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A southwestern Indiana coroner is facing official misconduct and drug charges following a nearly yearlong investigation, state police said Thursday.
Knox County Coroner Karen Donovan, 40, was arrested Wednesday night at her Vincennes home after detectives serving a search warrant found methamphetamine and fentanyl, Indiana State Police said in a news release.
Police said Donovan was arrested and taken to the Knox County Jail, where she later posted bond and was released. She has been charged with one count each of official misconduct, possession of methamphetamine and possession of fentanyl — all felony charges, police said.
Online court records did not reflect those charges as of Thursday afternoon, nor do they list an attorney who could speak on Donovan’s behalf.
State police said detectives began investigating Donovan in April 2022 after receiving information of misconduct.
Her arrest comes after Knox County officials said this week they would likely seek Donovan’s removal from office, saying she stopped reporting for work or communicating with her deputies months ago.
The Vincennes Sun-Commercial reported that Donovan denied the allegations Tuesday in a text to the newspaper.
Vincennes is located about 50 miles north of Evansville.
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