An 85-year-old pedestrian died after being struck by a car Monday near Lawrence North High School. Witnesses said they saw the victim, John Ferguson, “dart” into the southbound lanes of Hague Road just before 6 p.m. Authorities don’t believe alcohol or speeding were factors.
 

Extra security measures, including several restrictions, will be in place Saturday for the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. The 35,000 participants are being told not to bring or wear backpacks or duffel bags. Only runners will be allowed to enter the corrals near the starting line in downtown Indianapolis. Authorities reviewed security at the race following the Boston Marathon bombing.

 

The Humane Society of Indianapolis hopes to break an attendance record Saturday morning at its annual Mutt Strut fundraiser. More than 6,000 people attended last year’s event, which allows participants and their dogs to walk the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. Online registration ends Thursday.
 

Former Indiana House Speaker Michael K. Phillips faces drunken driving charges after crashing his car into a pay booth Tuesday night at a Circle Centre mall parking garage. Police say the 69-year-old had a blood-alcohol content of 0.16 percent—twice the state's legal limit for driving. He told officers he had "a couple glasses of wine." The Democrat served as speaker from 1988 to 1994.
 

A semi driver swerved to avoid a small animal on Interstate 65 and crashed into a house Thursday morning on the south side of Indianapolis. The truck, carrying 38,000 pounds of meat, traveled down an embankment before hitting the vacant house in the 1300 block of Southern Avenue at about 5 a.m. The driver wasn’t injured. Southern Avenue was blocked between Shelby Street and Boyd Avenue until the scene was cleared.
 

Police have arrested a 30-year-old Indianapolis man in connection with a March 17 attack on an employee of the CVS store at 1545 N. Meridian St. Authorities say the victim recognized her attacker from a police booking photo, leading officers to arrest Yaceem Richardson on Monday night at his home in the 1400 block of Congress Street. The victim told police that the attacker had been stalking her in the weeks leading up to the attack. Police say security camera footage shows Richardson confronting the employee inside the store and punching her in the face.
 

An annual traffic scorecard gives Indianapolis a middle-of-the-road ranking when it comes to congested cities. Indy finished 49th on the list of 100 worst-traffic cities according to the INRIX, a provider of traffic information and driver services. The top city on the list is Los Angeles, followed by Honolulu and San Francisco. Louisville came in at 50th.
 

An apartment fire near West 46th Street and Interstate 465 in Indianapolis displaced six residents early Tuesday morning. Springhill Apartments suffered about $150,000 in damages, fire investigators estimated. The blaze began in a laundry room about 12:45 a.m.
 

The 85th Fire Department Instructors Conference is expected to bring record crowds to downtown Indianapolis this week. More than 30,000 attendees are expected to attend the annual event, which began Monday and runs through Saturday. The sprawling conference plans events at the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, White River State Park and on Georgia Street.
 

Indiana Pacers forward Paul George was honored Tuesday as the National Basketball Association’s Most Improved Player. George received 52 first-place votes and 311 points, more than double the point total for runner-up Greivis Vasquez of New Orleans. George averaged 17.4 points and 7.6 rebounds this season, both career highs. He joins Jalen Rose, Jermaine O’Neal and Danny Granger as Pacers who have won the award.
 

Westfield Middle School was evacuated temporarily Monday morning following reports of smoke coming from the ceiling. Fire crews said the smoke originated from a failed motor in the air-handling system. Children returned to the classrooms later in the morning.
 

Flood waters in northern Hamilton County claimed the lives of two men over the weekend. David Baker, 42, of Arcadia drowned after his truck was swept away Saturday morning by flood waters from Cicero Creek, near the intersection of 266th Street and Mount Pleasant Road. His body was recovered Sunday morning. Robert Morgan Jr., 64, also from Arcadia, drowned in his vehicle Friday night near the same area.
 

Northbound lanes of Interstate 65 in Indianapolis were shut down for more than an hour Monday morning after a two-vehicle crash that injured two people. The accident happened about 7 a.m. between 71st Street and the I-865 exit. Both accident victims were hospitalized in unknown condition.
 

The Indiana Pacers take on the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the National Basketball Association playoffs starting Sunday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers received the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference after wrapping up the regular season Wednesday night with a 49-32 record. The Pacers went 2-2 against the Hawks in the regular season.
 

The National Weather Service is warning Indiana residents to brace for possible tornadoes and large hail as an approaching strong cold front clashes with warm, humid air. The service has issued a tornado watch for all but southern and southeastern Indiana through Thursday evening. Forecasters say several intense tornadoes are possible along with 80 mph winds and 2-inch diameter hail.
 

A Franklin Central High School student told police he attacked a teacher because he was angry and the teacher was the nearest target. The 16-year-old faces criminal charges and expulsion after punching the teacher in the face three or four times at about 8 a.m. Tuesday at the school's freshman campus. The student told police he was upset because his mother took away his video game system and mobile phone.
 

Lightning was blamed for a fire that broke out in a building on the Zionsville High School campus Wednesday at about 4 a.m. The fire caused an estimated $200,000 in damages to the “Team Building,” which houses locker rooms and is adjacent to the football field. No injuries were reported.