Indianapolis, IN
High-speed chase on snow-covered U.S. 31 ends with arrest of Indianapolis woman
PLYMOUTH, Ind. (WISH) — A 35-year-old Indianapolis woman was hospitalized and later jailed after state troopers on Wednesday afternoon pursued her in a high-speed chase on a snow-covered U.S. 31.
Online court records on Thursday night did not yet show a court case for Amber McDowell, but a news release issued Thursday night from state police said she’s facing primary charges including low-level felony counts of OWI and resisting law enforcement with a vehicle as a result of the chase.
Online court records on Thursday night showed an active arrest warrant for McDowell in Hendricks Circuit Court in Danville on multiple criminal charges, including misdemeanor counts of OWI, driving while suspended, having a false certificate for motor vehicle registration, driving with an open alcoholic beverage container, and speeding. She had failed to appear for two court dates in 2021 following her initial hearing in December 2020.
The release also said McDowell was wanted on an arrest warrant from Kentucky, though no details were provided.
Wednesday’s chase began about 1:15 p.m. when troopers saw a red 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier car speeding northbound on a rural stretch of U.S. 31 near 14th Road in southern Marshall County. It’s about an 8-minute drive south of the Marshall County city of Plymouth. The northern Indiana county of 46,400 residents sits south of St. Joseph County, where South Bend is located.
The release said a trooper activated emergency lights, and McDowell accelerated and drove erratically, passing other vehicles on U.S. 31. McDowell lost control of her car about 14 miles into the chase, near the Marshall County town of La Paz. The car entered the center median of the divided highway, but she managed to regain control and flee about 8 miles farther north until she crashed into a concrete ditch on the U.S. 31 interchange for State Road 4 and the southern St. Joseph County town of Lakeville.
The chase reached speeds of nearly 100 mph, state police said.
Following the crash, McDowell fled from the car on foot before troopers fired a taser and then took her into custody. Upon her arrest, troopers said, McDowell displayed signs of intoxication.
News 8 on Thursday night reached out to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office for a jail booking photo of McDowell but did not receive an immediate response.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana State Police have arrested a man in connection with two attacks, including one deadly, near Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis earlier this month.
29-year-old Michael Willis is facing two counts of attempted murder. Police say that the attacks happened on June 19 and June 26, both happening on N Senate Ave. near Monument Circle.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by News 8, on June 19, Willis was walking in the area near Monument Circle around 2 a.m. when he approached a person laying down and repeatedly stomped on them. Police say that this first victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The first victim died on Sunday due to their injuries sustained from Willis’s attack, documents say.
Police also say that on June 26, Willis attacked a different person at the same location near Monument Circle. Police believe that the second victim was repeatedly kicked and stomped on while they were lying down as well. This second attack also took place around 2 a.m.
Indiana State Police detectives shared surveillance photos of Willis from the attacks with other police agencies in an attempt to identify him. Police say Willis was identified by a Greensborough Police Sergeant after Willis had asked the sergeant to use his cell phone.
Police then approached Willis and detained him. Police say that when Willis was detained, he was wearing the same clothes that were seen in the surveillance footage of both attacks. Officers also noticed blood on Willis’s socks.
In an interview with detectives about the July 26 attack, Willis at first said that he was only “nudging” the victim. Police say that according to Willis, he was trying to wake the victim up because he was concerned about them.
Later in the interview, Willis admitted to attacking both victims. Willis said that he was frustrated that he had been homeless and unemployed for around the past 6 months. According to police, Willis also said that the people in the area were “mean and rude” to him.
Police say that Willis told detectives that he was the only person involved in these attacks.
Willis is currently in custody of the Marion County Jail.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is under a heat advisory with temperatures in the 90s throughout the week.
Many cooling centers will open throughout the state for those that need to find relief from the heat. Hoosiers looking to find cooling centers in their area can contact Indiana 211. To learn more, call 211 or (866) 211-9966.
Avaliable cooling centers can also be found by clicking here.
Marion County
For those living in Indianapolis, Indy Parks has several cooling centers across the city.
Those Cooling Centers are:
- Broad Ripple Park Family Center
- Brookside Park Family Center
- Christian Park Family Center
- Frederick Douglass Park Family Center
- Garfield Park Burrello Family Center
- Krannert Park Family Center
- Grassy Creek Environmental Education Center
- Pride Park Family Center
- Rhodius Park Family Center
- Riverside Park Family Center
- Stanley Strader Park Family Center
- Washington Park Family Center
- Windsor Park Family Center
- Watkins Park Family Center
- Thatcher Park Family Center
For addresses and hours of operations of these cooling centers, click here.
Beech Grove will also have two cooling Centers for residents starting Monday, June 29. Those hours and locations are:
- Beech Grove Senior Center, 602 Main St
- 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Ave
- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday
Other Central Indiana Cooling Centers
For addresses and hour of operations of cooling centers below, click here.
Marion
- St. Martin Community Center
- Grant County Family YMCA
- Grant County Rescue Mission
Kokomo
- The Kokomo Rescue Mission
- The Excel Center in Kokomo
Peru
- Community Resource Center
- Miami County Courthouse
- Miami County Health Department
- Miami County YMCA
- Peru City Hall
- Peru Public Library
- Peru Schools Administration Building
INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The National Weather Service out of Indianapolis has issued a Heat Advisory for all of Central Indiana and a High Heat Warning for parts of northern Indiana. The Advisory and Warning will go into effect at 12 PM on Monday and will run through 8 PM Thursday.
WRTV
A Heat Advisory means that temperatures in the 90s with dew points in the 70s, will lead to Heat Index values reaching 106. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
Stay cool:
Drink plenty of fluids, check up on relatives and neighbors, and stay in an air-conditioned room when possible. If outside for extended periods of time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade as much as you can.
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