Putnam Scanner for 6-17-15

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Indiana State Police

Indiana State Police worked a pair of Putnam County crashes recently.

* At 4:37 p.m. Sunday, Indiana State Police and Putnam County emergency agencies responded to a two-vehicle crash in the westbound lanes of U.S. 40 at County Road 525 East in Mount Meridian.

Preliminary investigation revealed a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro, driven by 26-year-old Jarrod E. Otter of Avon, was southbound on CR 525 East, stopped at the stopsign, then drove onto U.S. 40, striking a westbound 2003 Hyundai Sonata driven by Ronald C. Whistler, 40, of Brazil.

Three underage passengers in the Whistler vehicle were injured: Rylan Whistler, 12, who was treated at the scene for neck pain and released; Braddock Whistler, 15, was transported by Putnam County Operation Life to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for possible head injury; and Cameron Whistler, 5, was transported to Putnam County Hospital with a lower leg injury.

Ronald C. Whistler was cited for two child restraint violations and Jarrod Otter was cited for failure to yield the right of way.

The crash was investigated by ISP Trooper David Cox Jr. Assisting were Trooper Jonathan Cumbie, Cloverdale Police Officers Hoppus and Eagan, Putnam County Sheriff's Deputy Adam Hull, Putnam County Operation Life and Jefferson Township Fire/Rescue.

* On Saturday at 10:44 p.m., Indiana State Police and Putnam County emergency agencies responded to the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 near the 33-mile marker for a report of a one-vehicle crash with injuries.

Investigation revealed a 2002 Toyota passenger car driven by Melvin Warren 54, of Cloverdale, was eastbound on I-70 and left the roadway, traveling into the median. The Toyota began to spin, striking the guardrail and finally the cable barriers.

Warren and his passenger, Hope Cochran, 48, of Cloverdale, were extricated from the vehicle and both airlifted to Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis.

Warren was reportedly in serious condition with a suspected spinal injury and Cochran was reportedly released late Sunday afternoon after receiving treatment for a head laceration.

The crash was investigated by ISP Trooper Jonathan Cumbie. Assisting were Troopers Cox and Nick Sturgeon, Cloverdale Police Officers Hoppus and Eagan, Cloverdale Fire/Rescue, Putnam County Operation Life, Lifeline air ambulance and AirEvac air ambulance.

Traffic was slow in the area for about two hours, but only shut down for 30 minutes to allow the air ambulances to load patients.

County Jail

Ten people were booked into the custody of Putnam County Jail recently.

* At 4 p.m. Friday, Austin Lee Buttery, 23, Bainbridge, was arrested for a bond revocation for previous charges of possession of methamphetamine, receiving stolen property, possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.

* At 3:04 p.m. Friday, Kristy Lynn Smith (Barger) was arrested for a probation violation.

* At 7:55 a.m. Saturday, Moreno Jose, 25, Cloverdale, was arrested for operating a vehicle without ever receiving a license.

* At 3 a.m. Sunday, Ferguson Donald McCormick, 27, Greencastle, was arrested on two counts of battery on law enforcement, two counts battery and resisting law enforcement.

* At 7 p.m. Sunday, Kerry Wayne Gilbert II, 34, Indianapolis, was arrested on a warrant.

* At 10:10 p.m. Sunday, Jesse Robert Graves, 28, Bloomington, was arrested on a warrant.

* At 12:15 a.m. Monday, Vernon Allen Hendrickson, 59, Greencastle, was arrested on a warrant for possession of marijuana.

* At 5:23 p.m. Monday, Shrome Wynise Binkley, 23, Terre Haute, was arrested on a warrant out of Vigo County.

* At 5:27 p.m. Monday, Robert Lavern Thompson, 45, was arrested on a warrant.

* At 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jimmie Harrel Green, 41, Cloverdale, was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

City Police

One additional recent arrest was reported by Greencastle City Police officers.

* At 9:15 p.m. Monday, Lane Franklin, 18, Coatesville, arrested by Officer Matt Huffman after GPD received a suspicious person call about a suspect who appeared to be trying to break into the rear of the old Marsh store on Indianapolis Road.

Franklin, who was lodged in the Putnam County Jail, was arrested on three drug-related charges, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance (Xanax) and dealing in a Schedule IV substance.

One recent accident was investigated by Greencastle Officer Ed Wilson.

* At 1:44 p.m. Sunday, a mishap was reported at Super Wash car wash, 1022 Indianapolis Rd.

Bryce Wilson, 32, Roachdale, was operating a Ford F-350 truck with a Corn Pro trailer in the manual bay at Super Way when the rig struck the east wall as Wilson attempted to pull out of the bay.

The accident resulted in an undetermined amount of damage that collapsed a portion of the outside wall of the facility, police said.

Sheriff's Department

Four recent accidents were reported by Putnam County Sheriff's Department deputies.

* At 3:55 p.m. Tuesday, Andrew J. Thacker, 25, Poland, was northbound on U.S. 231 north of County Road 700 South in a 1995 Chevrolet van behind Luke Bunch, 18, Cloverdale, in a 1998 Nissan Frontier.

Bunch advised Deputy Donnie Pettit he braked several times due to the vehicle in front of him slamming on its brake multiple times. Thacker was unable to stop in time and rear-ended Bunch's vehicle.

Damage was estimated at $1,001-$2,500.

* At 10:30 p.m. Friday, Savannah N. Howard, 18, Greencastle, was southbound on U.S. 231 in a 2004 Dodge Stratus north of Medallion Drive, when she attempted to pull the car to the shoulder to have a passenger exit the vehicle.

Howard advised Deputy Steve Smith that her passenger grabbed the steering wheel to pull the vehicle back to the center of the road. She became scared, grabbed the wheel again, lost control and the rear end of the vehicle swung into oncoming traffic.

Denise A. Meyer, 41, Greencastle, was northbound on U.S. 231 in a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox when she observed Howard overcorrect, fishtail and cross the center line, causing a collision.

Damage was estimated at $1,001-$2,501.

* At 11:05 a.m. Saturday, Stephanie S. Taylor, 23, Carmel, was driving on Exit 41 from Interstate 70 in Cloverdale in a 2009 Dodge Charger behind Jenny L. Greengoss, 32, Greenwood, in a 2007 Toyota RAV4.

Taylor yold Deputy Adam Hull she was following Greengoss' vehicle to merge onto U.S. 231. As she looked for oncoming traffic, she did not notice Greengoss had stopped and was unable to avoid colliding with the rear of the vehicle.

Damage was listed at $2,501- $5,000.

* At 10:49 p.m. Sunday, Tammy E. Scott, 44, Brazil was eastbound on County Road 100 South in a 2001 Toyota Corolla, approaching County Road 625 West.

Scott advised Deputy Virgil Lanning she did not see a tree across the road before striking it. She hit the tree and went into a ditch.

Damage was estimated at $2,501-$5,000.

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department assisted with one medical run and four other dispatches recently.

* At 2:02 p.m. Sunday, GFD assisted the Greencastle Police Department at 1022 Indianapolis Rd. after a trailer struck the car wash. The vehicle, pulling a trailer, hit the car wash and caused structural damage.

* At 9:22 p.m. Sunday, GFD responded to a fire alarm at 6 E. Washington St. No issue was found at the time, and the department was later called back at 10:31 p.m. to investigate the alarm. It was determined there was a malfunction in the alarm.

* At 8:13 p.m. Monday, GFD responded to a fire alarm at 309 E. Franklin St. No issue was found.

*At 11:11 p.m. Monday, GFD removed a tree from the roadway at 303 S. Jackson St.

Information included in the Putnam Scanner is taken from reports provided to the Banner Graphic by the Greencastle Police, the Greencastle Fire and the Putnam County Sheriff's departments.

Individuals listed in the blotter have been arrested on probable cause and have not been formally charged. Charging information may change after an initial arrest.

Questions about listed charging information should be directed to the arresting agency.