Routine check nets 2 arrests
BY JARED JERNAGAN
Assistant Editor
When Greencastle Police checked on the well-being of two men under a truck in front of Vectren on Indianapolis Road Monday afternoon, they found a whole lot more.
Kyle Dobbs, 27, Greencastle, and Darrin Lyons, 24, Coatesville, were reportedly passed out underneath a Chevrolet Silverado 2500 shortly before 1 p.m. The vehicle was still running, and both men were believed to be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning.
The Greencastle Police Department, Operation Life and Greencastle Fire Department all responded to the incident.
Det. Capt. Randy Seipel said both men were pulled out from under the truck, with Dobbs coming to quickly, but remaining confused. Lyons took longer to revive, and he became combative when he was conscious.
The men said they were under the truck attempting to fix a problem with its driveshaft.
Upon searching the men, they were both found to be in possession of what appeared a controlled substance. Results were unavailable Tuesday, but Seipel said he believed the drugs to actually be a look-alike substance.
Dobbs was found to be in possession of a stolen bicycle in the truck bed. Lyons was charged with possession of a syringe, resisting law enforcement and possession of paraphernalia.
Both men were booked into the Putnam County Jail late Monday afternoon.
The cause of the two men's unconsciousness also remains unclear. While their location under a running vehicle made carbon monoxide a likely cause, Seipel said this is now in doubt based on the presence of drugs and paraphernalia.
"To me, they came around pretty quickly for carbon monoxide poisoning," Seipel said. The symptoms of CO poisoning include headaches, dizziness and nauseau, which they did not display.
Additionally, Dobbs and Lyons had apparently been working on the truck for some time, with a local wrecker driver having stopped by to see if he could help. He reported to police the two men were acting "very unusual" 90 minutes before the incident.
The truck also matched the description of a hit and run on Frazier Street from Monday morning. A white, full-sized pickup had run through a yard, striking a boulder. This appears to be the cause of the damage on which the two men were working.
Seipel said Dobbs is also likely to be charged with leaving the scene of an accident.
GPD officers Chris Jones, Ed Wilson and Darrel Bunten assisted in the investigation.