Putnam Scanner for Jan. 25, 2012

Sheriff's Department

* On Friday, Jan. 20 at 8:51 a.m. Gary A. Buss, 64, Brodhead, Wis., was stopped on Jackson Street in Greencastle at the intersection of Washington Street in a 2005 Freightliner Heritage.

He said his foot slipped off the clutch pedal, causing his truck to hit the 2002 Oldsmobile Alero in front of him driven by Christina J. Rumley, 25, Reelsville.

Damage $1,001-$2,500.

* At 8:46 p.m. Katharina K. Staats, 26, Spencer, was northbound on U.S. 231 in a 2009 Chevrolet 3500 when she hit ice on the road on Waterworks Hill. The truck spun off the road into a ditch.

Damage $2,501-$5,000.

* On Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7:23 a.m. Emilee R. Hedrick, 19, Brownsburg, was westbound on U.S. 40 just west of Mount Meridian in a 2000 Dodge Neon when she hit an icy patch on the road.

The car ran off the road and hit the guardrail on the north side of the road. It then spun across both westbound lanes before ending up in the median facing northwest.

Damage $2,501-$5,000.

* At 10:54 a.m. Nancy K. Sweazey, 63, Evansville, was westbound on Interstate 70 approaching the 42-mile marker in a 2006 Saturn Ion.

Sweazey said she was trying to pass a vehicle in the slow lane when she lost control and went into the grass median. The vehicle then started to spin and the entered the eastbound lanes.

Raymond Espiritu, 48, Lake Elsinore, Calif., was eastbound in a 2010 International semi tractor when the left rear wheels of his trailer hit Sweazey's car as it entered his lane.

Damage $5,001-$10,000.

* Two wrecks occurred on the same stretch of County Road 550 South in southern Madison Township in the evening of Jan. 21 and early morning of Jan. 22.

On Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7:17 p.m. Hannah M. Pettit, 19, Greencastle, was southbound on County Road 550 West in a 2008 Pontiac G6. As she approached a curve she lost control due to ice and was unable to make the turn.

The vehicle then went down an embankment and rolled onto the driver's side and into a creek.

Damage $2,501-$5,000.

On Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2:27 a.m. Jeremy A. Cowyer, 30, Greencastle, was southbound on the same stretch of road in a 2006 Ford Ranger when he lost control due to ice.

The truck then exited the roadway and hit a ditch, rolling onto its top and into a 4-feet deep creek. The driver exited the vehicle through a passenger side door and got help at a nearby residence.

Damage $2,501-$5,000.

Deputy Craig Sibbitt said a call for the road to be salted had been made following the first wreck, but it did not arrive.

City Police

A 20-year-old Terre Haute man is facing four charges following his arrest early Saturday, Greencastle City Police report.

Kyal Anthony Campbell was taken into custody by Capt. Charles Inman at 2:10 a.m. after police were called to investigate a disturbance on South Indiana Street, near Walnut Street.

Campbell is facing charges of public intoxication, being a minor in consumption of alcohol, a minor entering a tavern and resisting law enforcement.

Police said Campbell registered .202 percent blood alcohol under PBT (portable breathalyzer) testing.

Capt. Inman was assisted at the scene by GPD Officer Eric Vaughan and DePauw Officer Sgt. Keller.

A pair of traffic accidents were investigated recently by city officers.

-- At 1:06 a.m. Saturday, an Operation Life ambulance was involved in a two-vehicle mishap on Washington Street, west of Wood Street.

Ambulance driver Daniel Hendry, 28, Avon, said he was responding to a call and passed the residence in question. He subsequently began backing the 2005 Ford ambulance, unaware that another vehicle was behind him.

The ambulance struck a 1999 Dodge Ram, driven by Montgomery Keyt, 48, Greencastle, which had stopped behind the ambulance on Washington Street, Officer Darrel Bunten reported.

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

-- At 8:30 p.m. Friday, a one-vehicle mishap occurred on East Washington Street, 500 feet west of Percy Julian Drive.

Officer Vaughan reported that Anthony Kline, 19, Brazil, was eastbound, driving a 1994 Toyota, when a vehicle in front of him slowed to make a turn.

Kline was unable to stop on the ice-covered roadway. In swerving to miss the other vehicle, his Toyota struck a utility pole on the south side of the street.

Total damage in the accident was listed at $1,000-$2,500.

Two traffic citations were issued recently by city officers.

-- At 11:10 p.m. Monday, William C. L. Jacobson, 19, Cloverdale, was cited on State Road 240 by Officer Matt Huffman for an infraction of driving with a suspended license.

-- At 6:22 p.m. Friday, Luke P. Sanders, 18, Cloverdale, was ticketed on Round Barn Road by Reserve Officer Jerett Query for having an expired license plate (October).