Terre Haute Vice News

08/17/2024

Homeless Awareness Day
August 17th 10 am to 2 pm
Gilbert Park. 14th & Wabash ave

08/16/2024

08/16/2024

This afternoon the U.S. Marshals service contacted the Terre Haute Police Department requesting assistance after they had located Chance Kernstein, a 40 year old male wanted on charges including Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon, Criminal Recklessness, Resisting Law Enforcement, Possessing a Firearm without a License and Pointing a Firearm at Another. Due to his history and his threats made toward police, the Special Response Team responded to assist, along with THPD uniform division officers and deputies from the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department. Chance refused to exit the residence but eventually did come out to the roof to speak with members of the Terre Haute Police Crisis Negotiation Team. Eventually Chance agreed to surrender and he climbed down a ladder provided by the Special Response Team and he was taken into custody.

08/16/2024

400 blk of 3rd Ave Standoff, suspect has cut his ankle bracelet off. Warrant being served.

08/14/2024

Vigo County Sheriff Derek Fell was officially named to the Sheriff’s position by a Democratic caucus last evening.

08/14/2024

Statement from Sheriff Derek Fell:

Today is a bittersweet day. My ambition for a long time has been to serve someday as Vigo County’s Sheriff. I anticipated running for office when Sheriff Plasse completed his second term two years from now. Sadly, that timeline accelerated because of Sheriff Plasse’s illness and recent passing.

We will never forget Sheriff John Plasse. He was our leader and colleague, but also a friend. We are grateful for the time we had serving as a part of his team. We soaked up everything we could learn these last five and a half years from his leadership and friendship. Being in his presence, you couldn’t help but learn. We are confident Sheriff Plasse would insist now that the Sheriff’s Office move forward to serve our community with integrity and pride. Sheriff Plasse was an example of a public servant who understood an obligation to serve all the people. While a Sheriff seeks office in a political process, when the oath is taken, politics fall away and dedicated and fair public service begins. Our citizens may not agree on some issues debated, but I always see our community as home to good people who want the best for each other. I commit to you that I and this Office will continue to serve with that in mind.

We have an incredible team at the Sheriff’s Office. The work they do on a daily basis is inspiring—sometimes unnoticed, but always appreciated. They put their lives on the line every day serving our community without blinking an eye. I am truly honored to work alongside them, bringing you our best, all the while knowing we can always look for ways to improve and build even stronger relationships with one another and our community.

It comes down to this: We will continue to remember and honor our friend and colleague while serving the people of Vigo County and be mindful of his service and example. We will not hesitate to tackle the challenges and problems that inevitably are ahead. And, together, we will serve the best interests of the people of Vigo County.

Our thoughts, prayers, and support will forever be with the Plasse family.


Derek Fell
Sheriff

08/14/2024

School starts tomorrow, and we want everyone to have a fantastic year! Here are a few tips to help ensure a safe, smooth, and positive start:

Plan Your Route: Whether walking, biking, or driving, plan your route to school ahead of time. Ensure it's safe and allows enough time to arrive without rushing.

Be Aware of School Zones: Drivers, remember to slow down in school zones and be vigilant for crossing guards and children crossing the street.

Use Crosswalks: Students should always use designated crosswalks when crossing the street. Never dart out between parked cars.

Bus Safety: If you take the bus, arrive at the bus stop early, wait at a safe distance from the road, and always follow the driver's instructions.

No Bullying: Remember, everyone deserves to feel safe and respected at school. Be kind to your classmates, stand up against bullying, and seek help from a teacher or trusted adult if you see or experience any form of bullying.

Let's have a great year!

08/12/2024

**For Immediate Release**

This morning select City of Terre Haute Offices and Employees received a bomb threat via email. The email mentioned the possibility of a bomb inside of City Hall. Terre Haute Police Department uniform officers responded to the scene and deemed the building safe for employees to conduct regular business again. This email threat was generic in nature and was found to have been sent to multiple law-enforcement agencies across the state of Indiana, in addition to some other community organizations. As this is an ongoing investigation, we don’t have any further information to give at this time. The Terre Haute Police Department is dedicated to investigating threats such as this to the fullest. We have increased security at City Hall and will continue to, until further notice.

08/11/2024

9th and McKeen Residential Structure Fire

08/11/2024

Former jail employee arrested for OVWI

Indiana, Vigo County, Aguado, Melissa - 2024-08-10 04:17:18 mugshot, arrest, booking report

08/08/2024

A police vehicle from the Terre Haute Police Department was involved in a single-vehicle accident near the intersection of 13th and Locust. According to a witness, the vehicle was responding to a call at the Family Dollar with its emergency lights on, following another police vehicle. The officer driving the vehicle was traveling at a high speed and lost control, resulting in a collision with a tree. Despite the severity of the accident, the officer did not sustain any serious injuries.

08/08/2024

13th and Locust
Sent in by Allen

08/07/2024

With Vigo County Scanner – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

08/07/2024

It is Roadside Produce Stand Season!!!!!!

Let us know where the Vigo County roadside stands are, by commenting the location and what is available.

Please consider sharing this post for all of us to know what is available.

08/06/2024

𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲:

Early this afternoon, THPD uniformed officers were dispatched to the 400 block of N 42nd St in response to a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers determined that the suspect had engaged in an argument with the victim and discharged a handgun during the verbal altercation. It was also established that the suspect had been residing on the property for several days without the owner's consent, as the owner had recently been absent from the premises.

Uniformed officers attempted to make contact with the suspect but received no communication. Due to the large wooded area and the possibility of an armed suspect in the residence or on the property, members of the THPD Special Response Team and negotiators were deployed to assist. The suspect was subsequently taken into custody without incident.

The investigation remains active, and more information will be released as it becomes available.

08/05/2024

Former Vice President Mike Pence is set to receive nearly $720,000 in public funds to help pay for his recent six-month presidential primary run, a number that could grow if his campaign requests more money.

Former Vice President Mike Pence launched his presidential run in 2023, but ended it after six months. Federal dollars will help pay campaign expenses.

08/04/2024

According to reports from the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette and WANE 15 News, the city of Fort Wayne is under scrutiny after two men were shot by Fort Wayne police officers in one week. These incidents have ignited community concern and demands for transparency. The most recent shooting occurred on Tuesday, Gawon Benson, 31, was fatally shot by Fort Wayne police on the Purdue University Fort Wayne campus....

According to reports from the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette and WANE 15 News, the city of Fort Wayne is under scrutiny after two men were shot by Fort Wayne police officers in one week. These incident…

08/04/2024

A crash on the east side of Indianapolis Saturday morning left a fire truck overturned and injured at least four firefighters, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said.

08/04/2024

𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲:

At 2:50 pm on 8/3/2024 an officer in the area of N. 21st and Locust St heard several gun shots. As he checked the area, a man standing in the street took off running and witnesses said that the man had a gun in his hand. The officer pursued the suspect on foot and saw him running in the alley with the gun in his hand.

The officer lost sight of the suspect, but was able to relocate him lying under a parked vehicle in a backyard. The suspect was taken into custody and charged with charged with Criminal Recklessness, Resisting Law Enforcement, Pointing a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon, and two outstanding warrants; a misdemeanor warrant out of Vigo County, and State Parole Violation Warrant for Possession of a Firearm by Serious Violent Felon.

08/01/2024

07/31/2024

Rural King Wabash,Shots fired at an employee, bullet hole in drivers side window of their vehicle

07/30/2024

Large police presence near the entrance to Harrison Apartments on S 25th Street. At least one female in custody.

07/30/2024

07/29/2024

“Six jobs in four years should have raised a red flag. And you would ask why he wasn’t hired full time in any of those (part-time) jobs,” said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. “Combined with a track record of DUIs, it would be enough to do further examination as to whether or not he would be a good fit.”

Authorities say the Illinois sheriff’s deputy charged in the shooting death of Sonya Massey was kicked out of the Army for the first of two drunken driving convictions in which he had a weapon in his car.

07/29/2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Messmer Agrees to Debate w/ Fitzlaff for US House Dist. 8 (VIDEO)

Terre Haute, IN – Tuesday, July 29 – K. Richard Fitzlaff, candidate for US House from District 8 on the Libertarian Party ticket, staffed a booth at the Owen County Fair recently where he approached his Republican Party opponent Mark Messmer asking him for a debate, in which Messmer agreed.

The 48-second discussion can be seen in its entirety on our previous post.

Fitzlaff opened the conversation to Messmer by asking if he was, “aware that the Indiana 8th Congressional District hasn’t had an open debate where we invited all the candidates and the community members to a debate in 12 years?”

“I had no idea,” Messmer replied.

Fitzlaff responded, “Would you be willing, right now, to agree to a debate?”

“I’d love to,” was Messmer’s response, “depends on the time,” to which Fitzlaff offered Messmer the option to choose a time and location that best suits his busy schedule. Messmer happily agreed, “I’d be willing to do that.”

Sadly, when Messmer realized he was being recorded by multiple nearby citizens, he bailed on the conversation, and made a complaint with the Owen County Fair for harassment from Fitzlaff. Again, the full video of the alleged harassment can be seen on all our social media.

"I was shocked to learn my Republican opponent felt he was harassed by such a question strongly enough to issue a complaint,” said Fitzlaff in response. “If he struggles to have friendly conversations with a constitutionalist about a campaign debate to serve their constituents, I believe he's in for a big wake up call when he has to confront real issues in Washington.”

Erik Hurt, the Democratic Party candidate running in the 8th Congressional district race, told Fitzlaff that “there has not been a debate between Congressional candidates in Indiana’s 8th District since 2012. By refusing to debate, Senator Messmer is depriving Hoosiers of their right to make an informed decision on who their next Congressman will be. I am looking forward to participating in debates to strengthen our democracy in the 8th District and beyond.”

The Fitzlaff campaign is willing to work with any organizations and accommodate any needs from either campaign to help facilitate this for the community.

We eagerly await word from the Messmer campaign for the followup to his agreement to a debate between the candidates from the Congressional 8th District in the great state of Indiana.