By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — The Warsaw Traffic Commission on Wednesday recommended to the City Council the passage of an e-bike ordinance that would set policy in several ways.

As the popularity of e-bikes continues, some of the new models can travel as fast as 50 mph, said City Planner Justin Taylor.

The proposal was developed by the Ride+Walk Advisory Committee and would limit e-bikes from traveling any faster than 35 mph on streets and 15 miles per hour on trails, according to a story from the Times-Union.

The bicycle industry is seeing robus sales of e-bikes across the country.

E-bikes accounted for approximately 30% of total U.S. bicycle revenue in 2024, generating roughly $1.63 billion, according to Ebikes International.

Taylor said the new policy is needed for safety reasons.

The estimated number of e-bike injuries in the U.S. jumped from 1,600 in 2018 to over 23,000 in 2022, according to the American College of Surgeons 

The proposal would also prohibit e-bikes from traveling on sidewalks in the downtown business district.

Fines would start at $25 for the first offense and $150 for the third offense.

City Council is expected to review the proposal over the next few weeks before voting.

You can watch the discussion from Wednesday's meeting at the beginning of this link provided by the city.

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PLYMOUTH — Driving 110 mph on US 30 at 3 a.m. Monday led to the arrest of a Fort Wayne man who was driving a vehicle allegedly stolen from a dealership in the Warsaw area.

Damion L. Jeffrey, 19, of Fort Wayne, initially refused to immediately pull over once Marshall County deputies caught up to him.

He was headed west on 30 near 331, a few miles west near Pioneer Drive in Plymouth, when police took him into custody, but it was unclear how that unfolded.

The stolen vehicle was a black 2018 Jeep, but no other details were available about when the vehicle was taken.

Jeffrey was booked for resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, a Level 6 Felony.

Agencies involved in the incident included the Marshall County Sheriff's Office and the Bourbon and Plymouth police departments.

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FORT WAYNE — On Friday night, at around 11 p.m., a Fort Wayne District State Trooper was patrolling I-69 near Fort Wayne when a group of cars passed him at a high rate of speed.

The cars appeared to be racing and sounded modified and the Trooper said it sounded as if he was at a race track as they passed.

The Trooper chased after the lead vehicle, and after a short pursuit, was able to stop it near Coldwater Crossing Shopping Center.

The driver was arrested without incident and jailed at the Allen County Jail.

The driver, Jackson Bertels, 19, of Fort Wayne, was arrested for Resisting Law Enforcement a Level 6 Felony and Reckless Driving an A Misdemeanor and his vehicle was impounded.

Indiana State Police Troopers warn that this type of dangerous behavior will lead to arrests and the impounding of the vehicles involved.

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INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) will begin piloting camera speed limit enforcement in Hoosier highway construction zones next month, the agency announced Wednesday.

It’ll target speeding of 11 miles per hour over the speed limit and greater.

In 2023, Indiana recorded more than 8,000 crashes in work zones — injuring 1,750 people and killing 33. About 270 people have died in work zone crashes over the last decade, per INDOT.

“The goal of the Safe Zones program is to slow drivers down, reduce crashes, and most importantly, save lives,” INDOT Commissioner Mike Smith said in a news release.

“Speed continues to be a factor in work zone crashes and changing driver behavior is crucial to making work zones safer for drivers and road workers,” he continued. “For everyone’s safety, I urge drivers to wear their seat belts, avoid distractions and follow the posted speed limit.”

Lawmakers authorized the five-year pilot during the 2023 session.

The agency will kick its pilot off August 14, in Hancock County’s Interstate 70 construction zone, but plans to add other sites to the program “over time,” according to the release.

House Enrolled Act 1015 authorizes INDOT to use the camera systems in up to four sites per year.

The law requires the agency to post signs at worksite entrances notifying drivers that an automated speed control system is in use.

The camera system, which must be calibrated annually by an independent laboratory, will use speed timing devices to monitor vehicle speeds.

When it determines a vehicle is traveling 11 miles per hour or more above the speed limit, it’ll take a picture of the rear license plate. Under Indiana law, the pictures can only be used to enforce traffic offenses under the pilot, can’t be publicly disclosed and must be destroyed within two years.

“After the data is validated, violations will be certified and issued to the owner of the vehicle by mail,” the news release reads.

INDOT will begin the pilot with a pre-enforcement period. It’ll sent out courtesy notices, but won’t fine drivers.

Once that ends, a first violation will result in a zero-fine warning. A second violation will lead to a $75 civil penalty and a third to a $150 penalty. The money will go to the state’s General Fund. Because they’re civil penalties, drivers will see no points added to their driver’s licenses.

Drivers can contest the violations by submitting proof that they didn’t own the vehicle, weren’t driving it, or that it was reported stolen — and was unrecovered — at the time of the alleged speeding. They can also dispute the system’s accuracy, or argue that workers weren’t present at the time.

However, the Indiana Safe Zones’ answers to frequently asked questions indicate that just because drivers can’t see construction workers doesn’t mean they’re not there. Crews behind barriers are also considered active workers.

INDOT will collect data for the program, but can’t use it for surveillance or other law enforcement programs under state law. Instead, the agency will report its findings in public annual reports.

The agency is responsible for building and maintaining interstate highways, U.S. routes and state roads in Indiana, including overpasses, ramps, signs and traffic signals.

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

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INDIANAPOLIS — The bulk of this year’s new legislation will take effect July 1, with changes ranging from increased access to contraceptives to greater restrictions for public school educators.

Among the major changes passed by the legislature is a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, which has passed in 19 other state legislatures and been struck down in one.

However, Indiana’s Senate Enrolled Act 480 will not take full effect July 1 due to a partial injunction ordered June 16 by a Trump-appointed judge. While gender-affirming surgical procedures will be banned for minors, transgender minors will still have tentative access to puberty blockers and hormonal therapies.

Easier access to contraceptives

House Enrolled Act 1568 will allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control pills, patches or rings to adults for up to one year — though anything longer will require a referral to a provider.

Pharmacists who want to prescribe birth control will have to complete additional training. They are also required to provide patients with a self-screening risk assessment and refer them for a follow-up with their primary care providers.

However, pharmacists can refuse to prescribe hormonal contraceptives on the basis of ethical or religious objections.

Law enforcement “buffer zone” takes effect

At the urging of law enforcement officers, legislators passed HEA 1186, a bill that creates a 25-foot “buffer zone” around officers conducting official duties. Crossing within that barrier is a Class C misdemeanor.

Proponents of the legislation say that yelling and touching from bystanders can make an officer’s job more difficult and even dangerous while opponents say it will erode accountability for law enforcement officers.

The bill has no exceptions for people who want to record police interaction, including the media.

Annual gas tax increase extended to 2027

Legislators added an amendment to HEA 1050 to extend the state’s annual gas tax increase, which was set to expire in 2024.

In 2017, legislators raised the tax 10 cents as a way to fund road projects. They also set the tax to increase one cent per year to keep pace with inflation.

That means the tax, currently at 34 cents, will increase to 35 cents per gallon on July 1. The extension goes until 2027 and will cost drivers about $90 million.

The tax is on top of a regular 7% sales tax on gasoline and 18.4 cents per gallon in federal taxes.

Pilot program will use cameras to catch speeding

HEA 1015, which authorizes the Indiana Department of Transportation to use cameras to ticket people speeding in a construction zone, will also take effect beginning next month. The cameras are part of a pilot program aimed at reducing construction worker injuries and deaths as a result of speeding.

The technology will ticket people driving 11 mph over the speed limit in an active work zone, although only four cameras can be used across the state.

The law only applies if construction workers are present. The first violation would only result in a warning, with subsequent violations accruing progressively greater fines, beginning at $75.

Previously, drivers caught speeding by just one mile in an active work zone by police would result in a $300 ticket with no warning.

During the legislative session, the bill split Republican lawmakers, with some calling the program an example of government overreach.

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

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The first incident happened at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday on U.S. 30 near Iris Road east of Plymouth, according to ABC 57.

A Marshall County Sheriff's Department officer reportedly clocked 20 year old Dartayvia Elexus Beals' vehicle going 106 miles per hour. Beals was caught and has been initially charged with possession of marijuana and reckless driving.

A few hours later, just after midnight Sunday morning, Marshall County deputies had their hands full with a crash where the driver allegedly fled the scene, according to ABC 57.

Officers say Cloeann Harrell of Bremen crashed her vehicle on State Road 10 between State Roads 23 and 17 near Culver, then fled the scene.

Officers caught up with her several hours later and initially charged her with leaving the scene of an accident.

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