WASHINGTON COUNTY — State detectives have arrested three Southern Indiana residents in connection with a weekend vehicle crash and suspected shooting that claimed the life of a Pekin teenager.
The Indiana State Police (ISP) Sellersburg Post announced Wednesday that investigators have jailed three suspects following the June 13 incident in rural Washington County. The dynamic investigation has shifted from a fatal crash response to a criminal felony probe involving firearms, intimidation, and narcotics dealing.
The three individuals taken into custody are:
- Ethan D. Edison, 22, of Salem: Arrested June 16 on a court-issued warrant. He faces a Level 5 felony charge of intimidation, alongside Level 6 felony counts of dealing in a Schedule I controlled substance and pointing a firearm.
- Kendall Cline, 20, of Salem: Arrested June 15 on a court-issued warrant. Cline is charged with intimidation (Level 6 felony) and dealing in a Schedule I controlled substance (Level 6 felony).
- Jessica Lambert, 35, of Pekin: Arrested June 16 on probable cause. She faces a Level 6 felony charge of intimidation and a misdemeanor count of false informing.
All three suspects are currently incarcerated at the Washington County Jail, where they are being held without bail.
The incident began unfolding at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 13. Emergency dispatchers with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department received an automated vehicle crash notification—a feature common in modern smartphones and vehicles that alerts authorities to severe impacts—originating from the 8000 block of South Big Springs Road.
The rural crash site sits in south-central Washington County, roughly nine miles south of Salem and just north of the Harrison County line.
Upon arriving at the scene, responding deputies and local fire personnel discovered a single-vehicle wreck. Inside, they located a deceased male who had sustained injuries inconsistent with a standard traffic collision. Recognizing the signs of a suspected shooting, sheriff’s deputies requested the immediate assistance of the Indiana State Police.
ISP detectives and Crime Scene Investigators spent Saturday night and Sunday morning meticulously processing the South Big Springs Road site, collecting ballistics evidence, and charting the vehicle’s trajectory.
On Monday, June 15, state authorities officially identified the deceased individual as 17-year-old Hunter Blaine Rowley, a resident of nearby Pekin.
While state police have confirmed that the vehicle crash occurred after an apparent shooting, detectives have not yet publicly specified Rowley’s exact cause of death, nor have they clarified the specific roles the three suspects are alleged to have played in the moments leading up to the teenager’s death.
ISP Public Information Officer Sgt. Carey Huls emphasized that while these three arrests mark a significant step forward, the case remains highly active and fluid. Detectives are continuing to conduct interviews and analyze forensic evidence.
State police reiterated Wednesday that they do not believe there is any active or ongoing danger to the general public. However, because the early-stage investigation is sensitive, authorities are keeping many details close to the chest. Sgt. Huls noted that additional charges or arrests could be filed as prosecutors review the evidence.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through a fair and due legal process. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
