Putnam Scanner for Oct. 24, 2018

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

County Jail

Seven people were booked in the Putnam County Jail recently.

Tuesday

• At 3:04 a.m. Kelly Terese Mervar, 47, Greencastle, was lodged at the jail for driving while intoxicated-refusal.

Monday

• At 9:01 p.m. Melvin Reece Young, 39, Reelsville, was taken into custody for domestic battery and invasion of privacy.

• At 7:48 p.m. Jacob Michael Hull, 19, Fillmore, was housed at the jail on an out-of-county warrant.

• At 4:50 p.m. Austin Ray Chadd, 24, Cloverdale, was booked in on a local warrant.

• At 4:12 p.m. Billie Jean Merlau, 53, North Webster, was lodged at the jail on a local warrant.

• At 4:10 p.m. Amber Nicole Decker, 33, Greencastle, was taken into custody on a court order.

• At 11:38 a.m. Jennifer Renee Childers, 39, Salem, Ore., was housed at the jail on a pair of out-of-county warrants.

City Police

A three-vehicle accident Saturday resulted in minor injuries to one driver, Greencastle City Police reported.

The mishap occurred at 7:52 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Highway and Bloomington Street as Patty Stahl, 60, Greencastle, was eastbound on Veterans Highway, approaching the light at Bloomington Street as it reportedly turned yellow.

Stahl continued on through the yellow light in a 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer, Officer Elsiana Crosby reported, as Kendall Burt, 22, Brazil, was westbound, turning left at the light and a collision resulted.

The two vehicles made contact virtually head-on, Crosby reported, sending the Stahl vehicle careening into a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Mark Hutchison, 54, Cloverdale, that was stopped at the light. The Stahl vehicle, meanwhile, went over the curb and came to rest facing southeast.

Burt was transported to Putnam County Hospital via Operation Life ambulance with minor injuries. Stahl and Hutchison were checked out at the scene.

Total damage in the accident was listed as $2,500 by Officer Crosby, who was assisted at the scene by Officers Brad Hiatt and Zach Rhine.

Sheriff’s Department

Putnam County sheriff’s deputies investigated 10 recent property-damage crashes.

• At 4:53 a.m. on Tuesday, Devon B. Keil, 24, Brazil, was eastbound on U.S. 40 approaching County Road 300 East in a 2014 Ford Fusion when he hit a deer.

Deputy Scott Ducker estimated damage at $5,000-$10,000.

• At 6:07 p.m. on Saturday, Virgil R. Bolton, 78, Greencastle, was southbound on U.S. 231 in a 2019 Freightliner Cascade semi registered to JB Hunt Transport when a tree fell across the road due to heavy winds, blocking the southbound lane.

Bolton told Deputy Robert Soilleux he could not stop or go around the tree, hitting it and causing front-end and passenger-side damage.

Soilleux estimated damage at $10,000-$25,000.

• At 4:58 p.m. on Saturday, Gerald R. Birt, 59, Greencastle, was eastbound on U.S. 40 near the intersection of Skyline Drive when a tree fell into the roadway due to heavy winds, falling into the path of his 2011 Ford F250.

Birt was unable to avoid the tree.

At the time of the crash, Birt was towing a 24-foot aluminum Featherlite cattle trailer. He was unsure if the trailer sustained significant damage. The trailer was towed from the scene by another family member.

The truck went up and over the tree, causing disabling damage to the right front headlight, grille and tire. The weight of the trailer caused the bed to crease and fold, causing significant damage. There was also unknown undercarriage damage.

The truck was towed by Jerry’s Wrecker.

Birt was not injured in the crash.

Sgt. Kyle Gibbons estimated damage at $5,000-$10,000.

• At 2:40 a.m. on Saturday, Paul L. Albrecht, 54, Indianapolis, was westbound on U.S. 36 just east of County Road 775 West in a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado when he hit a deer.

Sgt. Gibbons estimated damage at $2,500-$5,000.

• At 2:05 a.m. Joshua R. Sztuk, 36, Danville, was westbound on Interstate 70 in a 2012 Chevrolet CZT when he hit a deer.

Deputy Soilleux estimated damage at $5,000-$10,000.

• At 6:04 p.m. Nicholas M. Perry, 19, Greencastle, was westbound on State Road 240 in a 2008 Dodge Avenger, approaching a curve to the left.

Perry told Deputy Soilleux he was looking down at his phone and his front passenger tire dropped off the edge of the north side of the road, causing the car to go into a sideways skid.

This resulted in the vehicle sliding across the eastbound lanes and off the south side of the road and into the ditch, where it rolled onto its roof after hitting some trees.

Perry complained of pain throughout his body and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Soilleux cited Perry for driving without financial responsibility and reckless driving.

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

• At 5:08 p.m. on Friday, Donald K. Benge, 19, Coatesville, was eastbound on U.S. 36 just east of CR 600 East in a 2017 Honda CR-V when vehicles in front of him came to a sudden stop due to a tractor turning and construction.

Benge told Deputy Riley Houghton he was able to apply his brakes and maneuver his vehicle to avoid a collision.

Bailey K. Wildrick, 18, Camby, was also eastbound in a 2006 Chevrolet Impala. He told Houghton that when traffic come to a sudden stop, he could not apply his brakes or maneuver in time to avoid rear-ending Benge’s vehicle.

Both vehicles were driven from the scene. Damage was estimated at $10,000-$25,000.

• At 6:36 a.m. on Thursday, Ashlee R. Darr, 26, Brownsburg, was westbound on U.S. 40 in a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee when she hit a deer.

The vehicle was towed. Deputy Ducker estimated damage at $10,000-$25,000.

• At 1:24 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 17, Surita K. Grass is, 59, Greencastle, was eastbound in the left lane of U.S. 40 approaching County Road 300 East in a 2012 Toyota Sienna. Ariel M. Maxwell, 19, Terre Haute, was also westbound in the right lane of U.S. 40 in a 2006 Saturn Ion.

Grass told Deputy Ducker she attempted to change lanes but did not see Maxwell’s vehicle next to her. Maxwell said she saw Grass attempting to change lanes but could not avoid a collision.

Grass’s vehicle sustained heavy damage to the driver’s side rear area. Maxwell’s vehicle was damaged in the passenger side front end.

Both vehicles were towed. Ducker estimated damage at $10,000-$25,000.

• At 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11, Erin Ray, 24, Greencastle, was southbound on Bloomington Street in Greencastle in a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado, attempting to turn left onto Tennessee Street in a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado.

Delaney Maggart, 17, Greencastle, was following Ray in a 2005 Dodge Ram. She told Sgt. Gibbons she saw Ray’s brake lights, but could not avoid a collision due to close proximity.

Gibbons estimated damage at $5,000-$10,000.

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department responded to two recent dispatches:

• At 6:42 p.m. on Monday, GFD was called to assist in the cleanup of diesel fuel at 4182 E. U.S. 36. GFD’s Hazmat unit arrived at 7:31 p.m. and cleaned up 150 gallons of diesel from the roadway.

GFD cleared the scene at 9:35 p.m.

• At 1:54 a.m. on Tuesday, GFD was dispatched to 418 Anderson St. for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 2 a.m. and determined that the alarm was due to smoking. The alarm was then reset.

GFD left at 2:09 a.m.

Additionally, GFD performed six medical assists and had one disregard during this time.

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.