CARMI, Ill. - Authorities in Carmi have released official information on the situation that occurred two days ago involving a man being badly beaten.
Carmi Police Chief Jason Carter said that on Monday, June 18, at approximately 9:37 p.m., White County dispatch received a 911 report of two intoxicated males who had just battered a Jonathan Smith and broke a windshield on Smith's truck. Officers were told it occurred in the area of Fifth Street and Fifth Street Market, and that the victims left the area and has seen the two suspects fleeing the area to the north. The victims were told to return to the location to meet with police.
While Carmi police were enroute, White County dispatch received another 911 call at 9:40 p.m. from a male, advising that he had just located a man who had apparently been on a bike and was now laying partially in the roadway and was unconscious and bleeding profusely from the head.
As Carmi police arrived on scene, the officer observed a male subject laying on the ground near the edge of the street with a bicycle between his legs and observed the male subject was Toby Sanders. Sanders had a large amount of blood coming from the side of his head, and was breathing but unconscious.
Dispatch advised that an ambulance was enroute from Wabash County and the officer stayed with Sanders until a medic could arrive and begin treating the injured man.
The caller who discovered Sanders stated that he found Sanders in the roadway in this condition. The caller also stated that two males - whom he believe to be Leif Harper and Artice Ivy - left the scene in a black vehicle at a quick pace. After the medic began tending to Sanders, officers briefly met with Jonathan Smith and other witnesses. Several spectators had come to the scene by this time. At this time it was not clear if Sanders had had an accident while riding his bicycle or if he had been the victim of a crime. Sanders was removed from the scene by EMS and was airlifted to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville.
Carmi police then spoke with the original caller and victim, Jonathan Smith, who related that he had been battered by Artice Ivy. Smith showed officers an injury on the left side of his face. Smith related that three others had witnessed the attack on him by Ivy, stating he's been driving southbound on Fifth Street in his vehicle and had one passenger with him. Smith related that two other friends were in a different truck that was in front of his vehicle. He said that Ivy got out of a passenger car near the intersection of Fifth Street at Sycamore Street and Ivy was followed by Leif Harper.
Smith said Ivy exchanged some words with him, and Smith began driving southbound away from Ivy, when Ivy jumped onto his truck and used his body weight to crack the windshield. Smith said Harper was also present.
Ivy, Smith said, then went across the hood of his vehicle to the driver's side of the vehicle, where Ivy struck Smith three times in the face. Smith related he pulled Ivy off his vehicle and drove away from the scene with others who then called 911. Smith related he returned to the scene to meet with police and discovered Sanders laying on the side or the road, unconscious.
Smith signed a complaint against Ivy for Aggravated Battery on a Public Way and Criminal Damage to Property.
Carmi Police, Chief Carter said, continues to investigate the matter and have discovered that Sanders' condition was not caused from an accident, but Sanders was in fact struck. Numerous interviews have been completed in both altercations. A lot of allegations have surfaced on social media about Sanders being run over with a vehicle, but that does NOT appear to have any truth. Sanders currently remains hospitalized in Evansville.
If anyone in the public has any additional information about either incident, they are urged to call Carmi police at 618-382-4633. They can also call CrimeStoppers Hotline if they wish to remain anonymous at 1-800-637-3577.
Carmi Police will be forwarding all interviews and reports to White County State's Attorney Denton Aud for a review of charges to be filed.