Putnam Scanner 5-3-17

City Police

Two recent arrests were reported by Greencastle City Police officers.

• At 11:41 a.m. Monday, a 20-year-old Clay County woman was arrested on a theft charge at the Walmart store on Indianapolis Road.

Walmart employee Clarissa Callahan, Brazil, was arrested by Officer Josh Smith for allegedly taking money from a store cash register.

Officer Smith reported that she is alleged to have taken $300 in cash.

Callahan was lodged in the Putnam County Jail.

• At 5:57 p.m. Monday, Ryan Mullins, 32, Greencastle, was arrested by Officer Smith for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Stopped on Veterans Memorial Highway, Mullins was lodged in the Putnam County Jail. He reportedly refused the field breathalyzer test.

Sheriff’s Department

Putnam County sheriff’s deputies responded to four recent property-damage crashes.

• At 7:35 a.m. on Monday, Jacob P. Gaddis, 20, Bainbridge, was northbound on U.S. 231 just south of Fincastle in a 1997 Dodge Intrepid when he hit a deer.

Deputy Jacob Harrington estimated damage at $2,501-$5,000. The vehicle was towed.

Capt. Tom Helmer assisted at the scene.

• At 7:11 p.m. on Sunday, Robert W. Ecker, 60, Cincinnati, was southbound on U.S. 231 approaching County Road 1200 South in a 2014 Toyota Corolla. Jeffery C. Martin, 44, Lafayette, was also southbound in a 2006 Dodge Ram.

Martin told Deputy Anthony Brown that Ecker did not display his turn signal but was rapidly slowing to turn onto 1200 South. Martin said he honked to let Ecker know he would not be able to stop in time.

Ecker said he heard tires skidding before Martin’s truck made contact with his car’s rear bumper.

Damage was estimated at $5,001-$10,000.

• At 7:42 p.m. on Friday, Michael A. Fikes, 18, Pittsboro, was southbound on U.S. 231 during a torrential downpour in a 1989 GMC Suburban.

Fikes told Sgt. Kyle Gibbons he encountered a line of stopped traffic and took evasive action. His SUV left the road, slid through a yard and hit a brick wall at 715 N. U.S. 231, Greencastle.

The incident did moderate damage to the yard and extensive damage to the brick fence, both of which belong to Jerry Lewis.

The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage. Gibbons estimated total damage at $2,501-$5,000.

The vehicle owner, Zachary Nichols, said he was in the process of buying the SUV and did not have insurance.

• At 7:25 p.m. on Friday, Evan C. Van Bibber, 31, Crawfordsville, was northbound on U.S. 231 in a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado when he hydroplaned.

Upon losing control, Van Bibber’s truck hit a rock, causing it to spin and crash into the ditch on the west side of the road, facing southbound.

Van Bibber was not injured but a passenger complained of back pain.

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

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department recently responded to two dispatches.

• At 8:59 a.m. on Tuesday, GFD responded to a pull station fire alarm at 100 E. Hanna St. The pull-station alarm was determined to have been activated unnecessarily as it had not been pulled at the site. Moreover, a malfunction in the alarm system was determined to have been the cause. GFD subsequently reset the alarm and returned to station at 9:23 a.m.

• At 9:42 a.m. on Tuesday, GFD responded to a service call from the Putnam County Hospital (1542 Bloomington St.). GFD assisted the hospital staff with the straightening of its flag pole in front of the building. High winds from recent storms had given the pole a slant which was fixed via use of GFD’s tower ladder. GFD returned to station at 10:45 a.m.

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.