A Linton man, who had charges of false informing filed against him this week after allegedly sharing untrue information about the Linton Police Department at the March meeting of the Linton City Council has been summoned to appear in Greene Superior Court after resisting law enforcement and approaching law enforcement too closely during official business in Jasonville. 

Craig Hendry has been summoned to appear in Greene Superior Court on April 29 on charges of resisting law enforcement, a Class A Misdemeanor and unlawful encroachment on an investigation – approaches within 25 feet of a law enforcement officer, a Class C Misdemeanor.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Jasonville Police Department Chief Ryan Van Horn, while he was conducting a traffic stop on March 10, Hendry and another male walked up to the traffic stop. Van Horn advised Hendry to stay 25 feet away from the traffic stop and to refrain from obstructing his investigation. The driver from the traffic stop left the scene while Van Horn returned to his patrol vehicle to wait for a wrecker service to arrive and remove the vehicle from the roadway. 

While inside his vehicle, Van Horn had to discontinue loading photographs onto the department’s server due to a potential safety risk of two people walking in the area of his patrol vehicle at night, according to the probable cause affidavit. On two separate occasions, Van Horn wrote that Hendry shined a flashlight into his patrol vehicle. On the first occasion, he shined it through the driver’s side window, while the second time, he moved the angle, causing the light to go through the windshield. This obstructed Van Horn’s vision and lit up the cabin of his vehicle, thus forcing him to exit the vehicle and address the matter with Hendry. Van Horn advised Hendry he was obstructing the investigation and his action would be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for further review. 

Upon arrival of the wrecker service, according to the probable cause affidavit, Van Horn exited the vehicle and began providing pertinent information to the wrecker driver. During this time, Van Horn wrote, Hendry began addressing him. Hendry moved closer to the traffic stop, therefore, Van Horn advised him again he needed to remain 25 feet away. When Hendry made a comment about 25 feet, Van Horn advised he would check the distance. He obtained a measuring wheel from his police vehicle and measured the distance from the vehicle to Hendry’s feet. The distance, per the probable cause affidavit, was 21 feet. Hendry replied, “alright, so let’s move back then,” and began taking steps backward. He then acknowledged he was within the 25 foot distance. 

Van Horn finished the traffic stop, advised the wrecker driver of pertinent information, and completed the traffic stop, according to the probable cause affidavit.