Indianapolis, IN

Indiana State Police sergeant calls it ‘heartbreaking’ as ‘selfish’ drivers hit trooper vehicles

Published

4 weeks ago

January 30, 2026

Indiana State Police sergeant calls it ‘heartbreaking’ as ‘selfish’ drivers hit trooper vehicles

INDIANAPOLIS — Six Indiana State Police trooper vehicles in the Indianapolis district have been hit in just the last five days, all while responding to other crashes on icy roads.

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ISP sergeant calls it ‘heartbreaking’ as ‘selfish’ drivers hit trooper vehicles

The incidents come as troopers have investigated more than 600 crashes in the last five days in the Indianapolis district, according to ISP Sergeant John Perrine.

The ISP vehicles were hit while the troopers were on the side of the interstate responding to another crash.

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“It’s heartbreaking. It’s selfish drivers. People that drive with themselves in mind, not anyone else. They make poor decisions. They get in a hurry,” Perrine said. “Well, we’re very thankful and fortunate that none of them have suffered any serious injuries.”

The dangerous conditions persist as INDOT crews face challenges with traditional winter weather response methods. On Thursday, plow truck drivers are emptying salt from their trucks at their Indianapolis substation because the extreme cold temperatures make salt ineffective.

“We’re still seeing really cold temperatures, subzero overnight almost every night, so we can’t use salt when that happens. Anytime it’s under 15 degrees, our salt really isn’t effective. We’re dropping it, but it’s not activating,” said Jordan Yaney, public relations director for INDOT’s East Central District.

High-speed crashes on icy roads have been on the rise in recent days.

“People are getting hurt, and that’s really a scary time for us,” Perrine said.

The North Split area has been particularly problematic, with drivers getting stuck in snow buildup when trying to navigate between lanes or exit ramps.

“What we were seeing is a lot of people sliding off and getting stuck because if you miss that exit by just a second, or you’re in the left lane and need to exit all the way over onto the right and you get caught in that buildup of snow, it’s really hard to get out of it—especially if you’re in a smaller car like a sedan,” Yaney said.

INDOT crews plan to address the snow accumulation by pushing it over walls where they can safely do so as part of their cleanup response. However, there aren’t many places to put snow in the area, as crews typically push snow off mainline roads to shoulders, gores, and merge points during winter events.

As temperatures remain below freezing, Perrine warns drivers to be prepared for re-freezing and to slow down. He says the extended winter weather has been particularly challenging.

“It’s probably the longest snow event that I can remember in my 23-year career,” Perrine said. “We’re just really tired of responding to the crashes of careless drivers.”

INDOT crews continue working long 12 and even 16-hour shifts to clear every lane from white line to white line, but with bitter cold holding on, slick spots will remain.

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Indianapolis, IN

New bridge over 96th Street adds to Nickel Plate Trail connections

Published

1 hour ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

New bridge over 96th Street adds to Nickel Plate Trail connections

FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) — The Nickel Plate Trail pedestrian bridge over 96th Street is officially open.

It was being touted Friday as a major milestone for central Indiana’s growing trail system. The street is the Fishers-Indianapolis border.

Leaders called the project a critical connection point for the Nickel Plate Trail. The new bridge helps move the nearly 17-mile trail closer to its goal of connecting multiple counties through one continuous path.

The bridge also came with a 1.3-mile trail extension. A $4.5 million grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources made the bridge possible.

Dale Brier, deputy director of Indiana Department of Natural Resources, talked about the state’s Next Level Trails grant program. “Currently, we have 89 trail projects that that were funded with that money. Fifty-nine of those are complete. We’ve got 12 under construction. As of this opening, we have 167 miles of trail that have now been opened with that grant money.”

People who frequently take the trail for their daily exercises say they’re excited the bridge is finally open.

Alan Errichiello of the Fishers Running Club said, “Extending this down south into Indianapolis is a big game changer for us. It’ll add a lot of miles that we can easily get into.”

Resident Tracy Mundell said, “Trying to get to the other side was nearly impossible, so I think most people didn’t even attempt it. It’s going to be great, we can get over to the other side, and I’m anxious to see what’s over there.”

The final portion of the project, called the Clear Path project, remains under construction.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, a Republican, said, “We need to double-down on that investment, and we know time and time again here in the city of Fishers that trail systems, the ability to get up and get out and get active, is such an important part in our culture of health, that an investment like this is critical.”

Once complete, local leaders say the goal is to provide a more safe and connected routes between Noblesville, Fishers, Indianapolis and other surrounding cities.

Resident Steve Mundell said, “It’s lovely. It’ll be real convenient to get across too.”

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Indianapolis, IN

Good and bad from Colts’ 2026 NFLPA report card grades

Published

13 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Good and bad from Colts’ 2026 NFLPA report card grades

What grades did the Indianapolis Colts earn on the 2026 NFLPA report cards?

The NFLPA is no longer able to make their annual report cards public. However, ESPN’s Kayln Kahler was able to obtain a copy of the reports following the 2025 NFL season, and the Indianapolis Colts were again around the middle of the pack.

In these report cards, players rate numerous aspects of the organizations they play for, from ownership to the training facilities and everything in between. According to Kahler, 1,759 players contributed to these grades.

So, where did the Colts end up this year relative to the rest of the NFL this year?

Overall, the Colts ranked 17th. Below is a breakdown of each individual grade they received.

Treatment of Families: B
Home Game Field: D
Food/Dining Area: B
Nutritionist/Dietician: A-
Locker Room: C+
Training Room: B
Training Staff: B+
Weight Room: B
Strength Coaches: A
Position Coaches: B
Offensive Coordinator: B
Defensive Coordinator: B+
Special Teams Coordinator: B+
Team Travel: B-
Head Coach: A-
General Manager: A
Team Ownership: A

Of note, although the Colts haven’t been to the postseason in five years, Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard both received high marks.

Carlie Irsay Gordon, Kalen Jackson, and Casey Foyt earned an A in their first year as the primary owners.

The field at Lucas Oil Stadium received a very low mark, earning a D, while the locker room was given a C+. Those were the two lowest grades the Colts received.

Compared to the 2025 rankings, the Colts moved up two spots this year, after coming in at 19th last year.

The biggest jumps the Colts experienced came in the Food/Dining grade, which went from a C to a B. The Team travel grade also jumped from a D+ to a B-.

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Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis police search for 3 people after shooting, stolen vehicle crash

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After a shooting, Indianapolis police were searching for three people who fled on foot following the pursuit of a stolen vehicle and its crash on Thursday afternoon.

No information was provided in the notification about the three people being sought. News 8 reached out to IMPD by email to find out details about the three people. Anyone with information regarding the incident or the people who fled the crash was asked to contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

The stolen vehicle was linked to a Thursday shooting, prompting the lockdown of a nearby child care center, IMPD said in a media notification. No information was provided about where the shooting happened, what may have led to it, or whether anyone was hurt.

IMPD, however, said the stolen vehicle and crash were not related to a shooting reported at 12:35 p.m. Thursday at a gas station and restaurant at West 38th and Meridian streets.

IMPD officers found the stolen vehicle around 12:45 p.m. Thursday near East 38th Street and Post Road. When a detective attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle fled westbound before crashing a short time later near Whenner Drive, the notification said. It did not say what type of vehicle was abandoned in the crash.

Three people from the crashed vehicle fled southwest on foot. IMPD established a perimeter with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the Lawrence Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office — using specialized resources, including a state police helicopter, a special weapons and tactics team, and the IMPD’s police dogs — but did not find the three people.

IMPD said a firearm was found in the crashed vehicle, and a man detained at the crash scene was later released once investigators determined he was not directly involved in the incident.

Police have since lifted the lockdown on the child care center.

IMPD’s public information office can be reached at 317-327-3424.

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