The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1480126
issued to investigate the cir- cumstances surrounding Gregor y's death," McDonald said. "There is a lot of sur- veillance cameras around the apartment complex, so police are checking those cameras also." Gregor y lived in the Down- town Terrace Apartments on Main Street. "The initial impression that the police felt when they discovered Gregor y made them concerned that there may be foul play involved, but I don't want anyone to make any conclusions at this point," McDonald said. "We use caution when there isn't a determined cause. We are just doing our jobs. We are checking phone records, which take a while to get back, and toxicology reports have not come back either. When more informa- tion is available we want to share it with the public." Anyone with information concerning this investiga- tion is encouraged to con- tact the Indiana State Police at 812-867-2079 or 1-800- 852-3970. Anyone with in- formation can remain anon- ymous. A-2 Wednesday, September 28, 2022 The Press-Dispatch awarded to Alli Hardin and Miss Congeniality was Car- lie Halbrader. The Directors Award went to Calleigh Wib- beler. Following into Saturday evening, Tri-State weather- man, Ron Rhodes was the em- cee for the events. The music started with local high school- er Connor Loveless singing anything from some classic Johnny Cash to newer pop artists like Ed Sheeran. When asked why Loveless enjoys playing for people, he replied, "Playing music is always fun and I like to make people hap- py. It's always a good time." Next on stage, 7 Mile Blue- grass came out and ser ved up some toe-tapping tunes such as Rocky Top. Amidst the prime of the night, Amer- ican Pie came in with a bun- dle of favorite classic hits. Songs American Pie sang like Three Little Birds, by Bob Marley highlighted the fun and unworried mood of the night; with many people singing along, while eating their favorite festival foods, and enjoying each other's company. Headlining and finishing off Saturday night's Buffalo Trace festivities was social media sensation Brandon Davis. A large crowd came to see this performance, with locals, as well as fans from out of town. Davis sang his original countr y songs about love, family, and life in general. Be- fore getting on stage, he did a meet-and-greet for fans who wanted a picture, merchan- dise, or a signed poster. Davis was happy to talk to the local newspaper, and said that his favorite song he would per- form that night was his new release, I Can Wait. Davis also gave advice to people who aspire to follow in his footsteps, which was, "If it's an aspiring musician wanting to chase after his or her dreams, it's just like any- thing else that you do. Wheth- er it's work, or a dream you're tr ying to chase, you have to put your whole hear t into it," Davis said. "You have to love what you're doing, because if you can't follow in your hear t, and you can't believe in your- self enough to know that you truly love what you're chas- ing after, then you're not gon- na be able to get to that point; because it's not about money, it's not about fame, and it's not about how quickly you can get where you're going. It's about knowing you're get- ting there, and you're doing it for the right reasons." Throughout the Buffalo Trace event, people were able to get a variety of different foods ranging from chicken and noodles to elephant ears. Many kid friendly activities were also available such as face painting by the Purdue Extension 4-H, cotton can- dy from The National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and games provided by Stacy's Dance Studio. For the adults, there was music, the Petersburg VFW beer and wine garden, the half pot drawing, and a silent auc- tion by Discover Downtown Petersburg. "I am so proud of our com- munity when we have an ac- tivity like this, because we bring in ver y good enter tain- ment, and its free," Mayor Klipsch said while enjoying the festival Saturday evening. "We don't charge anybody to par ticipate, and the bands are ver y good. The generous do- nations from the sponsors in our community, it makes this possible." Jones II charged with six felonies By James Capozella Press-Dispatch News news@pressdispatch.net Six felony arrest warrants have been issued for an Oak- land City man who ran from police and then crashed a ve- hicle in a wooded area near Martin Street. James Richard Jones II, 35, 120S Collins Ct., Oakland City, ran from a traffic stop at Main and Ninth Streets, Petersburg, around 1 a.m. Jones sped through several intersections traveling west on Sycamore Street. Jones is charged with obliterating serial numbers on a handgun, resisting law enforcement, habitual traffic violator, possession of mar- ijuana, methamphetamine and paraphernalia. Petersburg Police Officer Chase Dotter weich attempt- ed to make a stop on the ve- hicle for crossing the center line but the Pacifica did not stop, at which time Dotter- weich requested assistance. Dotter weich reports seeing the Pacifica ramp clear of the railroad tracks and then get in snarled in the woods. Jones reportedly left the Chr ysler Pacifica caught in the woods and ran from po- lice. Dispatch received a call that someone had attempt- ed to enter a home at 300S Martin shortly after Jones reportedly ran from the ve- hicle. Sgt. Jarrod Simmons and Deputy Kane Osgath- arp, Chief Deputy Dallas Killian along with Assistant Police Chief Chad McClel- lan looked for Jones in the surrounding area. Myers Towing was able to cut down several trees to remove the Pacifica and take it to impoundment at their shop. Dotter weich found a loaded Smith & Wesson semi-automatic 9mm hand- gun with the serial numbers removed, a phone, a hand- rolled cigarette containing marijuana, two glass pipes, a syringe, two open Bud Light cans, one full can and nu- merous tools and tool boxes scattered in the Pacifica. Police were informed by his wife that "he would not go back to jail and would use the gun if he had to," accord- ing to the report. Several rel- atives and friends were con- tacted by police in an effort to locate Jones but no one knew his whereabouts after midnight prior to the vehicle fleeing police and crashing. As of press time Jones II had not been arrested. Correction Gabriel Jalen Krutz, 20, 6849S 500E, Fort Branch, was not charged with possession of meth following an arrest earli- er this month. It was inadvertently stated that there was a charge of possession of meth. His arrest was for resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, reckless driving, possession of marijuana and paraphernalia according to the report. Lester, of Petersburg, was driving at a high rate of speed after leaving her boyfriend's house and lost control of her vehicle. One witness told Police that Lester went around the corner at a high rate of speed and did a loop back to North Street, lost control, over-cor- recting possibly, before go- ing through a porch at 500 East North Street. Three people inside the house were not injured. Les- ter was complaining of pain, so she was transported by ambulance to the hospital. While there was no struc- tural damage to the house, there was extensive damage to the front porch. Lester did hit the main gas line to the house, so Ohio Valley had to be called to shut the main gain line off for repair. "She (Lester) had rolled her vehicle and it was on the driver's side when we arrived," Pike County Sher- iff's Deputy Br yce Manning, said. "According to first re- sponders she was ejected from the vehicle on impact. Lester was on the porch and being treated when we ar- rived. Petersburg Police Ser- geant Paul Collier, Winslow Elementar y Student Re- source Officer Paul Bastin, and Winslow Town Marshall Steve Nelson, also assisted at the scene." Manning requested charges of criminal reckless- ness and reckless driving be filed. Lester's car was towed by Schell's Towing. and a farmer reported that he saw the suspects driving the Polaris Ranger and four wheeler on the property. If you have any informa- tion about the stolen goods or recognize the individual in the picture, please con- tact the Pike County Sher- if f 's Depar tment at 812- 354-6024. THIEVES Continued from page 1 PORCH Continued from page 1 DEATH Continued from page 1 nesses at the scene who said there was a knife in the floor- board of the front passenger seat and that someone had suffered a stabbing who was still in the vehicle. A knife with large amounts of blood was found by Mills where witnesses described, and after securing the weap- on, Mills went to help the stab- bing victim who said he had been stabbed all over, but that the worst wound was his head. Mills had the victim apply pressure to the head wound, and turned his attention to the suspect, Austin Hammock, 26, of Petersburg, who was lying in a ditch, covered in blood. Witnesses told Mills that Hammock was the perpetra- tor, according to the victim. Mills secured Hammock in handcuffs and then went back to the victim. According to Mills, the victim had numer- ous large, open wounds on his right arm, right ear, face, and head area. There were so many open wounds according to Mills, that he did not have enough bandages to treat them all. Once Pike County Emer- gency Medical Ser vices ar- rived, they took over aiding the victim and he was trans- ported to the hospital. Hammock was transported to Jasper Memorial Hospital. According to an inter view with the victim, who Mills believed was stabbed more than 24 times, but is in stable condition as of press time, the victim and Hammock had met through a dating site about a month and a half prior to the stabbing and had talked through the dating site. Prior to the stabbing, Ham- mock told the victim that he had no food and was hungry, so the victim invited him over for bis- cuits and gravy. The victim hired Hammock as a cook at his diner and they became intimate. On the day of the stabbing, the victim told police, accord- ing to the probable cause affidavit, that he picked Ham- mock up in Bloomington after buying liquor for Hammock and came back to Petersburg. According to the victim, they went outside Petersburg to walk into a wooded area. When they walked into the wooded area, Hammock asked the vic- tim to do something intimate and the victim refused. The victim said Hammock then pulled out some meth- amphetamine and ingested it while in the woods and started "talking out of his head and not making sense." Hammock then punched the victim in the face for no reason and then asked him for a hug. Hammock and the victim left the area and returned to Petersburg where the victim was instructed by Hammock to drive South on Highway 57 and turn on 18th Street. Ham- mock told the victim to pull over into a grass lot that had a small garage located on it and that is where the stabbing took place. The victim described the knife as about a foot long and said he was stabbed four times while sitting in the driver's seat of the vehicle. The vic- tim told police he tried to run but that Hammock caught up to him and continued to stab him in the grassy area and at one point the victim tried to act like he was dead, but Hammock continued to stab him. At one point during the stabbing the victim said Ham- mock stabbed him in the face and Hammock left the knife in the victim's face. The victim told police that he grabbed onto the knife and pulled it out of his face and thought to himself that the knife had punctured his brain. Hammock told the victim to get up and get into the hatch of the vehicle and when the victim said he could not be- cause he was in pain, Ham- mock wrestled him back to the vehicle and put him inside the back hatch. Once Hammock and the victim crashed the vehicle, a witness helped him and called 911. The victim said if they (he and Hammock) had not crashed, that Hammock would have finished the job. Hammock is currently in the Pike County Jail with a $500,000 bond, 10 percent re- quired, and is being charged with Attempted Murder, Ag- gravated Batter y, and Crimi- nal Recklessness. MURDER Continued from page 1 FESTIVAL Continued from page 1 Little Miss Buffalo Trace, Aubrianna Hale & Miss Buffalo Trace, Carlie Halbrader 2 Miles Back, play some groovy rock to the blues genre on Friday night at the Buffalo Trace Music Festival two- day event. Conner Loveless sings a Johnny Cash song to the crowd Saturday during the Buffalo Trace Music Festival presented by Discover Downtown Petersburg. Pregnant... or think you are? Call:1-877-257-1084 or Locally Call: 1-812-354-2814 • Free pregnancy testing • Free counseling and info. on pregnancy options. • Confi dential counseling for women & men who are suff ering from post-abortion syndrome. • Residential Care • Health and assistance referrals. • Training and education. • Assistance in getting baby and maternity clothes washpcc@sbcglobal.net www.washingtonpregnancycenter.com