Continued from page 1 care center with expanded hours. Good Samaritan Hospital of Vincennes wants to offer specialized services on a limited basis through the clinic. Another component for the area is 40 senior housing apartments. Craig said the city is also working on a 'plan B' if the tax credit isn't issued. "We are hopefully optimistic they can work out a proj- ect on the site if the tax credit isn't awarded for the housing portion." He said through negotiations, the city has managed to get the loans issued at a one percent interest rate. Originally, part of the loan was to be at one percent and the other at two percent. Craig said competition for the tax credit will be robust, but he thinks Petersburg will be issued one, because they have received the loan. Man arrested for sex with minor State officers warn of thin ice dangers Indiana Conservation Officers across the state advise people of the potential hazards of being on frozen lakes, ponds, rivers and streams this winter. Every winter, thousands of Hoosiers enjoy fishing, skating, hiking or just sliding around on frozen ponds and lakes. And every year, people drown after falling through ice. Like driving on snow, Hoosiers need to relearn how to have safe fun on ice. Conservation Officers want citizens to put safety first. Here are a few tips to remember when considering standing on or walking on a frozen lake or pond: No ice is safe ice. At least 4 inches of ice is recommended for safe ice fishing; 5 inches for snowmobiling. If you don't know, don't go. Wear life jackets or flotation coats. Carry ice hooks and rope gear. Some bodies of water will appear to be frozen solid but actually can have thin ice in 5 Tans on Any Bed 1-Year M prIze! e Biggest mbership for Loser O ve (Man an d Woma rall n) DeTaIlS: •Teams of 5 •Individuals welcome •Contest will run for 6 weeks •$10 entry •Must be a member of The Zone •Winner will be overall percentage of weight lost, not total pounds. the Just $20 Select Supplements on Sale Now women's exercise Class with Jill Snyder Monday, Wednesday and Fridays at 9 a.m. 24-Hour ACCeSS to fitNeSS CeNter witH key memberSHip Gift Certificates Available 604 East Illinois St., Petersburg (near the Little League Park) 354-1303 Fitness Center as Kirby) standing at the opened passenger door of the truck with pipe in his right hand raised above his head. Wright, in his report, stated Kirby "then made a downward striking motion, hitting the seated passenger in the right thigh." Wright said he exited his patrol car and ordered Kirby to drop the pipe. Wright said he then asked the passenger, Alan L. Haynes, if he was injured and Haynes said he wasn't. Haynes told Wright that Kirby was his uncle and they had been driving when Kirby got upset about Haynes talking about a surgery he was going to have. His uncle got irritated and they got into an argument before Kirby hit him. Cpl. Wright said while he was talking with Haynes, Kirby began yelling that he was having a medical issue. EMTs were called and found Kirby was having a blood sugar problem, but didn't need immediate attention. Cpl. Wright's report stated Kirby told him he got upset because his nephew was a hypochondriac and he got so upset hearing about his nephew's condition, he struck him. He was arrested on a preliminary charge of battery. JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP January TannInG SpecIal Biggest loser Weigh-ins January 24-26 Top scam says they will kill the person who ordered the hit if you pay him. Coleman said at first the teacher didn't think much about it, but then showed it to a couple of people and they said to tell the administration. She did and the administration called police to investigate. Coleman said state police recognized the email as being nearly identical to others that have been received with the hitman scam. School Superintendent Suzanne Blake said when you first saw it, the reaction was, "this can't be real." But she added, because of its threatening nature, it was concerning. "I likened it to receiving an anonymous phone call. Your mind tells you it isn't real, but it is very unnerving. One part of your brain says, 'I don't think this is serious', but in back of your mind it still worries you." Blake said they took some measures to raise security at the school, but most probably weren't noticed by the staff. Hours: Mon - Thurs 10–8 Fri 10–7 • Sat 10–2 • Closed Sunday FIREMAN'S BALL Saturday, Jan. 26th at the Huntingburg Event Center Doors open at 5 p.m. Dinner at 6 p.m. Band at 7:30 p.m. Entertainment by: Michael Cochren Band Tickets are $20 per person in advance Call: 354-1126 or: 354-2740