The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1042910
A-2 Front Wednesday, October 24, 2018 The Press-Dispatch Hydrant flushing Petersburg worker Matt Robinette opens a fire hydrant along Nichols Ave. on Monday afternoon. Peters- burg crews were out flushing the hydrants to washout sediment buildup in the lines. They were scheduled to flush the lines through Wednesday. Paid for by the Committee to Elect Johnson for Sheriff, Jeremy Britton, Treasurer PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY When it comes to protecting the community, you need someone on whom you can rely. You need professionalism, dedication and trust. Vote Kent Johnson for Pike County Sheriff. WINSLOW Continued from page 1 and Cumulative Capital Development $20,000, no property tax funds, Local Option Income Tax public safety $20,000 and Econom- ic Development Income Tax $10,000. While the local town council has approved this proposed budget, it must al- so be approved at the state level by the Department of Local Government and Fi- nance. TRICK-OR-TREAT HOURS SET Councilmen voted to set the trick-or-treat hours for 4 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 31. They also an- nounced Deputy Town Mar- shal Steve Nelson would be on duty that night. Winslow Town Marshal Steve English is on leave fol- lowing surgery. Councilman Strobel said when English went on leave, he talked with the Indiana State Police and Pike Coun- ty Sheriff's Department, and both said they would do their best to provide more patrol in Winslow. "I haven't seen them," said Winslow resident Di- ane Martin. "They are here, you may not see them, but they are here," said Strobel. "They are here. They got me," said Councilman Greg Simmons about being pulled over. Councilmen also passed a resolution requiring city workers to get authorization from a council member to work more than eight hours a day. When they work over- time, they will be compen- sated 1.5 times their normal pay rate. In other business, Deb- ra Lamb said there will be a costume contest and parade set for 5 p.m. on October 31 in Winslow on the parking lot of the former grocery store at Center and Main sts. She said participants are asked to gather at the Win- slow Fire Department and then they will walk to the Center St. location for the costume judging. The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Mon- day, November 12 at the Community Center. ARNOLD Continued from page 1 tle of vodka down the drain that night and thought that it was nearly full to the neck at the time. Deputy McKinney testi- fied he had been called there a couple other times regard- ing the Arnold family. During the earlier calls, McKinney noted that Ashleigh was not intoxicat- ed, but one time she was ob- served on the porch with a beer. In his testimony, he stated officers found emp- ty beer cans on the garage floor and Ashleigh intoxicat- ed in the garage on Christ- mas Eve. She fell once and hit her head, attempted to kiss one of the officers and also asked one of them to get her a beer. Officer Mills testified he went to the re- frigerator and got her water instead. Officer McKinney stated Ashley became talk- ative and told them her par- ents were in the home, but no one else except the three boys were there at the time. There were differences of opinion on the facts in the call the children made to 911. The prosecution con- tended that although one child said his mother had not been drinking, another stat- ed she was drunk and unre- sponsive. The prosecution understood from the 911 re- cording that there was con- cern for the children since they said there was no one else at home and that their mother was asking to "go home." During Ashleigh's testi- mony, she said that she was referencing the home she had for several years just two months prior to mov- ing to Harvest Lane. She al- so said that she had noth- ing to drink and was plan- ing on going to bed after taking a dose of Zzzquil for sleep. She said that since the five-year-old had tonsil sur- gery on the 19th, she had not gotten very much sleep the whole week and decided to use the Zzzquil recommend- ed at CVS. She said that originally the family was going to be together for Christmas Eve following a dinner, cookie making and a movie. Her ex-husband, Gary Arnold, was to stay over and help her with the Christmas gift wrapping and placing them under the tree at approxi- mately 3:30 a.m. Christmas Day. Arnold said she had an Ipad, Chromebook and oth- er gifts under her bed that were to go under the tree at around 3 a.m. or so ear- ly Christmas Day. The stay- over plan changed when Mr Arnold suddenly left the home at 10 :52 p.m., ac- cording to Ashleigh. She said she remembers see- ing the time on her phone while smoking in the ga- rage. A fter that, she said it was "curtains" for her due to the reaction to the meds she had used. She said she did not remember the police or her parents coming to the home. She said she did not drink beer and had drank nothing that night, even though Gary had poured her a drink of vodka and cran- berry juice. She said it be- came watered down and she poured it down the sink. She said a friend had left the bot- tle at Gary's house and he then brought it to the Har- vest Lane location, but no one drank any of it. Dawnya G. Taylor, of Evansville, represented Ar- nold in the two-day trial and threatened to request a mis- trial when Christianson at- tempted to enter rebuttal evidence. The jury was re- moved from the courtroom and a recess was called. Ashleigh's history of a 2008 conviction on shoplifting in Dubois County was revealed to be a guilty plea for a mis- demeanor rather than the original felony charge. Ashleigh contended, dur- ing her testimony, that she had not been drinking, but had taken a dose of Zzzquil at around 10 :15 pm. She al- so said she clearly remem- bers that at 10 :52 p.m., her x-husband had looked in the garage and told her he was leaving. There was no expla- nation for the change in the plan that he would stay over and help with the presents. Gary Arnold testified that things were tense that night, but there was no argument or fight. He had several pres- ents for the boys in his truck and the assumption present- ed was that he'd come back sometime later rather than stay over. Ashleigh had said that Gary stopped by during the separation and helped out with the boys, but this would have been the first time to stay over. The jury, consisting of four men and two women, heard the December 24, 2017, case last Wednesday and wrapped up late Thurs- day evening. A Winslow man was ar- rested Monday evening af- ter he crashed into a ditch near the Pike County High- way Department. William Scott Fleener, 28, of 103 E. Porter St., Winslow was arrested on a charge of operating a vehicle while in- toxicated, (refusal) at about 7:30 p.m. Pike County Sheriff's Sgt. Dallas Killian said he was dispatched to a report of a blue SUV that had crashed into a ditch near the Pike County Highway Depart- ment on Highway 61 in Campbelltown. He was told the vehicle had a flat tire and was trying to leave the scene. Sgt. Killian said when he arrived he stopped behind the vehicle and talked with the Fleener, who said an an- imal had run out in front of him. Killian said he imme- diately noticed the odor of alcohol. He said Fleener ad- mitted drinking "Fireball" prior to noon, but had not drank since. Fleener failed field sobri- ety tests including a por- table breath test. He was transported to the Pike County Jail, where he re- fused a chemical test. There are a number trunk-or-treats and Hallow- een events this weekend and on Halloween including the Halloween celebration in Stendal and a costume con- test in Winslow. LOCKHART TOWNSHIP HALLOWEEN PARTY The Lockhart Township Halloween Party is set for Saturday, October 27 at the Community Center in Sten- dal. Doors open at 4 p.m. They will have costume judging piñatas, door prizes, a cake walk and a haunted house. They will also be serving hamburgers, chili, pie and soft drinks WINSLOW LIONS CLUB The Winslow Lions Club will have a Halloween cos- tume contest and parade on Wednesday, October 31. Line-up will be at the Win- slow Fire Department at 4:45 p.m. Contestants will walk up Jefferson St. to Main St. and then to Cen- ter St. with costume judg- ing at 5 p.m. There will be a trunk-or-treat following the costume contest on the parking lot of the former grocery store. The Winslow Nazarene Church, located on the same block behind Town Hall, is having a community supper greet and treat from 5 to 8 p.m. on Halloween night. TRUNK-OR-TREAT EVENTS Petersburg First United Methodist Church, Sunday, October 28, 5:30 p.m. with chili supper at 6 p.m. Immanuel Baptist Church Saturday, October 27 from 6 -8 p.m. First Church of God, Oc- tober 27, 3-5 p.m. with wie- ner roast at 6 p.m. Saturday, October 27 the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3587 will host a Hal- loween trunk-or-treat event for area youngsters. It will take place in the parking lot between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, Octo- ber 27. All area youth are in- vited to attend the Hallow- een trunk-or-treat activity. FALL FESTIVALS Trick the Halls at Oakland City University, Thursday, October 25, from 6 -9 p.m. Petersburg Church of the Nazarene, Monday, October 28, from 3-6 p.m. with inflat- ables and games. Union Community Church Soup Supper Satur- day, November 10 from 5 -8 p.m. Halloween-related events begin Thursday Crash leads to OVWI arrest By Andy Heuring A Petersburg man was ar- rested on marijuana related charges and pubic intoxica- tion after police were called about a driver falling asleep in the drive-through lane at McDonalds. Thomas Matthew Tharp, 34, of 6288 W. CR350N, Pe- tersburg was arrested on preliminary charges of pos- session of marijuana, pos- session of paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and pubic intox- ication. Petersburg Police Sgt. Chad McClellan said he was dispatched to McDonalds at about 12:30 p.m. to check on a couple in a black Chevrolet pickup falling asleep in the drive-through. When he ar- rived Sgt. McClellan said employees pointed him to a black truck parked in the lot. When he approached the ve- hicle he said Malinda Tharp was getting out of the driv- er's side of the truck. When he asked what was happening she said, "noth- ing." He said she agreed she may have fallen asleep be- cause she had worked all night and slept. She then admitted her license had been suspended. She said she was driving because her husband was "too drunk" to drive. McClellan said he couldn't let her drive and he needed to get them home. So he helped them flag down a friend to drive them home. However, when her husband Thomas began to wake up, he started throwing up on himself. McClellan said Tharp became "extremely hostile and argumentative. "I became concerned for the welfare of the people offer- ing him a ride home," wrote McClellan in his report. Sgt. McClellan said Tharp admitted he had been drink- ing since 3 a.m. He said when Tharp got out of the truck he grabbed he grabbed a metal tin on the dashboard. When Mc- Clellan took the tin from him he found it had a green leafy material that tested positive for marijuana. He also found a glass pipe and a grinder as well as a note that had "1-paid 30 we want e on Friday, (weed dude wants 2 or 3 paid to- day.) McClellan said his training led him to believe this was related to the pur- chase and sale of illegal nar- cotics. Police also said they found several pills in his pocket. They were identified as gab- apentin and 11 clonazepam. McClellan said clonazepam is a controlled substance. His wife was released to ride home with their friends. Tharp arrested after falling asleep in drive-through