Full Notification

Richmond – On 2/24 of this year, around 5 a.m., the Richmond Police and Fire Departments responded to 3718 Sandbridge Dr. in Richmond for the report of a 2011 GMC Denali pickup burning in the driveway.

They arrived to find the truck fully engulfed, and two racially insensitive remarks spray painted on the garage doors of the home. The truck, owned by the homeowners at 3718 Sandbridge, Dr. Myla Bennett and her husband Jonathan George Powell, was a total loss. Later that morning, the Richmond Police Department contacted the Indiana State Police at Pendleton to request the investigation to be taken over.

Indiana State Police Detective Andy Wandersee took over the investigation and early on determined that the incident was an isolated act and was not racially motivated. During the course of the investigation it was determined that Jonathan George Powell provided false information to Detective Wandersee regarding the fire. After a lengthy investigation, the case was turned over to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office on 6/1/15 for their review.

After the Prosecutor’s Office review, and further investigation, a warrant was issued on August 20^th for the arrest of Jonathan George Powell, age 37, now of Duluth, Georgia, for two counts of False Informing, Class “A” Misdemeanor. 

Powell, who was arrested in Georgia on the Wayne County charges, was extradited back to the Wayne County Jail yesterday afternoon, 09-09-2015, to face the charges of False Informing. Powell has since bonded out.

If anyone has any information about the truck fire that occurred on February 24^th at 3718 Sandbridge Drive in Richmond, they are asked to call Detective Andy Wandersee at 1-800-527-4752.  Tips can be made and kept anonymous. This is all the information that will be released at this time.  Any further questions should be directed to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.

All Suspects Are Presumed Innocent Until Proven Guilty in a Court of Law