Putnam Scanner for Feb. 5, 2021

County Jail

Five people were booked in the Putnam County Jail recently.

Wednesday

• At 8:18 p.m. Joseph N. Bailey, 35, Greencastle, was taken into custody for driving while intoxicated.

• At 6:12 p.m. Joseph A. Johnson, 55, Lebanon, was housed at the jail for driving with a suspended license.

• At 2:57 p.m. Justin E. Smith, 32, Crawfordsville, was booked in for straw purchase of a handgun.

• At 9:12 a.m. John A. Abney, 43, Ladoga, was lodged at the jail for two counts of nonsupport of a dependent child.

Tuesday

• At 4:41 a.m. Joshua D. Carter, 32, Spencer, was taken into custody for disorderly conduct, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia with a prior conviction and public intoxication.

City Police

One recent accident was investigated by Greencastle City Police officers.

• At 4:33 p.m. on Jan. 26, a two-vehicle mishap was reported at Shadowlawn and Melrose avenues.

Sgt. Ed Wilson reported that Jon Pawelczyk, 33, Fillmore, was eastbound on Shadowlawn, driving a 2015 Ford Fusion, when Kyle Buroff, 31, Greencastle, entered the roadway from Melrose Avenue in a 2006 Jeep Liberty.

Pawelczyk said he saw the Buroff vehicle stop at the stop sign and then proceed into the intersection where it struck his Ford in the passenger side.

Buroff said he looked both ways and entered the intersection, failing to see the Pawelczyk car.

Total damage was estimated at $5,000-$10,000.

Sheriff’s Office

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

• At 5:50 a.m. on Thursday, Jean C. Anilus, 38, Terre Haute, was southbound on U.S. 231 just south of County Road 700 South in a 2006 Dodge Caravan when he hit a deer.

Anilus and all passengers were checked by medics and signed statements of release.

The van was towed. Deputy Brian Helmer estimated damage at $10,000-$25,000.

• At 4:44 p.m. on Wednesday, Jerry D. Forsythe, 17, Centerpoint, was westbound on County Road 1075 South approaching the T intersection with County Road 525 West in a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado.

Deputy Helmer advised the vehicle went straight through the intersection and through a guardrail on the side of 525 West, going airborne into a large, wooded ravine, hitting numerous trees.

When Helmer arrived, Forsythe was out of the truck and had climbed up the ravine. He told Helmer he lost his brakes and the vehicle would not stop, saying he was unfamiliar with the area and did not know there was a T intersection.

A witness told Helmer she was behind Forsythe when he crashed and that he did not slow down for the intersection and his brake lights never activated.

Forsythe’s father arrived at the scene and told Helmer he would take him to the hospital to be checked out.

The vehicle was towed. Helmer estimated damage at $25,000-$50,000.

• At 6:43 p.m. on Tuesday, Randall T. Blanchard, 63, Martinsville, was westbound on State Road 42 in a 2009 Ford Edge when he hit a deer.

Deputy Robert Soilleux estimated damage at $2,500-$5,000.

• At 10:10 p.m. on Monday, Arnold E. Havens, 48, Poland, was southbound on State Road 42 approaching a 90-degree turn in a 2017 Honda Civic.

Havens told Deputy Robert Soilleux he looked down to answer a phone call from his sister and the next thing he knew, he had driven off the road.

Soilleux noted that the vehicle continued straight at the turn, damaging the front and driver’s side of the car, as well as damaging the traffic signs warning of a sharp bend. The car became stuck in the snow and mud.

Havens tested at .16 ACE on the portable breath test and at .15 on the certified test. He was booked in the Putnam County Jail at 12:03 a.m. Tuesday for driving while intoxicated.

The car was towed. Soilleux estimated damage at $1,000-$2,500.

• At 5:20 p.m. on Saturday, Fredrick D. McCarty, 37, Indianapolis, was westbound on State Road 236 approaching the stop sign at U.S. 231 in a 2018 Buick Enclave.

Due to heavy snow falling at the time and the slick conditions, McCarty was unable to stop and slid across U.S. 231 and into a guardrail, damaging the front end of the vehicle.

The car was driven from the scene. Reserve Deputy Ken Rozelle estimated damage at $1,000-$2,500.

• At 4:20 a.m. on Saturday, Stacie L. Hood, 31, Danville, was eastbound on U.S. 36 in a 2013 Hyundai Elantra when she hit a deer.

Deputy Nate Trissel estimated damage at $2,500-$5,000.

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department responded to four recent dispatches:

• At 8:32 a.m. on Tuesday, GFD was dispatched to Greencastle Middle School for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 8:38 and found that a pull station was damaged. The alarm was reset with maintenance repairing the pull station. GFD went back into service at 8:48 a.m.

• At 10:20 a.m. on Tuesday, GFD was dispatched to 509 E. Franklin St. for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 10:24 and determined the alarm was due to perfume. The alarm was reset. GFD went back into service at 10:34 a.m.

• At 6:34 p.m. on Tuesday, GFD was dispatched to Pi Beta Phi for a gas leak. Firefighters arrived at 6:38 and determined that a pilot light was out on a damaged stove. GFD turned off the gas and went back into service at 6:50 p.m.

• At 9:31 p.m. on Tuesday, GFD was dispatched to 508 Illinois St. for a carbon monoxide alarm. Firefighters arrived at 9:32 and found that the alarm’s batteries were slightly corroded. The batteries were replaced, and GFD went back into service at 9:51 p.m.

Additionally, GFD recently performed four medical assists and had two disregards.

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.