Putnam Scanner for 8-1-15

Friday, July 31, 2015

County Jail

Three people were taken into the custody of the Putnam County Jail recently.

* At 2:20 p.m. on Thursday, Geovanni Ortiz, 26, Cloverdale, was booked in on a traffic warrant from White County.

At 8:25 p.m. Jacob Elijah Williams, 20, Fillmore, was arrested for probation violation.

* At 1:36 a.m. Friday, Randy Scott, 42, Greencastle, was lodged at the jail on an out-of-county warrant.

Sheriff's Department

Deputy Mike Downing of the Putnam County Sheriff's Department responded to a pair of recent traffic accidents.

* At 7:15 p.m. on Sunday, Nokia M. Davis, 38, Indianapolis, was westbound on Interstate 70 near the 33-mile marker in a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer. Davis was in the left lane apparently trying to pass a 2015 Kenworth semi tractor driven by Stephen D. Harris, 63, Denton, Texas.

The truck was hauling two other semi tractors.

Davis told Deputy Downing she began to hydroplane from the amount of water on the roadway, losing control and swerving into the median. She then overcorrected to the right, going back across the left lane, striking the back vehicle Harris was hauling.

The impact caused Davis' vehicle to spin 180 degrees and come to rest facing east in the westbound lane.

Penelope J. Boyer, 57, Marshall, Ill., said she was westbound in a 2006 Toyota Matrix and saw Davis' vehicle facing the wrong way. Boyer said she could not swerve or stop and struck Davis' vehicle head on.

All drives and passengers said they did not require medical attention. Davis and her family were cleared at the scene by medical personnel. Boyer said if she needed to go to the hospital, she could get a ride.

The Davis and Boyer vehicles sustained heavy front-end damage and were totaled. The semi pulled by Harris had damage to the driver's side gas tank, air bladder and mud flap.

Damage was estimated at $10,001-$25,000.

The Cloverdale and Reelsville fire departments assisted at the scene, along with Charlie Hallam of Cloverdale Police.

* At 2:07 a.m. Friday, Larry L. Brown, 67, Reelsville, was eastbound on U.S. 40 trying to turn left onto County Road 625 West in a 2002 Dodge Ram.

Brown told Deputy Downing he misjudged the turn and drove through the median, across the westbound lanes and into a ditch on the north side of 40.

The vehicle came to rest facing west, pinned against a concrete culvert.

Brown's vehicle sustained damage to the front bumper, driver's side headlight assembly, driver's side front fender and front wheel.

The Reelsville Fire Deparment treated Brown for minor head bleeding.

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

City Fire

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

*At 9:14 a.m. Friday, GFD responded to a call of an electric pole on fire at the intersection of County Road 25 South and County Road 125 West. Upon arrival there was only smoke from the fire. The department stood by until the utility company arrived.

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.