Aaron Vanmatre
GIBSON CO., Ind./RICHLAND CO., lll. - One of Richland County's own was caught up in a situation in Indiana last week that landed him in the hoosegow in Gibson County...and resulted in one of the swiftest sentences we've seen in a while.
A week ago yesterday (Sunday, March 20) fairly late in the evening (9:53 p.m.) the sheriff's department received a dispatch to County Road 270 North, in the area of the county just across the Wabash River known as East Mount Carmel in Gibson County, not far from the power plant. Sergeant Roger Ballard was sent out on the call, which was to "locate a stranded motorist."
There he found Aaron Vanmatre, 29, of Calhoun in Richland County, who was the driver of a silver 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse. As Vanmatre was a "stranded motorist," Ballard of course offered a ride to him so they could go get some help.
After Vanmatre said 'sure,' for officer safety (and as really is the rule) Ballard patted Vanmatre down for weapons...and located a hypodermic needle. This got Vanmatre a ride, alright...to jail in Princeton, where he was lodged on charges of Possession of Paraphernalia and Possession of a Hypodermic Needle.
The very next day, Vanmatre saw the error of his ways and entered a plea in Gibson County. He got 24 months in the Gibson County Jail on the Level 6 felony, with the "first six months" considered executed and the remaining 18 suspended as long as he stays out of trouble and pays his fines and fees ($184).
