Putnam Scanner for May 18, 2021

County Jail

Four people were booked in the Putnam County Jail recently.

Sunday

• At 7:19 a.m. Fernando E. Degante-Toledo, 24, Indianapolis, was lodged at the jail for driving with a suspended license.

Friday

• At 12:23 p.m. Kathy A. Cassady, 55, Greencastle, was taken into custody for possession of methamphetamine and possession of paraphernalia.

Thursday

• At 7:36 p.m. Allycia J. Patton, 33, Cloverdale, was housed at the jail for theft and invasion of privacy.

•At 5:49 p.m. Bobby J. Hood II, 28, Greencastle, was booked in on a writ of body attachment.

City Police

One property-damage accident was investigated recently by Greencastle City Police.

The accident occurred at 12:22 p.m. Saturday as Benjamin Erickson, 19, Northbrook, Ill., was northbound on South Jackson Street, approaching Seminary Street in a 2015 Audi.

Erickson told Officer Nick Eastham that as he neared Seminary Street, he engaged his right turn signal, preparing to go east, but then turned the signal off and attempted to continue northbound.

Stacey Nelson, 52, Greencastle, was stopped westbound on Seminary Street in a 2017 Dodge Caravan. Seeing Erickson’s right turn signal, Nelson turned left onto Jackson Street, attempting to go southbound and collided with the Erickson car.

Total damage was estimated at $2,500-$5,000 in the accident.

Erickson was checked out at the scene by EMS personnel. Nelson signed a statement of release, declining transport to the hospital, following the collision.

Indiana State Police

At 9:25 p.m. on Sunday, Trooper Austin Fowler was patrolling on U.S. 40 near County Road 445 West when he stopped a passenger car for an equipment violation.

The driver was identified as Justin N. Taylor, 21, of Greencastle. Suspicious activity was detected, and a search of the vehicle was conducted.

Trooper Fowler located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, legend drugs (legend drugs are drugs that are approved by FDA and dispensed to the public only by prescription of a licensed physician) and a handgun. During a records check, it was discovered that Taylor did not possess a valid handgun permit or a valid driver’s license, and that he was wanted out of Putnam County for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Taylor was taken into custody and transported to the Putnam County Jail, where he was booked in at 10:40 p.m. on charges of Level 6 felony possession of a legend drug, Class A misdemeanor carrying a handgun without a license, Class A misdemeanor driving with a suspended license and Class A misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia.

Fowler was assisted by Troopers Kyle Hall and Matthew Rea.

Sheriff’s Office

Putnam County sheriff’s deputies investigated a pair of recent property-damage crashes.

• At 1:42 p.m. on Saturday, Jared L. Handlin, 34, Brazil, was eastbound on U.S. 40, approaching the U.S. 231 intersection in a 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser. Diana L. Heagy, 56, Cloverdale, was northbound on U.S. 231, approaching the intersection in a 2020 Ford Econoline van.

Handlin told Deputy Hunter Gambill that he had the green light and Heagy disregarded her red light and passed into his path, and he struck the left side of the van.

Heagy told Gambill she was northbound but could not remember anything else.

A witness told the deputy that eastbound traffic had the green light and Heagy ran a red light.

Heagy was transported from the scene with a complaint of chest pain.

Gambill, who was assisted by Deputy Kyle Lee, estimated damage at $25,000-$50,000. Both vehicles were towed.

• At 12:34 a.m. on Friday, May 7, Jonathan W. Hanlon, 43, Greencastle, was apparently westbound on State Road 240 in a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu.

Hanlon told Deputy Robert Soilleux he was on his way home from Greencastle heading eastbound — contrary to evidence the deputy found at the scene. Hanlon said he left the road and it all happened so fast he did not know exactly what happened.

Soilleux said tire marks indicated the vehicle left the north side of the road and entered the ditch, where it continued, crossing a driveway and hitting a fire hydrant before changing direction. The car then headed south across the road and came to rest in the ditch on the south side.

The vehicle ended up about 360 feet from where it originally left the road.

A witness told Soilleux she did not see the crash but came upon the wreck and checked on the driver. She said the car had been on its side, but Hanlon pushed it back onto its wheels and attempted to drive away, but the car got stuck in the mud.

Soilleux noted that Hanlon smelled strongly of alcoholic beverage and admitted to drinking a couple of beers.

He later tested at .19 ACE on the certified test. He was booked in the jail on charges of driving while intoxicated and driving with an ACE of .15 or more.

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

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department recently responded to four recent dispatches:

• At 11:11 p.m. on Thursday, GFD was dispatched to the apartments at 330 Greenwood Ave. for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 11:16 and determined the alarm was due to cooking. The alarm was reset. GFD went back into service at 11:21 p.m.

• At 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, GFD was dispatched to Alpha Tau Omega on DePauw University’s campus for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 11:21 and determined the alarm was due to smoking. The alarm was reset. GFD went back into service at 11:25 p.m.

• At 11:25 p.m. on Sunday, GFD was dispatched to Casey’s General Store for a gas leak. Firefighters arrived at 11:30 and cleaned up fuel which had been spilled near the gas pumps. GFD went back into service at 11:46 p.m.

• At 7:43 a.m. on Monday, GFD was dispatched to 85 Martinsville St. for a reported gas leak. Firefighters arrived at 7:48 and were advised by the homeowner that the smell had subsided after a pilot light was turned off. GFD checked out other appliances and went back into service at 8:18 a.m.

Additionally, GFD recently performed six 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.