Johnson Co. Sheriff's Office investigates second dangerous incident of rocks, baseballs thrown onto I-65

Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 10:42 AM

By Staff report

On Monday evening the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of individuals throwing rocks from the overpass at County Roads 250 S and 600 E onto I-65.

The incident was reported at 6:45 p.m.

Dispatch received multiple 911 calls, including one from a tractor-trailer driver who reported vehicle damage and was awaiting assistance from the Indiana State Police.

This is the second such incident in two weeks. The first occurred on November 9, at approximately 9:15 p.m., when a deputy responded to a similar report and located a large quantity of baseballs on the roadway that had to be removed to ensure driver safety.

Upon a deputy's arrival at the scene of a November 13 incident,no individuals were located in the area but a deputy did discover significant evidence of activity. A damaged baseball was found on the overpass, and upon further investigation, over 100 baseballs and softballs were scattered along the interstate and surrounding areas. Some of the balls were still in plastic packaging, with containers also discarded nearby.

The Johnson County Sheriff's Office has requested extra patrols in the area to deter further incidents. The case has been referred to the Investigations Division for follow-up.

Sheriff Duane E. Burgess emphasized the seriousness of these repeated incidents.

“This reckless and dangerous behavior has now occurred twice in just a few days, endangering the lives of motorists and causing property damage. We are committed to identifying those responsible and ensuring that these acts do not continue.”

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Analyst Watson 317-346-4652 or Detective Bartlett 317-346-4767.