Putnam Scanner for Dec. 4, 2007

Putnam County Jail

Six people were booked into the Putnam County Jail recently.

* Evan J. Alberson, 20, Greencastle, was booked in at 3:39 a.m. Saturday by DePauw University Police Officer Mike Moore for possession of alcohol by a minor. He was released two and a half hour later on his own recognizance.

* Randall Lee McDougall, 25, Poland, was booked in at 12:16 a.m. Sunday by Cloverdale Town Marshal Don Pearson for failing to stop after a crash, false reporting or informing, petition to revoke probation and public intoxication. He was being held without bail.

* John Michael Branham, II, 19, Brazil, was booked in at 12:47 a.m. Sunday by Indiana State Police Trooper Adam Edwards for possession of a controlled substance, public intoxication and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He was being held without bail.

* Bradley Robert Atkinson, 22, Danville, was booked in at 2:44 a.m. Sunday by Greencastle Police Officer Charles Inman for refusing to submit to a chemical test and operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction. He was being held without bail.

* Jared Lee Hornaday, 18, Greencastle, was booked in at 5:32 a.m. Sunday by Greencastle Police Officer Charles Inman for battery. He was being held without bail.

* Cody Doug Wright, 18, Brazil was booked in at 9:21 a.m. Monday by jail staff on a court order. He was released on $1,000 cash bond.

Sheriff's Dept.

Putnam County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to several crashes recently.

* Deputy Mike Downing responded to a three-vehicle crash that sent a Greencastle woman to the hospital Saturday afternoon.

Tracy D. Howlett, 43, Greencastle, was driving north on County Road 400 West near County Road 550 South at about 2:36 p.m., when she lost of her 1996 Oldsmobile Aurora and slid into oncoming traffic.

Howlett's vehicle struck the 2001 Cadillac STS driven by Rhonda L. Stonebreaker, 46, Reelsville, and the 2005 Ford F250 driven by Robert C. New, 58, Greencastle, which were both headed south on County Road 400 West, according to a police report.

Howlett's vehicle came to a rest in the ditch on the east side of the road. Stonebreaker's vehicle slid off the east side of the road into a fence and New's truck came to a rest in the southbound lane of County Road 400 West, the report said.

Medics transported Howlett to the Putnam County Hospital with a complaint of neck pain. Stonebreaker and New refused medical attention.

Damage was estimated at $25,000 to $50,000.

* Detective Michael Biggs responded to a single-vehicle crash at a sewer lift station near Keightly Road involving a Greencastle City Utility truck at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday.

Zachary Michael Minnick, 21, Greencastle, drove down the access lane to service the lift station and parked next to yellow pipe barriers, according to a police report.

When Minnick pulled out of the area, he told police he forgot about the barriers and scraped the passenger side of the 2005 Dodge truck against them, causing $2,500 to $5,000 in damage, the report said.

* Lt. Danny Wallace responded to a car-deer crash at 5:40 a.m. Friday on U.S. 231 near County Road 1400 North.

Myra E. Cox, 24, Russellville, told police she was driving north on U.S. 231 when a deer ran in front of her 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe, according to a police report.

She hit the deer, causing $2,500 to $5,000 in damage.

* Deputy Don Lewis responded to a two-car crash at 1:40 p.m. Friday on State Road 75 near State Road 240.

Robert J. Church, 66, Clayton, was stopped at a stopsign in the westbound lane of State Road 240 and proceeded through the intersection.

He did not see the 1998 Toyota pickup truck driven by Kaleb E. Sharp, 24, Coatesville, that was driving south on State Road 75 because of a tractor trailer rig that was blocking the view, according to a police report.

Church's 1998 Ford F150 truck struck Sharps' truck on the left front fender, causing $10,000 to $25,000 in damage, the report said.

Sharp had minor bleeding from his head as a result of the crash.

Meanwhile, icy roadways were to blame for at least five crashes in Putnam County Saturday.