TERRE HAUTE —
A man wanted in connection with a fatal bar fight in Sullivan County turned himself in to police early Tuesday.
James B. Gardner, 24, of Elnora, surrendered to Indiana State Police at the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department at 9 a.m. Tuesday accompanied by his attorney, Michael Wright of Terre Haute.
Police had been searching for Gardner for several days in the aftermath of an early morning fight on Sept. 1 at the Uptown Tavern in Dugger. Gardner was alleged to have punched Richard D. Pigg, 51, of Dugger in the side of the head, causing Pigg to fall and strike his head on the floor. Several hours later, Pigg was pronounced dead at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. An autopsy showed he died from blunt force trauma to the head.
This is the second time in six months that Gardner has been involved in an incident involving police in Sullivan County. In March, he was briefly detained after battering a man who allegedly shot his truck as Gardner drove down Main Street in Dugger about 3:30 a.m. March 18.
In that incident, police believe Gardner then followed the alleged shooter, Timothy B. Kean, 35, to his home and battered him during an confrontation. Kean was transported to Methodist Hospital after that incident. Gardner was not injured, police said.
In addition to shooting at Gardner’s truck, Kean was also accused of shooting Patrick D. Ruff, 39, of Jasonville and LeighAnn Lovelace, 31, of Linton the same morning. Kean remains in Sullivan County jail in connection with those shootings.
Sullivan County Prosecutor Bob Hunley said Tuesday that state law prohibits him from commenting on Gardner’s prior arrests, including the March incident involving Kean. At the time of that incident, Gardner was on probation stemming from a 10-year sentence for dealing methamphetamine, a class-B felony, in 2010. Gardner currently remains on probation from that sentencing, Sullivan County officials confirmed.
Gardner is scheduled to make a court appearance at 10 a.m. Friday in Sullivan Superior Court.
The lead investigator for the Indiana State Police in the fatal tavern altercation was ISP Detective Tom Hanks. Assisting were ISP Detective First Sgt. Jeff Hearnon, ISP Crime Scene Investigator Sgt. Kris Fitzgerald, the Dugger Town Marshal’s Office, Sullivan County Sheriff Brian Kennett and deputies and the Sullivan County Prosecutor’s office.
Reporter Arthur Foulkes can be reached at
812-231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@
tribstar.com.
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Man wanted in connection with fatal bar fight now in custody
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