Amy Word releases statement about arrest

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Several people have been arrested following an investigation led by the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force.

An Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation board member and restaurant owner was among those arrested in connection to the lengthy drug investigation.

According to a press release, on Saturday, July 30, detectives with the Vanderburgh County Joint Drug Task Force were conducting a detail along Franklin Street.

During the detail, detectives say they witnessed “hand-to-hand transactions” in the Lamasco Bar and Grill parking lot between individuals that were under investigation by the task force. The drug task force made several traffic stops on those individuals as they left the bar.

EPD officials say around 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning, Aaron Funkhouser was pulled over.

According to an affidavit, Funkhouser was pulled over for speeding, and found to be in possession of over eight grams of cocaine that also tested positive for fentanyl. Another man, who was identified as Steven Driesbach was also in the vehicle. Both Funkhouser and Driesbach were arrested and are being charged with dealing cocaine/fentanyl.

According to a press release, a short time later, Demario Holman was pulled over and taken into custody for dealing cocaine. At that time, detectives applied for search warrants for Holman’s vehicle and apartment.

Officials say once the warrants were granted, detectives found over $22,000, over a pound of cocaine, a pound of marijuana and five firearms including an AR-15 rifle. Holman’s girlfriend, Hayden Current, was found at the apartment during the search and arrested and also charged with dealing cocaine.

According to a press release, Zachary Clark was pulled over around 4:30 a.m.

Officials say the vehicle belonged to Amy Word, who was in the passenger seat. Detectives say during the stop they noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Clark was in possession of marijuana and cocaine for which he was arrested. Word was arrested and charged with maintaining a common nuisance.

Word is the owner of Lamasco Bar and Grill, Amy’s on Franklin, as well as a member of the EVSC school board.

Officials with the Evansville Police Department say during the course of the investigation, detectives developed information that Holman was trafficking large amounts of illegal drugs on Franklin Street.

Detectives say they have learned that Word had knowledge of drug activity at her place of business. On Saturday, detectives obtained a judicially signed search warrant for Lamasco Bar and Grill.

According to a press release, during the investigation, 22 arrests have been made. The task force has seized over 1,700 grams of marijuana, over 100 grams of hallucinogenic drugs, about 10 grams of meth, over three grams of fentanyl, over 1,100 grams of cocaine and various other drugs and pills. Over $43,000 and 17 illegal guns have also been seized in the investigation.

You can read the full affidavit here.

EVSC Chief Communications Officer Jason Woebkenberg gave a statement regarding the incident saying, “Our trustees have been made aware of the arrest of a board member. No additional details have been provided to us at this time” in regards to the situation.

On Saturday afternoon, EVSC Board of School Trustees President Chris Kiefer released a statement, saying “we believe that it is in the best interest of EVSC that Trustee Word resign from the Board.”

He also says the request for her resignation is due to the “obvious disruption and distraction that has occurred as a result of the investigation and her arrest.”

Monday, Word released a statement on the Lamasco Bar and Grill Facebook page.

She highlights several points about the search and her arrest, which you can read here:

Officials say this is an ongoing investigation and more arrests are expected. If you have any information regarding this investigation, please contact EPD WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME.

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