Indianapolis, IN
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.
WATCH FULL STORY BELOW
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.
PROVIDED
“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.
PROVIDED
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.
PROVIDED
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.
PROVIDED
“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.
__
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WISH) — Purdue University has received a $20 million commitment from the Ricks Family Foundation to establish the Purdue Institute for Healthcare Systems Innovation at the Indianapolis campus.
The institute in the Mitch Daniels School of Business aims to improve health care efficiency and effectiveness, the university said in a news release issued Wednesday afternoon.
Dr. Christina Ricks and her husband, David A. Ricks, the chair and CEO of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co., are the primary leaders of the foundation.
James “Jim” Bullard, a dean for the Daniels School of Business, said in the release, “Considering the health care situation in the U.S. today, there is a clear need for rigorous, market-informed research that challenges conventional thinking and drives new solutions. This institute will allow Purdue to lead that work and make a lasting difference.”
As Purdue works to develop its relatively new Indianapolis campus, the university recently announced that plans for a 12-story apartment building on recently acquired canal property in Indianapolis are now on hold as the university develops its campus, Mirror Indy reported.
This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.
INDIANAPOLIS — A woman was critically injured in a shooting on the northeast side of Indianapolis Tuesday night.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, officers were called to the 5500 block of East 41st Street around 8:45 p.m. to investigate a shooting. When police arrived at the scene, they located an adult female with injuries consistent with gunshot wounds.
Per IMPD, the victim was transported from the the scene to a local hospital in critical condition. Police reported that hospital staff later provided them with an update that indicated the victim remains in critical condition.
Investigators believe the shooting occurred inside a residence on 41st Street. One shell casing was found in the front yard of that residence near its driveway. Police do not believe that stray shell casing is related to the shooting in any way.
Law enforcement detained a person of interest during its investigation of the shooting. IMPD has not yet provided any of the detainee’s identifying information like sex, age or name.
Police do not believe the shooting poses any ongoing threat to the public. Investigators are, however, still encouraging area residents to call IMPD at (317) 327-3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at (317) 262-8477 to pass along any information they may have on the shooting.
Larry D. Hunter, 80, of Indianapolis, passed away peacefully at his home on April 16, 2026. He was born in Metamora, Indiana, on April 19, 1945, the ninth of 11 children of Conley and Oma Hunter (née Mobley). He was a graduate of Brookville High School, where he played basketball and also served as editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, B. High Spirit. While in high school, he also played baseball in the Babe Ruth League in Brookville.
After graduating in 1963, Larry joined the U.S. Army, serving from 1964 until 1967. During this time, while stationed in Germany, he met his first wife, Gabriele (née Vetter). They returned to the States, married in 1968 and remained together until 1988. They had two children, Rusty and Nikki. In 1997, he married Connie (née Sparks) and they remained together until 2022. Larry was a member of Five Points Baptist Church in Mooresville and the Carpenters Union Local 301. He was employed with Paul Fox Construction for several years before working at F.A. Wilhelm Construction, where he stayed for over 40 years as a layout engineer and then superintendent before officially retiring in 2025 at the age of 80.
Larry had many interests including spending time with family; watching Indianapolis Colts games, comedy movies and game shows; playing board games; working his booth at the flea market, and playing ping pong, mini golf and bowling, for which he participated in a league for a few years. He also loved his many dogs – Chief, Champ, Prince, Max and Molly – and cats Cuddles, Sophie, Misty and Meanbutt.
Survivors include his two children, Rusty Hunter of New Palestine and Nikki Hunter of Indianapolis; one brother James A. (Karen) Hunter of Shelbyville; step-daughter Amie Jo Sparks (Christopher) Ross; five step-grandchildren Jordan (Paige) Cowan, Mason (Alexis) Cowan, Erica Cowan, Jessica Furkin, and Daila Hargitt; eight step-great-grandchildren, Callie, Aiden, Rylie, Princeton, Sensei, Charlotte, Luka, and Amelia. In addition to his parents, Larry was preceded in death by nine siblings: William, Ray, Roy, Herbert, Eva, Elsie, Ruth, Paul (“Bud”), and Garry; and one stepson, Brian Sparks.
Visitation will be held on Monday, May 4 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Cook Rosenberger Funeral Home, 929 Main Street, Brookville, Indiana 47012. Pastor Rob Edwards will officiate the funeral service beginning at 1 p.m. and burial will follow immediately after in Metamora Cemetery – Mobley Addition.
Memorial contributions in honor of Larry may be directed to the American Legion Bernard Hurst Post #77. Donations will be accepted in person at the visitation, or they can be mailed to 1290 Fairfield Avenue, Brookville, IN 47012.
To share fond memories, offer personal condolences, or to sign the online guestbook, please visit www.cookrosenberger.com. The staff of Cook Rosenberger Funeral Home are honored to care for Larry and his family during this time.
-
Detroit, MI22 minutes agoDetroit Pistons fans nervous but excited ahead of Game 5
-
San Francisco, CA34 minutes agoSan Francisco thieves targeting seniors who wear jewelry, police say
-
Dallas, TX40 minutes agoBefore The Boys, Chace Crawford Starred In A Dallas-Esque Drama With Don Johnson – TVLine
-
Miami, FL46 minutes agoBraxton Berrios, Bethenny Frankel and more stars hit Gaia Miami’s opening
-
Boston, MA52 minutes agoBoston Police Blotter: Man pleads guilty to ‘vicious’ 1979 murder of Susie Rose
-
Denver, CO58 minutes agoRecruit dies during Denver Sheriff Department academy training
-
Seattle, WA1 hour agoConcerned Alki Beach neighbors seek safety measures seen in other Seattle neighborhoods
-
San Diego, CA1 hour agoMan sentenced to prison in Hillcrest sexual assault