LAWRENCE CO. – In February 2023, two officers were shot during a traffic stop, and the suspect was killed; Lawrence County mourned the loss of former BNL Band Director and community leader Roger Gales and longtime Lawrence County Surveyor Michael D. Arena
Two Lawrence County Sheriff’s deputies were shot during a traffic stop on State Road 37
Two Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputies were shot, and the suspect was killed during a traffic stop on State Road 37 at the Sinclair station during the early morning hours of Sunday, February 5th.
Lawrence County Deputy Joshua Rhodes was hit twice, and Mitchell Police Officer Christian Anderson was hit once in the shoulder.
Both officers fired at the suspect, Anthony Richmond, 30, of West Baden Springs, who died in the ambulance at the scene.
On February 5th at approximately 3:15 a.m., a Lawrence County Sheriff’s deputy pulled over a vehicle in the 4800 block of State Road 37 for a traffic violation.
A second Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputy, his K9 partner, and a Mitchell Police Officer arrived to assist. The traffic stop evolved into a drug investigation after the police K9 conducted an open-air sniff and gave a positive indication of the presence of narcotics in the vehicle.
After officers searched the car and found narcotics, they attempted to put Anthony Richmond in handcuffs; he then fled on foot from the traffic stop in a westward direction across the multiple-lane highway and was pursued by three officers.
Once on the other side of the highway and near a billboard, Anthony Richmond engaged in a physical altercation with the officers, then pulled out a handgun and fired upon the officers, striking Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputy Joshua Rhoades and Mitchell Police Officer Christian Anderson.
Officer Anderson was able to return fire, which struck Richmond.
This incident was captured on video from the issued body cameras by Lawrence County Police Officers.
More officers and personnel from the fire department arrived and provided emergency medical aid to both officers and Richmond. The two officers were transported by ambulance to a local hospital and then airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital from there.
Richmond was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Indiana State Police Department was notified and investigated the incident. Several detectives and evidence technicians were assigned to the investigation. Additionally, Forensic Pathologist James Jacobi conducted an autopsy of Anthony Richmond.
On March 28, 2023, the Indiana State Police Department completed its investigation and submitted a case report for Prosecutor Sam Arp’s
review. In addition to the report, Arp received a Certificate of Analysis from the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division related to the functionality of all firearms and ammunition involved in the incident.
Lawrence County Prosecutor Sam Arp ruled in March 2023 that the officer-involved shooting was justified.
Lawrence County mourned the loss of former BNL Band Director and community leader Roger Gale
The Lawrence County community is mourning the loss of former BNL Band Director and community leader Roger Gales.
Roger L. Gales, 72, of Bedford, passed away at 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at his residence.
Roger became a music educator for North Lawrence Community Schools from 1995-2017, where he served as band director at the Bedford Middle School and as associate director of music and bands and music department chair at BNL, retiring in 2017.
Roger graduated from Greece Olympia High School in 1968 and Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY, with a major in music and a minor in education in 1972. He graduated from Asbury College with a Master of Arts and Administration degree. He then received a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. He was ordained by the Free Methodist Church in 1983 and served as youth and music pastor in Lawrence, KS, from 1983-1986.
He served as worship director at the Bedford First Baptist Church from 1999-2003. His lifelong passion for tuning and repairing pianos was fulfilled in retirement with his full-time business, Roger Gales Piano Service, where he not only tuned and repaired pianos but completely restored numerous pianos throughout the region.
He was the former director of the Bedford Community Band from 2013-2019. He was a member of the Nostalgia Band, TAPS Across America, and Sons of the American Legion Gillen Post #33, where he served in the Honor Guard.
County mourns former Lawrence County Surveyor Michael D. Arena
Former Lawrence County Surveyor Michael D. Arena, 77, of Bedford, passed away on Monday, January 30, 2023.
Mike was a professional land surveyor licensed in Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Tennessee. Arena served 11 terms as the Lawrence County Surveyor from 1973 until 2017 and most recently worked with the firm of Bledsoe Riggert Cooper James until his passing. He had more than 54 years of experience in the field.
During his professional life, Mike was also on the Board of Directors of Green Hill Cemetery and was a member of the Bedford Exchange Club, serving as President for both organizations.
Mike was a dedicated and devout member of the Church of Christ, having served as a Deacon for Central Church of Christ and, most recently, Southland Church of Christ, where he taught several Bible classes and delivered the occasional sermon.
Mike was a published religion author, having written the book “Bumper Sticker Religion”, which can be purchased through Dorrance Publishing Co.
Michael was a veteran of the U.S. Army and National Guard and an active American Legion member.
