Putnam Scanner for October 29, 2019

Nine people were booked in the Putnam County Jail recently.

Monday

• At 3:17 a.m. John Thomas (Smalley) Crane Jr., 44, Lafayette, was housed at the jail for nonsupport of a dependent.

Sunday

• At 9:50 p.m. Keith Christopher Barto, 40, Greencastle, was booked in for intimidation.

• At 3:30 a.m. Dustin Jade Knight, 35, Cloverdale, was housed at the jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license.

• At 3:06 a.m. Joshua Lee Doane, 36, Poland, was lodged at the jail on a court order.

Saturday

• At 8:28 p.m. Charles Wesley Richard Powell, 31, Cloverdale, was taken into custody for battery against a public safety officer, resisting law enforcement and disorderly conduct.

• At 5:58 a.m. Fredrick Louis Coudret, 20, Newburgh, was housed at the jail for driving while intoxicated.

• At 2:51 a.m. Luke Nicholas Miller, 22, Brazil, was booked in for driving while intoxicated.

• At 2:24 a.m. Sarah Elizabeth McFerron, 22, Fillmore, was lodged at the jail for false informing and public intoxication.

Friday

• At 6:48 p.m. Darrell Ray Skinner, 36, Greencastle, was taken into custody for domestic battery and probation violation.

Sheriff’s Department

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

• At 8:05 p.m. on Sunday, Patricia L. Bittles, 65, Greencastle, was southbound on County Road 500 West just south of County Road 100 South in a 2011 GMC Terrain when she hit a deer.

Deputy Riley Houghton estimated damage at $2,500-$5,000.

• At 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, Elijah D. Akers, 19, Westfield, was northbound in a curve on U.S. 231 in a 2004 Nissan Maxima.

Akers told Deputy Daniel Birt he turned his wheel to follow the curve to the right, but the vehicle continued straight, crossing the southbound lane and hitting a guardrail on the far side of the road. The vehicle glanced off the guardrail and skidded across the dirt, damaging the bumper, fog lights and radiator.

The vehicle came to rest back in the northbound lane.

Birt reported that Akers did not appeared to be injured.

The deputy believed the driver had entered the turn too quickly.

The vehicle was towed. Birt estimated damage at $2,500-$5,000.

• At 12:12 a.m. on Sunday, Justin L. Hood, 29, Indianapolis, was southbound on County Road 825 East in a 2016 Ford Fusion when he failed to negotiate the 90-degree turn onto County Road 525 North.

The vehicle left the roadway and traveled through the front yard at 298 Jefferson Valley, Coatesville, traveling through the trees and coming to rest facing west.

Hood told Deputy Jeffery Freeman he was under the influence of alcohol and marijuana. He consented to a blood draw, which was completed at Putnam County Hospital. Both the portable breath test and the blood test revealed him to be at .19 percent alcohol concentration equivalent.

Hood was booked in the Putnam County Jail for driving while intoxicated at 3:10 a.m.

The vehicle was towed. Freeman estimated damage at $5,000-$10,000.

• At approximately 8:10 p.m. on Saturday, Michael A. Carter, 44, Fillmore, was westbound on County Road 150 North in a 2006 Dodge Ram.

Carter told Deputy Birt that as he approached the stop sign at the intersection of County Road 500 East (Main Street in Fillmore), another vehicle was turning east onto 150 North.

Carter felt the oncoming vehicle was too close to the center of the road and he steered to the right. This resulted in the right side of the truck dropping off the road into the ditch. A loud noise along the passenger side resulted.

However, Carter said he had a small child in the vehicle complaining of needing to go to the bathroom, so he continued to his residence.

After returning to his home, he examined the vehicle and found a long, deep gouge starting at the front passenger side fender and extending the length of the truck.

Birt took the report but due to a number of high-priority calls coming in, he was unable to return to the intersection to see what Carter might have hit.

He estimated damage at $2,500-$5,000.

• At 8 p.m. on Friday, Hunter K. Isenberg, 18, Crawfordsville, was northbound on U.S. 231 in a 2000 Ford Mustang when he hit a deer.

Both the driver and passenger airbags deployed and Deputy Birt noticed that the driver’s side headlight was missing. The hood and grille were significantly damaged. The driver’s side fender was also pushed back into the door.

The vehicle was towed. Birt estimated damage at $2,500-$5,000.

• At 2:49 a.m. on Thursday, Bernadette R. Powell, 41, Reelsville, was southbound on Manhattan Road when she apparently fell asleep at the wheel of her 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis.

Deputy Houghton reported that the vehicle appeared to have left the west side of the road and hit a culvert and a mailbox before continuing southbound in the ditch. The vehicle crossed over the ditch and ran over a large tree that had recently been cut down and entered an embankment.

Powell told Houghton she did not know what had happened. She remembered waking up and thinking she was in a parking lot until she stepped out and looked around.

Powell said she was traveling home after work.

The car was towed. Houghton estimated damage at $10,000-$25,000.

• At 8:10 p.m. on Wednesday, Jacob L. Holden,27, Greenfield, was eastbound on County Road 525 North in a 2003 Dodge Dakota. Craig D. Hinshaw, 65, Coatesville, was westbound in a 2008 GMC Sierra.

Both drivers said the other was traveling left of center. Holden said that the two vehicles had made contact, both to the mirror and driver’s side corner and fender of his vehicle. However, Hinshaw said no contact was made.

After investigation of both vehicles, Reserve Deputy Ken Rozelle said he believed the damages to the vehicles were of an older nature and did not align with Holden’s story.

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department responded to four recent dispatches:

• At 3:45 p.m. on Saturday, GFD received a call for a reported gas smell at 1103 Putnamville Rd. Units arrived at approximately 3:46 and monitored the property, but could not find a source for the smell. GFD went back into service at 3:56 p.m.

• At 9:03 p.m. on Saturday, GFD was dispatched to Hogate Hall to assist three individuals who were trapped between floors in an elevator. Units arrived at 9:06 and maintenance bled hydraulic fluid to lower the elevator. The individuals were then released. GFD went back into service at 9:45 p.m.

• At 11:18 p.m. on Saturday, GFD was alerted to a tree down across railroad tracks near the intersection of Madison and Elizabeth streets. Units found the tree at 11:20 and confirmed with CSX Transportation. GFD went back into service at 11:21 p.m.

• At 4:51 p.m. on Sunday, GFD was dispatched to 109 W. Hanna St. for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 4:53 and determined the alarm was due to cooking. The alarm was then reset. GFD left at 4:58 p.m.

Additionally, GFD performed five medical assists 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.