Batesville Herald Tribune, Batesville, Indiana

Local News

December 19, 2008

Routine check turns interesting

An alert Indiana State Police motor carrier inspector did a routine check on a semi passenger Dec. 16 and found the man to be wanted for murder in Florida, said Sgt. Noel Houze, ISP Versailles District public information officer.

At about 3:30 p.m. Inspector Kim Hill was working at the West Harrison Weigh Station on I-74 in Dearborn County when the truck crossed the scales. Though it was not loaded, Hill intended to do a routine "paper check" of the vehicle and driver when she noticed there was also a male passenger.

When the driver came in to the scale house, Hill asked him to return to his truck to retrieve some additional paperwork and inquired whether the passenger was a co-driver. When the driver told her the male was a passenger, in addition to him getting the other paperwork, she asked him to also retrieve the passenger’s identification.

A routine check revealed the passenger, Fred Coney III, 24, Miami, was wanted on a warrant from the State of Florida for premeditated murder and attempted murder, according to Houze.

Hill contacted the ISP Post in Versailles and informed dispatch she had a possible murder suspect at the weigh station.

Master Trooper James Ponsler and Trooper Clifton Elston along with West Harrison Town Marshal Gary Noel responded. Upon receiving confirmation from authorities in Florida that Coney was, in fact, the wanted suspect, he was taken into custody without incident.

Coney was wanted by Miami-Dade authorities for a crime that occurred March 14, 2007, in which an argument led to a shooting.

The suspect was transported by troopers to the Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center, Lawrenceburg, where he is being held pending extradition to Florida.

A thorough search of the semi was conducted, but no weapons or other evidence was found.

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