Putnam Scanner for May 5, 2020

Monday, May 4, 2020

County Jail

Seven people were booked in the Putnam County Jail recently.

Monday

• At 6:38 a.m. Keegen C. Bingman, 20, Greencastle, was housed at the jail for driving while intoxicated.

• At 1:34 a.m. Joshua S. Hunter, 18, Cloverdale, was booked in for dealing in marijuana-sale intended for a minor and possession of marijuana.

Saturday

• At 11:48 p.m. Catarino H. Pavon, 37, Henderson, Ky., was lodged at the jail for possession of cocaine, driving while intoxicated-refusal and driving having never received a license.

• At 6:51 p.m. Anthony L. Pierce, 54, Greencastle, was taken into custody on a court order.

• At 1 a.m. Deidre M. Gegner, 36, Reelsville, was housed at the jail for domestic battery.

Friday

• At 2:21 p.m. Heath A. Cloncs, 32, Greencastle, was booked in for harassment.

• At 12:52 a.m. Harry R. Frazier, 42, Crawfordsville, was lodged at the jail for driving with a suspended license with a prior conviction and driving while intoxicated-refusal.

City Police

Two persons were arrested for theft at the Walmart store in recent activity reported by the Greencastle City Police.

• At 8:42 p.m. Wednesday, April Sult, 34, Fillmore, and Gary Leitzman, 44, Fillmore, were arrested after reportedly loading their cart with merchandise and walking past all checkout stations.

Sult, who told police they simply forgot to pay, was found with $419.58 worth of merchandise in her possession, including multiple cell phones, a pair of women’s boots, DVDs and underwear.

Leitzman was found with $185.01 worth of merchandise, including several flashlights, knives, two watches, an axe and Sharpie markers.

Before the two were taken to Putnam County Jail, Sult complained of chest pain and Putnam County EMS came to the scene and checked her out.

Sheriff’s Department

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

• At 11:23 p.m. on Saturday, Sandra J. Johnson, 33, Brazil, was southbound on Manhattan Road just south of Limedale in a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu.

Johnson told Deputy Randy Patrick she met a vehicle driving the wrong way in a curve and lost control, running off the left side of the road.

Patrick reported significant damage to the driver’s-side front tire area and front axle. There was also damage to a pair of signs belonging to Seniour’s Towing and Jack’s Trash Removal.

The vehicle was towed.

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

• At 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Hunter A. Overbay, 25, Roachdale, was southbound on Heritage Drive in the Mill Springs subdivision in a 2019 Jeep Wrangler pulling a 1995 Lowe fishing boat and trailer.

The trailer was not properly secured to the vehicle and it detached, causing it to skid off the roadway and hit a driveway culvert owned by Pamela Weber.

The boat owner removed the boat on another trailer and later returned to retrieve the trailer.

Reserve Deputy Ken Rozelle estimated damage at less than $1,000.

• At 1:28 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, Michael J. Bevis, 53, Terre Haute, was traveling on U.S. 40 near County Road 25 East in a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt.

Deputy Robert Soilleux said tire marks on the road and in the ditch indicated that Bevis had been westbound before leaving the road and hitting the ditch, reentering the westbound lanes and then leaving the north side and coming to rest in the ditch. This resulted in heavy front-end damage, as well as damage to the overall vehicle.

Bevis said verbally he had been westbound, but pointed and motioned that he was driving eastbound, insisting he was heading “that way” (eastbound). He told Soilleux he was looking down at his phone and upon looking up, saw a deer in front of him.

Bevis then claimed he swerved to miss the deer, his vehicle spun around and entered the center median then came across the road and crashed backward into the north ditch before spinning back onto the road and again crashing — forward this time — into the north ditch.

Soilleux said there was no evidence the vehicle had been eastbound or had entered the center median.

The deputy also said Bevis smelled strongly of alcoholic beverages and admitted to drinking a couple of beers.

Bevis tested a .11 alcohol concentration equivalent on the portable breath test and then at .12 on the certified test.

He was booked in the jail for driving while intoxicated endangering a person and driving while intoxicated.

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

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department responded to seven recent dispatches:

• At 12:58 p.m. on Friday, GFD was dispatched to 410 S. Indiana St. for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 1:01 p.m. and determined the alarm was due to cooking. The alarm was then reset. GFD left at 1:05 p.m.

• At 4:22 p.m. on Saturday, GFD was dispatched to the intersection of 350 North and 2100 West for a hazmat spill. Units arrived at 4:43 and alerted other agencies, as well as cleaned up the spill. GFD went back into service at 6:43 p.m.

• At 5:56 p.m. on Saturday, GFD was dispatched to 1613 E. Washington St. for a reported illegal burn. Firefighters arrived at 6 p.m. and found the homeowner burning leaves and wood, while also stoking the fire with a leaf blower. GFD told the homeowner to put the fire out, and then left at 6:07 p.m.

• At 9:57 p.m. on Saturday, GFD was dispatched to 1150 Chestnut Ct. to perform an animal rescue. Units arrived at 10:03 p.m. and used a ladder to remove a cat from a storage closet. GFD went back into service at 10:12 p.m.

• At 3:39 a.m. on Sunday, GFD was dispatched to 450 Glenview Dr. for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 3:44 and were advised that the alarm had malfunctioned. GFD left at 3:55 a.m.

• At 11:56 a.m. on Sunday, GFD was dispatched to Opportunity Housing for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 12:02 p.m. and determined the alarm was due to cooking. The alarm was then reset. GFD left at 12:06 p.m.

• At 11:32 p.m. on Sunday, GFD was dispatched to 2990 S. CR 150 West. for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived on the scene at 11:34 and assisted with cleanup. GFD went back into service at 11:50 p.m.

Additionally, GFD had one disregard during his 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.