PROSECUTOR LYNN DEDDENS announced Friday that Aurora residents Lisa Barker, 60, and Bobby Hensley, 66, have been formally charged following a violent encounter with Southern Indiana Rural Electric Membership Corporation (REMC) employees and local law‑enforcement officers.
Charges stem from Oct. 30 incident
According to a probable‑cause affidavit, officers were dispatched to Barker’s home on East Laughery Creek Road after reports that she threatened REMC workers with a handgun while they attempted to repair damaged power lines on her property. Barker is accused of displaying a small black firearm and making statements such as, “I guess it’s going to take me putting a bullet in the back of your head for you to get the message.”
Three utility employees testified that they felt intimidated by Barker’s conduct. One worker, positioned in a bucket near live lines, said Barker asked whether she needed to retrieve her gun to get him off the property.
Physical altercation with police
When a deputy arrived, Barker confirmed she possessed a weapon but was ordered to drop it. Prosecutors say she instead placed the gun in a holster behind her back. As officers moved to take her into custody, Hensley allegedly intervened, pushing and kicking a sergeant. A struggle ensued, during which Barker’s firearm emerged from the holster.
Aurora Police Chief Josh Daugherty became involved in the melee, colliding with Hensley and a patrol vehicle, which sustained a large dent in its door. Law‑enforcement officers ultimately used tasers on both Barker and Hensley to subdue them and place them under arrest.
Specific felony counts
Barker faces four felony counts, including two Level 5 felonies for intimidation with a deadly weapon, one Level 6 felony for intimidation, and a Level 5 felony for resisting law enforcement with a deadly weapon. Hensley is charged with two Level 6 felonies for battery on a law‑enforcement officer and a Class A misdemeanor for resisting law enforcement.
The case underscores the seriousness with which Aurora officials and the prosecutor’s office will treat threats to utility workers and assaults on police. Both the Southern Indiana Rural Electric crew and the Aurora Police Department emphasized the importance of maintaining safety while essential services are restored after storms or other emergencies.
Community response
Local residents expressed concern over the incident, noting that utility crews often work under hazardous conditions and rely on cooperation from property owners. Aurora officials reiterated that any threat or violent resistance to emergency responders will be met with full legal action.
The Aurora Police Department urges anyone who witnesses similar confrontations to report them immediately, and reminds the public that tampering with or threatening utility personnel is a felony offense under Indiana law.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
