Putnam Scanner for June 13, 2023

County Jail

Five people were booked in the Putnam County Jail recently.

Monday

• At 12:55 a.m. Amanda L. Hellis, 39, Terre Haute, was lodged at the jail on a local warrant.

• At 12:20 a.m. Meloney K. Collins, 25, Terre Haute, was booked in on a local warrant.

Saturday

• At 10:17 a.m. Lana L. Morrell, 53, Bowling Green, was housed at the jail on a local warrant.

Friday

• At 1:32 p.m. Michael J. VanVactor, 41, Cloverdale, was lodged at the jail for driving while intoxicated and driving with an ACE of .15 or more.

Thursday

• At 11:04 a.m. Justin M. Russell, 39, Linton, was booked in for driving while intoxicated.

City Police

One recent arrest was reported by Greencastle City Police officers:

• At 3:33 p.m. Friday, Amber L. Bennett, 37, Fillmore, was arrested by Officer Luke Brown.

Taken into custody at Indianapolis Road and Percy Julian Drive, Bennett was arrested on a Putnam County warrant for failure to appear on an original charge of criminal trespass.

Two recent summons were issued by city officers:

• At 11:15 a.m. Monday, Anthony Pearson, 54, Greencastle, was issued a summons by Officer Billy DeWitt.

Stopped on Hanna Street, Pearson was cited for violation of driving conditions on his conditional license.

• At 12:20 a.m. Saturday, Carlos Badea. 33, Greencastle, was given a summons into court by Officer Chris Helmer.

Stopped on South Jackson Street, Badea was issued a summons for a second offense of operating a vehicle without ever obtaining a license.

Badea was also cited for speeding, 45 mph in a 30-mph zone, and for a violation of the open-container law.

One additional citation was issued by city officers:

• At 8:52 p.m. Saturday, Travis Baire, 35, Brazil, was ticketed by Officer Damon Ludwig.

Stopped at Veterans Memorial Highway and Zinc Mill Road, Baire was cited for an expired license plate (Feb. 14, 2023).

Sheriff’s Office

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

• At 6:06 a.m. on Sunday, Jody A. Gooch, 53, Greencastle, was northbound on U.S. 231 in a 2019 Toyota Tacoma when he hit a deer.

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

• At 3:20 p.m. on Saturday, Haley K. Branaman, 22, Martinsville, was traveling northwest on State Road 42 in a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire.

Deputy Patrick advised that due to a distraction, Branaman’s vehicle left the road and entered a culvert. The right front passenger, Ruth A. Bradford, 65, Martinsville, was trapped inside the car. Upon her extrication, she had to be transported from the scene for immediate attention. Additionally the left rear passenger, Haley Camplin, 20, Martinsville, was also transported for medical attention, though she was not trapped in the car.

Branaman was not injured.

The car was towed. Patrick estimated damage at $5,000-$10,000.

• At 3:57 a.m. on Saturday, Lane Robinson, 19, Coatesville, was westbound on State Road 240 in a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu when he hit a deer.

Deputy David Bennett estimated damage at $2,500-$5,000.

• At 4:55 p.m. on Friday, Samuel Bell, 23, Roachdale, was stopped in traffic on U.S. 231 in a 2018 Nissan Rogue, waiting for a vehicle in front of him to turn into a driveway.

Bell told Deputy Todd Hopkins he could see a 2017 Hyundai Sonata, driven by Jill Vandivier, 56, Rockville, approaching and not slowing down.

Vandivier rear-ended Bell’s vehicle. She was unable to give a statement to Hopkins, as she was being checked out by paramedics.

Both vehicles were towed. Hopkins estimated damage at $10,000-$25,000.

• At 6:40 a.m. on Friday, Greencastle Police Officer David L. Brown, 33, Greencastle, was driving in the alley behind Almost Home, 17 W. Franklin St., in a 2020 Ford Explorer registered to the City of Greencastle.

Deputy Kyle Lee noted that the vehicle suffered damaged to the transmission pan and dented the line.

The vehicle was towed. Lee estimated damage at less than $1,000.

• At 2:11 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, Diego R. Huezo-Aguilar, 42, Indianapolis, was eastbound on County Road 50 North near the intersection of County Road 300 East in a 2007 Mitsubishi FM61F box truck.

The vehicle left the road on the south side, entering the ditch and then rolling back across the roadway, where it came to rest facing westbound on the north side.

Huezo-Aguilar was not injured. The truck was towed.

Deputy Patrick estimated damage at $10,000-$25,000.

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department responded to seven dispatches since Thursday evening.

• At 7:53 p.m. on Thursday, GFD was called to a fire alarm at 330 Greenwood Ave. Arriving at 7:58 p.m., crews discovered the alarm was set off due to cooking on the first floor. After ventilating the area and resetting the alarm, they returned to service at 8:16 p.m.

• At 5:09 p.m. on Friday, firefighters responded to a two-vehicle crash at 1375 N. U.S. 231. Arriving at 5:13 p.m., they found the patients out of the vehicles. They completed medical assessments and cleared debris from the road, returning to service at 5:30 p.m.

• At 12:16 p.m. on Saturday, fire crews were dispatched to an alarm at New Life Baptist Church, 51 Ridgeway St. Upon arrival, they were told the alarm was due to cooking and they could disregard. However, contact was made with the staff because there was an issue with the alarm panel. They were advised to contact the alarm company. Firefighters returned to service at 12:26 p.m.

• At 12:54 p.m. on Saturday, GFD was dispatched to a single motorcycle crash at 1375 N. U.S. 231. They arrived to find the patient already being cared for by a paramedic on the scene. Due to the nature of the injuries, the rider was flown from the scene by air ambulance. GFD returned to service at 1:39 p.m.

• At 9:16 a.m. on Sunday, firefighters were dispatch to an unauthorized burn at 1122 Indianapolis Rd. After extinguishing the fire, the homeowner was advised of the ordinance on burning in city limits. GFD returned to service at 9:28 a.m.

• At 9:37 p.m. on Sunday, crews were dispatched to an alarm at 330 Greenwood Ave. They arrived at 9:44 p.m. to discover it was set off by cooking. After reseting the alarm, crews were back in service at 9:56 p.m.

• At 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, GFD was dispatched to a motor vehicle crash at Veterans Highway and Zinc Mill Road. Police believed the vehicle was leaking gasoline. Upon investigation, it was determined that the leak was not gasoline, and no cleanup or spill control was needed. GFD returned to service at 10:52 p.m.

GFD also responded to 12 medical dispatches as well as once being disregarded en route to a dispatch.

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.