BloomfieldPd Indiana

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Owen County Deputy Shot During a Welfare Check

Owen County - At the request of Sheriff Ryan White, detectives from the Indiana State Police Bloomington Post are investigating an incident that occurred around 3:30 p.m., on June 12, 2026, on the 4000 block near Texas Pike, in Spencer, Indiana.

The Owen County Sheriff’s Department received a request from the Owen County Probation Department for a welfare check on a Wendell L. Hart, age 58, after he had missed his scheduled appointment earlier that day.

An Owen County Deputy arrived at the residence of Hart and shots were fired in his direction. The Deputy immediately called for assistance, and other officers arrived at the scene. Upon the arrival of other officers, Hart once again fired his weapon in the direction of the arriving officers; an Owen County Deputy was then struck by this gun fire. Officers returned fire with Hart, who barricaded himself in his residence.

The Owen County Deputy was immediately transported from the scene and taken to another location where he was then transported via air ambulance to a hospital in Indianapolis for medical treatment. At the time of this release the deputy is in stable condition.

The Indiana State Police SWAT team was then activated along with hostage negotiators. After approximately two hours of negotiations Hart willingly gave himself up and was taken into custody by the Indiana State Police SWAT team. Hart was then provided with immediate medical assistance from EMTs and transported to a hospital in Bloomington from injuries he received during the incident.

At this point there is no further information which can be released. Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be turned over to the Owen County Prosecutor's Office for review and formal charges.

AMES

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Please keep Owen Co. Law Enforcement officers in your thoughts and prayers. With very limited information, as it's understood an officer was shot on a LE call today.

You thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

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On a warm June night in small-town Indiana, the “Big Jack” stands tall over the Hi-Lift® factory - quiet now, but ready for another day of activity.

Today, our team will be hard at work punching, stamping, drilling, grinding, painting, assembling, inspecting, and testing the products that have made Hi-Lift® a trusted name for generations.

The Big Jack is more than a landmark. It's a reminder that every day takes the combined effort of dedicated people, skilled craftsmanship, and a commitment to quality to keep Hi-Lift® products moving out the door and into the hands of customers around the world.

Get your Hi-Lift® brand gear and equipment at a Hi-Lift® Jack dealer near you or at one of the many online retailers. Also available through the Hi-Lift® Store – LINK IN BIO!

Hi-Lift® Jacks – The Original Power Tool.

Celebrating "National Doughnut Day" & for the best coffee and/or bougie drinks in town stop by Rejavanated on Main St.

📅 REMINDER: NEW INDIANA LAWS EFFECTIVE JULY 1st

We are exactly one month away from July 1st, which is the statutory effective date for the vast majority of bills passed during the 2026 Indiana General Assembly session.

If you run a local business, operate within our county court systems, or just want to keep tabs on public safety and tax changes in our community, here is a breakdown of what officially changes next month:

🏛️ CRIMINAL JUSTICE & COURT PROCEDURES

Presence at Sentencing (SEA 9): Closes a long-standing loophole that allowed criminal defendants to skip their own sentencing hearings. Defendants are now legally required to be physically present in the courtroom while victims or their families deliver impact statements, unless they pose an active security threat.

Repeat OWI Penalties (HEA 1249): Significantly increases the mandatory minimum jail or community service time for repeat offenders. A second OWI conviction now requires a 10-day minimum confinement (up from 5), and a third requires a 20-day minimum (up from 10).

Boating Under the Influence (HEA 1249): Repeals separate waterboat operating laws and rolls watercraft directly into standard OWI statutes. Operating a boat while intoxicated now carries the exact same weight, penalties, and long-term impact on your standard driver’s license as operating a car.

HTV Status Updates (HEA 1249): Adds operating a motor vehicle with a Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substance in your blood directly to the Habitual Traffic Violator (HTV) triggers.

Child Witness Protections (HEA 1249): Mandates the automatic redaction of names and identifying data of child victims and child witnesses in public criminal court filings, substituting anonymous labels like “Child Witness No. 1.”

Cold Case DNA Testing (HEA 1248): Allows immediate families of victims in homicides or s*x offenses that have been cold for more than 5 years to access advanced DNA testing through approved non-profit organizations to help fund and restart law enforcement investigations.

Vandalism Reclassification (HEA 1249): Eliminates separate, scattered older statutes for institutional mischief, cemetery mischief, railroad mischief, and critical infrastructure mischief, consolidating them all under a single, streamlined "Criminal Vandalism" charge.

Jury Duty Exemption (SEA 139): Formally establishes a statutory exemption from jury duty service for breastfeeding mothers.

🏢 TAXES, BUSINESS & PUBLIC BENEFITS

Tax Cuts on Wages & Purchases (SEA 243): A major tax relief package taking effect for this tax year. This eliminates state income tax on tips, overtime wages, and the loan interest paid on American-made vehicles.

Public Benefits Eligibility (SEA 1): Tightens verification processes for public assistance programs. The state must now actively verify the immigration status of individuals applying for SNAP and Medicaid to ensure funds only go to legal residents. It also implements a mandatory work requirement for able-bodied, working-age adults on these programs.

Bail Restrictions (SEA 2): Restricts bail eligibility for violent offenses. Offenses other than murder can now be held without bail if the state proves by clear and convincing evidence that the arrestee poses a substantial, direct threat to public safety. (Note: This ties directly into a constitutional amendment question heading to our local ballots this coming November).

Homestead & Farm Food Sales (HEA 1424): Adjusts state health department regulations regarding time and temperature controls for small farm and homestead food vendors, providing a realistic compliance path that doesn't price out local growers.

Foreign V**e Import Ban (SEA 185): Outlaws the sale and wholesale distribution of any electronic ci******es or e-liquid products manufactured in foreign adversarial nations, directly targeting Chinese manufacturers. This is a massive compliance shift that will effectively clear a huge percentage of disposable v**e brands off local store shelves next month.

🚗 UTILITIES & LOCAL REGULATIONS

Summer Disconnection Protection (HEA 1002): Bans investor-owned electric companies from shutting off residential power to customers on any day where the National Weather Service forecasts a heat index of 95 degrees or higher.

Low-Income Utility Programs (HEA 1002): Requires major electric utilities under state jurisdiction to formally roll out and fund dedicated low-income customer financial assistance programs starting July 1st to stabilize monthly bills.

Foster Youth & Foster Parents (SEA 1 & SEA 15): Officially establishes an Indiana "Foster Youth Bill of Rights" and expands the legal standing of foster parents, giving them a formal right to be heard in ongoing court proceedings involving children placed in their care.

Lake & Water Safety (HEA 1062): Establishes strict new zoning rules, operational restrictions, and civil penalties for wakeboarding and wakesurfing on public freshwater and small lakes.

Schools out & entrepreneurship is alive & well on S. Seminary St. in Bloomfield! Come get a glass of the best lemonade in town 😁

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SHERIFF'S DEPUTY SHOT.Indiana Deputy Jon Samuelson was shot three times after transporting a man to the hospital following a disabled vehicle call. Authorities say the suspect suddenly pulled a handgun during a confrontation inside the emergency room before fleeing into nearby woods. Deputy Samuelson, a 12-year veteran of the La Porte County Sheriff's Office, IN remains in critical condition after being airlifted for emergency treatment. The suspect was later captured and a handgun was recovered. Another reminder that law enforcement officers never know when an ordinary call can become a life-or-death situation in seconds. Please keep Deputy Samuelson, his family, and his brothers and sisters in blue in your prayers.

We do give our "Ambulance drivers" a hard time every chance we get, but we also know they are the most well trained "Ambulance drivers" anyone could ever ask for.

Happy EMS/PARAMEDIC week. We do appreciate you more than we let on...Don't let it go to your head 😂🤣

Please for your safety and others turn your headlights on when it's raining. The life you save could be your own...

For Law Enforcement questions/complaints DO NOT call the Town Hall. All this does is delay law enforcement response.

Please call dispatch @ 812-384-4411 Opt. 1 that way your call is logged and appropriate information is gathered and a law enforcement officer will contact you ASAP.