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Scammed traveler remains in Putnam County one week later
A Kansas woman remains stranded in Putnam County one week after local police an other agencies came to her aid when her car broke down on Interstate 70 last Friday.
The woman, who is wheelchair-bound and recently scammed out of her money, is being housed at Beyond Homeless in Greencastle while awaiting nearly $5,000 in repairs on her accessible van — likely the only viable way to get her and her powerchair back to Kansas.
“She’s safe,” Beyond Homeless Executive Director Lea Durbin said. “We’re taking care of her and doing what we can to get her help.”
As someone wanting to travel another 500 miles home but without any cash, what the woman really needs is help fixing the transmission in her van. Durbin explained to the Banner Graphic that this will come with a $4,900 price tag from York Automotive.
While public pledges of support came pouring in last weekend, much help is needed to reach that goal.
The senior citizen traveler’s story first came to light through a Facebook post from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, May 5, with Cpl. Scott Ducker describing the driver, as “having the worst time of her life.”
Deputies were dispatched to a broken-down vehicle on I-70 near the Clay County line, but found someone with more problems than that.
“Our driver had just fallen victim to an online predatory scam by an individual claiming to be in love with her,” Ducker wrote in a PCSO Facebook post. “Having given the individual her entire month’s social security check, she then drove all the way from Kansas to Connecticut to start a new life with this ‘individual.’”
Of course, we all know where this goes — there was no one waiting on the East Coast, and “in the blink of an eye the money was gone.”
While attempting to drive back to Kansas, the woman’s vehicle broke down in western Putnam County. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time the van had run into problems. It had also broken down in Philadelphia, with police there attempting to help as well.
The police in Pennsylvania took the van to a shop, where the transmission fluid and filter were changed and the woman was told the vehicle might make it, might not.
When second breakdown came, she found herself destitute, 500 miles from home and with a vehicle that no longer worked.
“No way to get home, no way to find shelter. Not even food,” Ducker wrote. “A scary situation most of us could never truly understand.”
This is where Sgt. Anthony Brown enters the story. Responding to the dispatch, rather than simply dealing with the vehicle, the veteran local officer began making phone calls.
The partnerships soon included Durbin of Beyond Homeless, Andrew Ranck and Putnam County Comprehensive Services, Curtis Wrecker and the Cloverdale Holiday Inn.
Curtis worked to recover the vehicle and help the driver with her belongings while minimizing the cost. Comprehensive Services used one of its wheelchair-accessible vehicles to transport her to Cloverdale, where a complementary room at the Holiday Inn awaited.
While the initial post noted Durbin helping with food options and possible further financial support, when it became clear that fixing the van would take longer, she moved the driver to the shelter in Greencastle.
Since then, Durbin and her staff have been supportive in whatever way they can, physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially.
That has included continuing to support her and give her advice even as her scammer continues to contact her — texting from a new number each time he’s blocked — even after being found out.
“She’s doing well, but anxious to get her van repaired so she can go back to Kansas,” Durbin said.
At this point it’s a waiting game, with the traveler remaining stranded in a strange place, dependent upon the kindness of strangers if she’s ever to make it back to her home state.
Those interested in making financial contributions may drop them off at the shelter, the west side entrance at 309 E. Franklin St., Greencastle, or make arrangements by calling Durbin at 765-301-9263. The office is open from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
In the meantime, she’s counting on the compassion of the community about which Ducker speaks so highly in his initial post.
“It’s heart. It’s compassion. And it’s a community that’s willing to give that makes our world better,” Ducker wrote. “I am lucky ... no ... we are all lucky to live in a community that cares so much for people they don’t even know.”