Three members of a family are accused in connection with the theft of copper wire from highway lighting construction projects along Interstate 69 in the Evansville area.
Construction crews estimate more than $367,000 in wire was stolen, according to WFIE. The thefts were reported to Evansville police and to the Warrick County and Vanderburgh County sheriff's offices.
Natalee Fairchild, 35, appeared in court Friday after her arrest Thursday night. She is charged with corrupt business influence. Sherry Beasley faces the same charge and was booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail late Friday morning. Jason Fulks was arrested earlier this month after a traffic stop, and authorities say a warrant in this case is also out for him. The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court.
Investigators say scrap yards across the Tri-State shared information that Fulks and family members were selling large amounts of copper, and that surveillance video, license plate readers and cell phone data helped the several-month investigation. Tools and copper were also found in Fulks' truck, authorities say.
The Indiana Department of Transportation said copper was reported stolen from a work zone installing lighting under a district-wide contract at the I-69 and I-64 interchange, that the report was made to Indiana State Police, and that the department is evaluating the impact on the project.
