The Christian County Grand Jury indicted 19 people today for various charges including burglary, wanton endangerment and sexual abuse.
42-year old Larry Dewayne Morrison of Moayon Street, Hopkinsville was indicted for 2^nd degree burglary for allegedly breaking and entering a Durrett Avenue residence with the intent to commit a crime on February 2^nd.
40-year old James Edgar Stokes of Hendersonville, Tennessee was indicted by the grand jury for one count of 1^st degree sexual abuse for allegedly forcibly making sexual contact with a female on December 4^th, 2011.
33-year old Zanae Shavon Humphries of Dallas, Texas was indicted by the grand jury for one count of 1^st degree wanton endangerment for allegedly shooting off a round towards the direction of the father of her child, who at the time was sitting in his car, following an argument on December 25^th, 2011.
The grand jury also handed down an indictment for 40-year old Erica James of Hopkinsville for 1^st degree wanton endangerment for allegedly leaving a child alone in a daycare van at a vehicle maintenance shop on January 23^rd.
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The Hopkinsville Police Department wants to remind area residents that there is still time to sign up for the 11^th annual Citizen’s Police Academy.
The academy will begin April 19^th and will last about eight weeks.
All classes will be held each Thursday evening at 6 p.m. and will be taught by a member of the police department, who will cover various topics including patrol, investigations, k-9 demonstrations and firearms.
If anyone is interested in being a member of the 11^th class, applications can be picked up at the Hopkinsville Police Department at West 1^st Street until April 11^th.
For more information or questions regarding the program, contact Officer John Bracey at 270-890-1500.
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The truck driver involved in a collision with a train in Pembroke last night was cited for two traffic violations following the incident.

Kentucky Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Sgt. Del Miller says 57-year old Mervin Leid of Ephrata, Pennsylvania was cited for not keeping a logbook of his activity and for not having periodic inspections of his trailer.

Officer John Hibbs removed Leid from service for ten hours as a penalty for not keeping a log and fines were also assessed.

Leid and the CSX train conductor went uninjured when Leid reportedly drove onto the tracks without enough time to make it across before the train made it to the South Main Street crossing.

All crossings in Pembroke were closed for several hours and the cleanup effort was extensive. Leid’s flatbed trailer loaded with heavy equipment was jolted all the way around to the cab and the wreckage landed in the front yard of a home near the railroad crossing.

Officer Hibbs says the gates and flashing lights at the crossing appeared to be working properly.           

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03/30/2012/am

A recently promoted Hopkinsville Police officer completed a law enforcement academy this week.

A news release from HPD says Sgt. Seth Meek graduated from the Department for Criminal Justice’s Academy for Police Supervision, which is a three week program.

Sgt. Meek finished the program for recently promoted officers that focused on the role of a supervisor, leadership, resolving conflict, managing diversity, monitoring officer performance, professional image, legal issues, ethics and more.

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03/30/2012/am

As March comes to a close and it becomes almost certain the area won’t see any more frozen precipitation for several months, transportation officials can look back at this winter as one of the best ever as far as the pocketbook goes.

Christian County Road Department Superintendent Chuck Chambers says he’s been treating county roads for 25 years and this past winter was the least treacherous of his tenure.

Not only is 80 dollars per ton of salt brine expensive to the county, Chambers cited rising gas prices and the cost of labor that would have had to have been spent, had we had more snow.

This winter was a stark contrast to last year when Chambers had a hard time re-stocking his salt supply while most of the country was demanding more during one of the worst seasons in recent memory.

Some money saved thanks to the warm winter are more difficult to quantify, such as the lack of wear and tare to trucks and other equipment.

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03/30/2012/am