Driver charged after SUV crashes into house
GREENFIELD — A driver who police say was high on Spice crashed his SUV into a home in the 700 block of East Main Street in Greenfield just after 9 p.m. Saturday while a family was inside.
Thomas Bowman was charged Monday with criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, both Level 6 felonies; and a misdemeanor charge of public intoxication and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Bowman lost control of his vehicle and crossed three lanes of traffic before crashing into the home, police said. He and his female passenger had minor injuries and were treated at Hancock Regional Hospital. No one in the home was hurt.
A passenger in the car told police the pair had been smoking synthetic marijuana — also known as Spice — prior to the crash, and police found paraphernalia in the vehicle, court records state.
Residents, county officials debate fairgrounds project
GREENFIELD — Emotions ran high at Tuesday’s Hancock County Board of Commissioners meeting as the public and county officials debated whether the county should move forward with approving a land lease for the proposed $30 million new fairgrounds project.
For nearly 2½ hours, supporters and opponents pleaded with the commissioners to see their points of view; those in favor asked for the long-discussed project to move forward, while those against it said more information is needed. At the end, neither side was completely satisfied.
The commissioners spent an hour discussing what steps need to be taken next to move the project forward but took no official action on the pending land lease or strategic plan for the proposed project. They plan to discuss the issue again at their next meeting.
Argument over Facebook post leads to stabbing
GREENFIELD — Two people were stabbed during a fight late Tuesday at a Greenfield home after tempers flared over a Facebook post, police said.
Police were called to a home in the 300 block of Tague Street around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday where a fight had broken out and one man involved pulled a knife, injuring two people, police said.
Brandon Anderson, 33, of Fountaintown, was arrested early Wednesday on charges of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and battery, police said.
Jacob O’meara, 25, was slashed in the forehead, and William Anderson, 38, was stabbed in the hand during the altercation, police said. Both men were treated at Hancock Regional Hospital and released.
County judge sentences convicted killer to 60 years
GREENFIELD — Convicted murderer Amanda Gonzales was sentenced Wednesday to serve 60 years in an Indiana Department of Correction facility for her role in the slaying of Katrina Miller, who was found shot in Hancock County cornfield in July 2014.
A jury found Gonzales guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder after a five-day trial in August. Police believe Gonzales planned Miller’s murder out of jealousy.
Hancock County Superior Court 1 Judge Terry Snow sentenced Gonzales to 60 years for murder and 30 years for conspiracy to commit murder. Those sentences will be served concurrently at a Department of Correction facility. Gonzales will serve at least 75 percent of that sentence if she has good behavior behind bars.
