Putnam Scanner for April 24, 2013

Sheriff's Department

A Thursday morning report of a reckless driver led to a police pursuit and the arrest of two men when the vehicle was discovered to be stolen.

At 7:18 a.m., Sheriff's Department Capt. Danny Wallace received a call regarding a vehicle driving recklessly at a high rate of speed. The car was reportedly eastbound on U.S. 40 just passing the Indiana State Police post at Putnamville.

Wallace located the vehicle and clocked it at 71 mph. He then crossed the median to pursue it with lights and siren.

The vehicle stopped on U.S. 40, and Wallace approached, asking for license and registration.

The driver handed the registration but then drove away.

As Wallace resumed his pursuit, the driver lost control of the 2005 Saturn Ion, hitting a driveway embankment. This caused the vehicle to go airborne before landing in a ditch.

The driver exited the vehicle and ran southbound. Wallace was, however, able to apprehend the passenger, Allen Lee Johnson, 18, Noblesville.

The driver was later caught at the Quick Mart station at U.S. 40 and U.S. 231 and identified as Kevin Z. Norris, 18, Hollywood, Fla.

Upon investigation, the vehicle was found to be stolen out from Noblesville. Its damages were estimated at $1,001-$2,500.

Both young men were booked into the Putnam County Jail.

Norris has been charged with receiving stolen property and resisting law enforcement, both Class D felonies, and a Class A felony resisting law enforcement.

Johnson faces charges of Class D felony receiving stolen property at Class A misdemeanor criminal trespassing.

The sheriff's department has investigated four other recent accidents.

* At 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, Mitchell Rogers, 22, Greencastle, was northbound on County Road 450 West just north of County Road 400 South in a 2000 Subaru Impreza Outback.

Rogers told Lt. Donnie Pettit he thought he had fallen asleep, causing him to lose control.

The vehicle left the west side of the road and entered a ditch, where it hit several small trees that had been cut.

Damage was estimated at $1,001-$2,500.

* At 2:05 p.m. Thursday, a rear-end accident occurred on U.S. 231.

Blake A. Hicks, 30, Greencastle, was southbound on U.S. 231 in a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. He had stopped, waiting to make a left turn.

Russell B. Stidd, 20, Greencastle, was also southbound. Stidd told Capt. Danny Wallace he could not stop in time to avoid hitting Hicks' vehicle.

Damage was estimated at $2,501-$5,000.

* At 9:55 p.m. Friday, Kraig V. Sargent, 17, Greencastle, was eastbound on County Road 75 North in a 2002 Ford F150 when he left the south side of the road while trying to make the curve onto County Road 250 East.

The truck entered a ditch and overturned in a cornfield. Sargent said it was dark and he was not familiar with the road. He also told Deputy T.J. Smith he tried to make the turn going too fast.

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

* Sheriff's deputies responded to a pair of Sunday night accidents involving deer.

At 8:54 p.m. Scott Agnew, 35, Reelsville, was westbound on U.S. 40 in a 2002 Cadillac Escalade when he hit a deer. Damage was estimated at $2,501-$5,000.

At 9 p.m. Dustin W. Bond, 24, Cloverdale, was westbound on State Road 240 in a 2006 Toyota RAV4 when he hit a deer. Damage was estimated at $1,001-$2,500.

County Jail

Several people have been booked into the Putnam County Jail recently.

* At 10:50 a.m. Thursday, William Leonard Matthews Jr., 32, Brazil, was arrested for failure to appear.

At 2:30 p.m. Herbert Hucks Jr., 43, Evansville, was held at the jail on a bond revocation.

At 3:54 p.m. William Troy Clark, 44, Avon, was charged with two counts of nonsupport of a dependent.

At 6:10 p.m. Jeffery Schrader, 55, Indianapolis, was booked in for failure to appear.

* At 1:40 a.m. Saturday, Anthony Duane Murphy, 46, Greencastle, was arrested for operating while intoxicated and public intoxication.

At 4:05 a.m. Thomas Blaize Balcom, 22, Ft. Worth, Texas, was held at the jail for operating while intoxicated.

At 4:35 a.m. Jefferson Blyth Bell, 21, Evansville, was charged with operating while intoxicated.

At 11:30 a.m. William E. Wright, 42, Indianapolis, was booked in for operating while intoxicated and driving with a suspended license.

* At 1:11 a.m. Sunday, Cameron David Huffman, 23, Indianapolis, was arrested for public intoxication, resisting law enforcement and criminal mischief.

At 4 a.m. Troy Chastain Strader, 23, Greencastle, was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia and operating while intoxicated.

At 8:45 p.m. Brand Patrick Rumley, 36, Greencastle, was booked in for driving under the influence of drugs and operating while intoxicated.

* At 8:50 a.m. Monday, Austin Ray Chadd, 19, Greencastle, was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia and probation violation.

At 9:30 a.m. Donald Ray Swisher, 40, Greencastle, was held at the jail for contempt of court.

At 7:45 p.m. Kissandra Michelle Carr, 35, Greencastle, was charged with violation of home detention.

* At 1:05 a.m. Tuesday, April Davis, 45, Gosport, was booked in for operating while intoxicated.

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department has responded to a number of recent dispatches.

* At 7:52 p.m. Thursday, GFD responded to a short circuit in the wiring at Asbury Towers, 102 W. Poplar St. Responders returned to station at 10:40 p.m.

At 10:29 p.m. firefighters investigated an alarm at 200 W. Hanna St, clearing the scene at 10:55 p.m.

* On Friday, Greencastle firefighters responded to a series of alarms regarding high water on Big Walnut Creek in the Reelsville area.

At 2:30 a.m. GFD was called to Jackie Dunn Road in Washington Township for a water rescue. They were disregarded en route but immediately responded to another high water call.

At 2:58 a.m. responders were dispatched to assist the Department of Natural Resources with a rescue on the Poland-Manhattan Road, clearing the scene at 5:12 a.m.

While crews were on the scene of that rescue, they were called to another emergency at the Dick Huffmann Covered Bridge at 3:32 a.m. but were immediately disregarded.

At 9:52 a.m. firefighters assisted Reelsville with a water rescue. They returned to station at 2:40 p.m.

* At 11:50 a.m. GFD was called to an alarm at Walmart Distribution but was disregarded at 11:52 a.m.

At 12:35 p.m. firefighters investigated a flooded basement at 239 E. Berry St., clearing the scene at 12:49 p.m.

At 6:19 p.m. personnel performed a carbon monoxide investigation at 611 Main St. The problem was caused by a bad detector. They returned to station at 6:31 p.m.

At 7:30 p.m. crews investigated an alarm at 109 W. Hanna St., returning to station at 7:37 p.m.

At 7:28 p.m. personnel investigated an alarm at 415 Anderson St., clearing the scene at 7:37 p.m.

At 11:08 p.m. firefighters assisted Operation Life at 524 N. Arlington St., returning to station at 11:21 p.m.

* At 12:13 p.m. GFD assisted at the scene of a motorcycle accident at Albin Pond and Houck roads, clearing the scene at 12:24 p.m.

At 12:37 p.m. crews investigated an alarm at 301 E. Seminary St., returning to station at 12:47 p.m.

* At 2:08 a.m. Sunday, firefighters assisted Operation Life at 510 Ritter Ave. They cleared the scene at 2:23 a.m.

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.