NEW MIDDLETOWN, Ind. (WISH) – Storms on Friday afternoon in southern Harrison County damaged about 20 homes, Indiana State Police said.
The damage ranged from minor to moderate damage, a news release from police said. There were no deaths and only one minor injury to a New Middletown Volunteer Fire Department member.
August Veron, a resident of rural Corydon, shared video of the New Middletown tornado as it moved across farmland in the area.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for the area about 2:20 p.m.
Tornado warnings have been issued Friday afternoon across Indiana as storms have popped up and intensified.
In central Indiana, the weather service at Indianapolis said the Emergency Management Agency in Madison County reported a tree blown into a house near Alexandria and a broken utility pole southeast of Frankton. In the unincorporated community of Moonville in eastern Madison County, several homes and a barn received storm damage about 3:35 p.m., according to the agency. Madison County Emergency Management Agency reported no injuries in the Moonville area.
Matt Morris took video of what is believed to be a funnel cloud becoming a tornado around 3:50 p.m. near Moonville. It was around Madison County roads 200 E and 600 N.
Also in central Indiana, large trees were reported downed in Delaware and Shelby counties, the weather service said. It also reported flooding at the Delaware County fairgrounds.
CORYDON, Ind. (AP) – Authorities say five people have been arrested in connection with a social media threat of violence against a southern Indiana high school.
The arrests of the four juveniles and one adult follow posts made on Snapchat threatening Corydon Central High School and are the latest in numerous similar threats in Indiana since the shooting last week at a Florida high school that killed 17 people.
Harrison County Sheriff Rod Seelye says he takes all such threats seriously and that investigators seized several firearms from the homes of those arrested. School officials say about 20 percent of Corydon Central students were absent Wednesday, roughly double the normal level.
- Download the WISH-TV app for your iPhone/iPad in the App Store
- Download the WISH-TV app in the Google Play store
- Like WISH-TV on Facebook
CORYDON, Ind. (AP) – A judge has sentenced a southern Indiana man to life in prison in the 2013 slayings of a couple during a robbery.
WDRB-TV reports the the judge gave 21-year-old Kevin “Drew” Schuler of Greenville life in prison plus 65 years with no chance of parole. Schuler pleaded guilty in November in the slayings of 70-year-old Gary Henderson and 57-year-old Asenath “Senie” Arnold at the couple’s home near New Salisbury, about 20 miles west of Louisville, Kentucky.
According to court documents Henderson was stabbed 23 times. Court documents say Schuler and co-defendant Austin Scott entered the home hoping to steal guns, money and pills.
Scott, who is 21 years old and from New Albany was sentenced to life in prison without parole in September after pleading guilty to the same charges.
Never miss another Facebook post from WISH-TV
CORYDON, Ind. (AP) – Authorities have rescued seven people who didn’t exit a southern Indiana cave as planned Sunday morning.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources said in a statement late Sunday that two cavers had been escorted from Binkley’s Cave near Corydon. The other five were pulled out around 3 a.m. Monday. All seven were treated for hypothermia and exposure.
The DNR said the group of experienced cavers were conducting a survey of the cavern and failed to exit after a 15-hour trip. The agency says high water levels in the cave hampered search efforts.
Indiana conservation officers and National Cave Rescue Commission personnel conducted the search and rescue operation.
The cave is located about 135 miles south of Indianapolis.
CORYDON, Ind. (WISH) — Conservation officers say a black bear has been spotted in Indiana for only the second time in more than 140 years.
The wild animal was first reported rummaging through a Harrison County homeowner’s trash around 9 p.m. Sunday, according to DNR. On Monday morning, conservation officers saw it near State Road 62 and later in Corydon.
The bear likely swam across the Ohio River from Kentucky, which has a growing population of the species, according to DNR. Conservation officers will monitor it to determine if the animal should be trapped and relocated or left alone.
“That decision will be based on whether the bear exhibits nuisance behavior and continues to come into close contact with humans,” DNR said in a media release.
Bears in Indiana are extremely rare. One crossed from Michigan into Indiana in June 2015, becoming the first confirmed bear sighting in the Hoosier State since 1850. It was euthanized in April after wandering northern Indiana and southwest Michigan for months.
DNR said it’s possible black bears will re-establish populations in southern Indiana.
Officials released these tips for dealing with bears:
Black bears are shy by nature and tend to avoid human contact. Attacks are rare. Black bears are non-aggressive in most instances and prefer fleeing from humans when given the chance. DNR wildlife biologists offer the following bear awareness tips:
– Don’t intentionally feed bears. If a bear becomes accustomed to finding food near your home, it may become a “problem” bear.
– Eliminate food attractants by placing garbage cans inside a garage or shed.
– Clean and store grills away after use.
– Don’t leave pet food outside overnight.
– Remove bird feeders and bird food from late March through November.
– Don’t add meat or sweets to a compost pile.
– If encountering a bear, don’t run. Shout, wave your arms and back away slowly.
– Collect and remove low-hanging or fallen fruit from fruit trees.
– Eliminate meat, cooking oil, fish or fruit odors from near your home. This includes fish-meal fertilizers.
– Collect and remove any ripened vegetables from your garden.
Indiana DNR encourages citizens to report bear sightings to dfwinput@dnr.IN.gov or by calling (812) 334-1137 during regular business hours. Photos or videos can be sent to the same email address. The maximum file size is 15 MB.
CORYDON, Ind. (AP) – Indiana State Police say they’ve arrested a southern Indiana man on more than 40 counts alleging crimes including having sex with an underage family member.
Police said the 33-year-old Harrison County man was arrested Tuesday and charged with 20 counts each of incest and sexual misconduct with a minor. He also faces two counts of disseminating material harmful to minors for allegedly showing pornography to a child.
The man was incarcerated at the Harrison County Jail in Corydon while he awaits his first court appearance.
Police say the arrest followed an investigation conducted with the Harrison County Department of Family and Children.
CORYDON, Ind. (AP) – Organizers of one of Indiana’s oldest county fairs say they’re sticking with a plan to offer a pig-wrestling event despite concerns from animal rights advocates.
The Harrison County Fair has hired a Rushville promoter to put on the event during the fair in July. Fair board president Jeff Byerly tells the Louisville, Kentucky, Courier-Journal that officials decided to add the event after it was endorsed as a “great show” at a recent fair convention in Indianapolis.
Teams of four people will try to catch a pig in a muddy arena within 45 seconds. Byerly says contestants are rarely successful and that a veterinarian will be on site.
The River Valley Humane Society says the event mistreats animals. A petition to ban the event has nearly 10,000 supporters.
CORYDON, Ind. (WISH) – Cattle roamed a major interstate near Corydon, causing Indiana State Police to close down 13 miles of roadway.
According to Indiana State Police, John Forester, 36, of Jonesboro, Tennessee, was travelling west on I-64 and allegedly fell asleep driving into the median at the 101-mile marker. His 2009 Peterbuilt semi tractor pulling a loaded trailer overturned in the 5 a.m. accident, and 88 head of cattle were released to roam the interstate.
Shortly after the accident, another westbound semi hit one of the freed cows.
Indiana State Police shut down the interstate between 92-mile marker and 105-mile marker to round up the cattle. As of 10:30 a.m., I-64 was still closed.
Forester, along with his co-driver, Dusty Arnold, 36, of Kingsport, Tennessee, were taken to University of Louisville Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Farmers from the surrounding area are helping with the cleanup effort by transferring cattle to a separate location where they will be reloaded and sent to their final destination.
The condition of cattle ranged from non-injured, to injured to deceased.
Police are routing I-64 west bound traffic at the Corydon Exit #105, and I-64 east bound traffic at Marengo/Leavenworth Exit #92.
Police are still investigating the crash.