Scanner for Nov. 21, 2012

Sheriff's Department

The Putnam County Sheriff's Department is seeking a man who left the scene of an accident after his unoccupied pickup truck rolled backward into a gas pump at a local station on Thursday, Nov. 15.

At 9:42 a.m. Chief Deputy Tom Helmer was dispatched to the Tobacco Road Mara-thon station near State Road 243 and Interstate 70.

A witness to the accident said he was standing at a gas pump fueling his vehicle when an unoccupied blue pickup truck that had been parked facing southbound rolled backward and hit the pump.

The impact pushed the apparatus over onto the witness.

Another patron came to the witness's aid, pushing the pump upright and saving him from injury. The store clerk was able to shut off the fuel to prevent further spillage.

The driver of the pickup, who was in the store at the time of the accident, came out and said a brake or transmission problem must have caused the issue.

The driver then said he had to go and left the scene.

The clerk said the driver comes into the store regularly and described him as short with a medium build.

She also obtained a license plate number for the vehicle, which returned for a subject who is 5-foot-5 and 160 pounds. The vehicle is listed as a 1994 Ford Ranger, registered to the address 382 W. CR 1000 South, Cloverdale.

Helmer visited the address on three straight days following the accident but has not yet located the owner.

The deputy estimated damage at between $2,501 and $5,000.

* At 3:58 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14, Capt. Danny Wallace was dispatched to a collision in the North Putnam High School parking lot.

Robert L. Puhala II, 17, Greencastle, was backing out of a parking space in a 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Wren R. Miethe, 17, Roachdale, was pulling out of a space in front of Puhala in a 2006 Pontiac Torrent.

Puhala stopped for an oncoming vehicle and reportedly pulled forward without looking, hitting Miethe, who had begun to pull forward.

Wallace estimated damage at $1,001-$2,500.

* At 6:17 p.m. Thursday, Dana L. Grayson, 49, Veedersburg, was northbound on County Road 850 North, approaching U.S. 36 in a 2002 Chevrolet Blazer when she overshot a stop sign.

Richard A. Moore, 58, Zionsville, was eastbound on U.S. 36 in a 2007 International truck pulling a trailer, both registered to Penske Truck Leasing.

When Grayson entered his lane, Moore tried to evade her vehicle, but did not have time.

The crash caused minor damage to Grayson's SUV and a flat tire to Moore's trailer.

Deputy Mike Downing estimated damage at $2,501-$5,000.

* A Fillmore woman received a traffic citation following a Friday accident.

At 3:30 p.m. Faviola Garcia, 33, was northbound on Main Street in Fillmore just south of the post office in a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban.

As she drove, Garcia said her rear driver's side tire fell off, causing her to veer off the east side of the road.

The runaway tire rolled northwest into the post office parking lot, where it hit a 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe.

Garcia said she did not know the tire hit the other vehicle and retrieved it before leaving the scene on foot.

Dawn Cooper, the owner of the parked vehicle, said she did not notice the damage when she left work, but discovered it when she got home.

Garcia was cited for operating without proof of financial responsibility.

Deputy Donnie Pettit estimated damage in the $2,501-$5,000 range.

* On Saturday at 10:55 p.m. Sheryl Cornett, 64, Reelsville, was westbound on County Road 725 South just west of County Road 625 West in a 2008 Toyota Yaris when a deer entered the road.

She swerved to miss the animal and lost control, going partially off the road on the north side. She then overcorrected and left the south side of the road and hit a tree.

The car rotated counter clockwise off the tree and back into the road, coming to rest facing northwest.

Deputy Pettit estimated damage at $5,001-$10,000.

* A Reelsville man is in jail following an early-morning Sunday accident on County Road 625 South.

At 12:18 a.m. Taylor L. Cooper, 21, advised Deputy Phillip Troyer he had an accident but did not remember what happened.

Cooper said he thought he fell asleep as he was driving his 1998 Dodge Ram.

Upon Troyer's arrival, he found the truck down a culvert and into a creek.

Cooper was booked into the Putnam County Jail for operating while intoxicated at 1:46 a.m.

Damage was estimated at $5,001-$10,000.

County Jail

Several people were booked into the Putnam County Jail recently.

* On Thursday, Nov. 15 at 3:45 p.m. Cary DeeAnna Stapert, 39, Fillmore, was arrested for probation violation.

* On Friday, Nov. 16 at 12:01 a.m. Joseph Joshua Cook, 46, Poland, was lodged at the jail for operating while intoxicated.

At 2:20 p.m. Robert Ray Campbell, 34, Indianapolis, was charged with nonsupport of a dependent and probation violation.

* On Saturday, Nov. 17 at 3:02 a.m. Grayson Richard Pitts, 19, Indianapolis, was booked in for operating while intoxicated and for being a minor in consumption of alcohol.

* On Monday, Nov. 19 at 3:40 p.m. Jack Allen Taylor, 43, Poland, was charged with residential entry and probation violation.

Information included in the Putnam Scanner is taken from reports provided to the Banner Graphic by the Greencastle Police, the Greencastle Fire and the Putnam County Sheriff's departments.

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.