Eagle Country 99.3 News

Woman Left Sister To Die In Chair - February 3, 2012 3:03:05 pm

(Aurora, Ind.) – A retired Dearborn County employee spent the last three weeks of her life stuck in a chair, resulting in several charges against the woman’s sister.

Priscilla “Pody” Frieberger died October 2, 2011. She retired the previous December after working 40 years in the Dearborn County Auditor’s office.

It was a death that was avoidable, prosecutors say.

Pody’s caretaker and sister, Vickie Holdcraft, was indicted Friday by a Dearborn County grand jury on six charges: Neglect of a Dependant Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury (Class B felony), Neglect of a Dependant (Class B felony), Neglect of a Dependant (Class C felony), Reckless Homicide (Class C felony), and two counts of Perjury (Class D felony).

That October day, police were dispatched to the home the sisters shared at 661 Wilson Creek Road.

“After arriving at the scene there was a huge lot of clutter throughout the house stacked up to the ceiling. I can only describe it as something out of the show ‘Hoarders,’” said Dearborn County Prosecutor Aaron Negangard.

Officers and EMTs said the home smelled of animal waste and what could only be described as decomposing flesh, Negangard said. But that wasn’t the worst discovery.

“Upon speaking to Pody it was determined she had been in the chair for a minimum of three weeks,” the prosecutor said. “She was in the chair so bad that the EMTs could not remove her from the chair at the house and had to remove her through a window and take her to an emergency room.”

Frieberger died just hours later. The coroner determined the cause of death was pneumonia, a blood infection, and a significant amount of the painkiller Tramadol.

“The investigation determined that her sister had been the one who was providing the medication,” Negangard said.

Holdcraft also lied during the investigation and while under oath at the grand jury hearing, leading to the two perjury charges.

Holdcraft is an employee of the Dearborn County Health Department. Negangard said that does not factor into the case.

Mother Indicted For Five-Month-Old's Drowning - February 3, 2012 2:27:02 pm

(Aurora, Ind.) – A mother whose infant son drowned in a swimming pool has been indicted on charges which could put her behind bars.

Erin O’Brien, 27, was indicted by a Dearborn County grand jury Friday for Neglect of a Dependant Resulting in Death (Class A felony) and Reckless Homicide (Class C felony).

Aurora firefighters and EMTs were called to a home on Pleasant View Road last July 11 for a report of a child not breathing.

It was discovered that five-month-old Kolsyn O’Brien had been placed in a Bumbo seat set in a small swimming pool by his mother Erin O’Brien.

At the time of the incident Aurora Chief of Police Bryan Fields said the investigation revealed the mother had turned away from the pool briefly and when she turned back around the child was face down in the water.

According to the indictment, Erin O’Brien “did knowingly place the dependent in a situation that endangers the dependant’s life or health.”

“It’s very unfortunate when this happens. It’s just tragic,” said Dearborn County Prosecutor Aaron Negangard.

A warrant is likely to be issued for O’Brien’s arrest soon, the prosecutor said.

LINKS:

5-Month-Old Drowns In Pool

David Ison Won't Face Death Penalty - February 3, 2012 2:11:33 pm

David Ison

Ripley County Sheriff's Office

(Brookville, Ind.) – David Ison, the man accused of murdering five people in Franklin County, will not face the death penalty, county prosecutor Mel Wilhelm said Friday.

Wilhelm filed a life-in-prison-without-parole charge in Franklin Circuit Court, a sixth charge in addition to the five murder charges Ison, 46, already faces.

Ison, a Fayette County resident, allegedly shot Roy Napier, his estranged wife Angela, their two grown children and family friend Henry Smith at two homes on Stipps Hill Road near Laurel on September 25. Ison’s then girlfriend told police that Ison shot the family because Roy Napier had raised the price of prescription pills Ison was trying to buy from Napier.

Police were called to the murder scene after neighbors drove upon Melissa Napier’s four-year-old daughter wandering in the road. She was the only survivor of the massacre.

According to the Richmond Palladium-Item, Wilhelm had considered filing death penalty charges against Ison and presented the case in October to the Capital Litigation Committee of the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council for its evaluation.

Citing the publicity the murder case has received, Ison’s defense attorney filed for a change of venue for the trial. Franklin Circuit Court Judge Steven Cox granted that request in November.

Cox could rule soon on where the trial would be located.

A death penalty trial could have been costly for Franklin County. County officials have been discussing a possible short government shutdown to save funds to prosecute Ison for the death penalty.

LINKS:

Murder Suspect Granted Change of Venue

Murder Suspect Wants Trial Moved

Ison Pleads Not Guilty To Franklin Co. Murders

Ison Charged With Five Murders

Laurel Five Laid To Rest

Services Set For Metamora Massacre Victims

Ison Held On $5M Bond

Person of Interest Held In Murder Case

Killer Not Among Five Dead

ISP: No Persons Of Interest In Five Deaths

Questions Abound In Franklin Co. Deaths

Five Found Dead In Two Metamora Homes

Multiple Homicides Investigated In Franklin Co.

Indy Shines During Super Bowl Week - February 3, 2012 11:54:43 am

The massive roman numerals "46" at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in downtown Indianapolis have been a popular photo opportunity for fans flocking to the Super Bowl Village this week. Reuters photo

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - The Super Bowl XLVI festivities in Indianapolis have been wildly popular this week.

Just ask the hundreds of thousands of people, Hollywood A-listers, or NFL legends who have seen it.

The crowd size to attend the Thursday night festivities was 150,000 according to McKenze Rogers, the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for the 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee.

WHO WILL WIN SUPER BOWL XLVI ON SUNDAY? VOTE NOW ON EAGLE 99.3'S FACEBOOK PAGE.

The total so far this week is 580,000 people who have come to the Super Bowl Village downtown to check out Tailgate Town, live ESPN television and radio broadcasts, and live music. Country star Darius Rucker’s Thursday evening concert drew 25,000 plus.

As of Thursday, more than 6,800 people had taken the ride on the zipline over the village outside Lucas Oil Stadium.

Crowds Friday, Saturday, and possibly Sunday are expected to be even larger.

Dearborn County resident Dawn Bowers visited the event last Saturday.

“Indy is doing a great job! Impressive handling of all the people. Great opportunity for anyone who lives as close as we did! No excuse to miss it. Once in a lifetime,” she told Eagle 99.3

Rising Sun’s P.G. Gentrup echoed those sentiments.

“It makes you proud to be a Hoosier,” Gentrup said.

The city has been buzzing with celebrities like John Mellencamp, Alec Baldwin, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jimmy Fallon, and Lenny Kravitz.

Fans are also getting the chance to rub elbows with NFL greats like Jerry Rice, Boomer Esiason, and Michael Irvin. Current players like Tim Tebow and Drew Brees have been taking part in the festivities.

Find more news on Super Bowl XLVI on our Indiana news page.

Do You Know A Hoosier Rising Star? - February 3, 2012 11:10:20 am

Press release from the Indiana Lieutenant Governor

Lt. Governor Becky Skillman announced today that she is accepting nominations for the 2012 Hoosier Rising Star Award. The Hoosier Rising Star, created by Lt. Governor Skillman in 2007, acknowledges Hoosier youth who have made a significant difference in their communities.

“Hoosiers are hard-working and compassionate across generations,” said Lt. Governor Skillman. “This award celebrates Indiana’s outstanding young Hoosiers, many of whom roll up their sleeves and tackle projects that most adults would find intimidating. That kind of leadership ought to be rewarded.”

Hoosiers are encouraged to nominate public, private or home-school students across Indiana, enrolled in K-12 during the 2011-2012 school year. Priority will be given to students who have created or led an innovative project that address targeted issues in their communities including economic development, environmental issues, tourism, education, and social issues (abuse, crime, hunger and poverty).

A completed nomination form is required. Nominations forms can be found on the Lt. Governor’s website, www.lg.in.gov. Nominations may be supplemented by the student’s resume or biography, up to three letters of recommendation and any relevant press clippings. The nomination form and any additional materials must be submitted by March 2, 2012.

For more information on the award and nomination process, visit www.lg.in.gov or call the Lt. Governor’s Office at (317) 232-4545.

Thief Took $60K In Metal From Construction Site - February 3, 2012 10:53:32 am

(Madison, Ind.) - The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office investigated the theft of tools and copper tubing at the new Kings Daughters Hospital construction site on East State Road 62.

Approximately $60,000 worth of property was taken.

Acting on information obtained, regarding a suspicious vehicle in the area at the time the theft occurred, deputies were able to develop a suspect in Charlestown.

Deputies obtained a search warrant for a residence on State Road 403 in Charlestown. The deputies along with a Charlestown officer searched the residence and located the stolen copper tubing along with other tools and supplies from the construction site.

Daniel Burton, 29, of Charlestown was arrested and charged with the theft.

Larry Duke contributed to this story.

Sec. of State Could Receive Verdict Friday - February 3, 2012 8:11:18 am

Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White

www.in.gov

(Indianapolis, Ind.) – A jury could decide Friday whether or not Indiana’s Secretary of State committed voter fraud, a decision which could have him removed from office.

Charlie White’s criminal trial began Monday in a Noblesville, Indiana courtroom. He faces seven felony charges including voter fraud, perjury, theft, and financial fraud. He was indicted last March.

When he registered to vote in the May 2010 primary, White used his ex-wife’s address instead of a townhome he was allegedly living in. Prosecutors argue that White used the address on his registration because he was a member of the Fishers Town Council and the townhome was outside the district he represented.

During the trial, prosecutors presented as evidence cell phone records showing a vast majority of White’s nighttime calls on his cellphone were “pinged” at a cell tower near his townhome, not his ex-wife’s house.

The prosecution finished presenting their evidence and witnesses on Thursday. White’s attorney, former Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, decided not to offer any evidence or witnesses on his client’s behalf.

Final arguments will be made Friday morning. Jurors will then consider if White is innocent or guilty on the seven counts.

If White is convicted of a felony, he must vacate the Secretary of State’s office. In such instances, Indiana law would make the second place candidate in the election the replacement.

White defeated Democrat Vop Osili in the 2010 election by more than 300,000 votes.

In January, Marion Circuit Court Judge Louis Rosenberg ordered White to be removed from office, but granted a stay in the case as White appeals the ruling.

The Indiana Recount Commission had ruled in June that White was eligible to hold the office.

LINKS:

Charlie White Trial Starts Today

White To Remain Secretary Of State For Now

Judge To Rule Today If White Can Stay In Office

Ruling Creates Confusion Over Ind. Sec. of State

Panel: Ind. SOS Was Eligible For Election

Ind. Sec. Of State Indicted For Vote Fraud

Less Cold Weather, Less In Energy Bills - February 3, 2012 7:35:46 am

(Undated) - This very mild winter is helping out Hoosiers’ heating bills.

Duke Energy spokesperson Lew Middleton told the Shelbyville News the company’s average Indiana residential customer used about 14 percent less electricity in December 2011 than they did during December 2010.

Heating bills were down ten percent when comparing the same months.

Duke Energy says for an average customer, more than half of their energy costs are for heating and cooling.

18-Year-Old Sentenced For Burglary, Fire - February 3, 2012 7:12:56 am

Firefighters work to put out the fire at Pat's

Bulk Food in Versailles on November 6, 2010.

file photo

(Versailles, Ind.) - It’s 11 years in prison for a Versailles teenager who broke into a business and then burned it down.

Pat’s Bulk Foods on U.S. 421 near Versailles was destroyed by fire on November 6, 2010. Police investigated and charged then 17-year-old Cameron Powers with Arson and Burlgary.

Powers was waived to adult court in February 2011. On January 19, he pleaded guilty to both charges, the Versailles Republican reports.

Ripley County Circuit Court Judge Carl Taul handed Powers a total of 18 years – 11 in prison and seven on probation. He must also pay $18,375 in restitution to the owners of the store he torched.

Powers will be 23 when he faces his earliest release from prison with the Indiana Department of Corrections in 2016.

Powers is also accused of an overnight break-in and burglary at the Southeast Career Center in Versailles a month before the Pat’s Bulk Foods arson fire. That incident led to classes being postponed that day.

LINKS:

Teen Accused In Arson To Be Tried As Adult

Food Store Fire Set After Burglary

Fire Destroys Business

IU License Plates Are Most Popular - February 2, 2012 1:16:42 pm

(Undated) – If you pay attention to vehicle owners’ license plates, it certainly appears there are a lot of Indiana University fans and alumni out there.

That’s because there are. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles issued a report in January showing the most popular specialty license plate on vehicles registered in Indiana is the IU plate.

There are 48,282 of Hoosier plates on vehicles registered in 2011.

"We're elated to be No. 1 overall," said Debbie Lemon, deputy executive director of the IU Alumni Association. "The record sales figures for the IU plate this year -- and in other years -- speaks to the strong reputation that IU has around the state."

The Heritage Trust plate – the previous state leader - was the second most popular in Indiana with 48,192. The Indianapolis Colts Trust plate was a close third with 48,084.

Indiana University rival Purdue University was the second most popular among collegiate plates with 43,035 statewide.