Scanner for 02-11-2015

County Jail

Three people were booked into the Putnam County Jail recently.

* At 4:05 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, Thomas Wayne Evans, 64, Greencastle, was held at the jail for driving while intoxicated as well as probation violation.

* At 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, Ricky Lee Miller, 61, Beech Grove, was booked in on one count of possession of methamphetamine, sale of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia and maintaining a common nuisance.

* At 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, Dhante Malik Willoughby, 21, Indianapolis, was charged with possession of a handgun without a permit.

* At 10:44 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, Dwight Sargent, 39, Indianapolis, was taken to jail on charges of possession of marijuana, false informing and parole violation.

City Police

Two recent theft incidents at Walmart were investigated by Greencastle City Police officers.

* At 8:09 p.m. Saturday, Alejandro Diaz, 18, Berwyn, Ill., was arrested at the store by Officer Eric Vaughan following investigation of an alleged shoplifting.

Authorities say Diaz paid for a beard trimmer when he went through the Walmart check-out line but failed to pay for a Gillette Flexball Razor, valued at approximately $12. He reportedly removed the razor from its packaging and concealed it.

Diaz was booked into the Putnam County Jail on a theft charge.

* At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Crystal Morphew-Costin, 35, Greencastle, was arrested at Walmart by Officer Kyle Lee.

Authorities allege Costin took a Surefire flashlight, valued at $82.40, out of its packaging, concealing it and attempted to leave the store without paying for it.

Costin was subsequently lodged in the jail on a charge of theft.

One personal-injury accident was investigated Sunday afternoon by city officers.

* At 1 p.m., a two-vehicle accident was reported at Anderson and Locust streets as a 1999 Suzuki motorcycle, ridden by John Templeton, 22, Greencastle, collided with a 2014 Toyota Camry, driven by Mary McWilliams, 60, Cincinnati.

Officer Darrel Bunten reported that Templeton was northbound on Locust Street. Witnesses said the motorcycle was traveling at a high rate of speed when it collided with the McWilliams car that was turning left onto South Locust from Anderson Street.

McWilliams told police she saw the motorcycle near Hanna Street and thought she had enough time to turn in front of Templeton but the vehicles instead struck head-on, resulting in leg, back and other injuries to Templeton.

A videotape of the accident acquired by police reportedly showed that McWilliams made a rolling stop. She was subsequently cited by Officer Ed Wilson for disregarding a stopign.

Templeton was cited for having no motorcycle endorsement and no helmet along with no proof of financial responsibility.

Total damage was estimated at $5,000-$10,000.

* Three teenage drivers were involved Friday, Feb. 6 in an accident in after-school traffic on East Washington Street near Stadium Drive.

Officer Bunten reported that a 2001 Dodge Dakota, driven by Kendra Sutherlin, 16, Greencastle, and a 1996 GMC Jimmy, driven by Sheridan Bragg, 16, Greencastle, were stopped in westbound traffic, 100 feet west of Stadium Drive, when a 2014 Honda CRV, driven by Bailey Hudson, 17, Greencastle, struck the rear of the Bragg vehicle and pushed it into the rear of the Sutherlin vehicle.

Hudson said the vehicles in front of her stopped suddenly and she was unable to stop in time to avoid the 3:27 p.m. collision.

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

Two recent citations were also written by city officers.

* At 11:47 p.m. Monday, Johnny Slater Jr., 57, Greencastle, was stopped by Officer Nick Eastham on Indianapolis Road near Round Barn Road.

Originally pulled over for failure to yield, Slater received a warning for that alleged indiscretion but was ticketed for having an expired driver's license (expired September 1993).

* At 8:59 p.m. Saturday, Michael Runnells, 29, Greencastle, was stopped by Officer Lee at Indianapolis Road and Percy Julian Drive for driving with a suspended license with a prior offense.

Sheriff's Department

Five recent incidents were investigated by Putnam County Sheriff's Department deputies.

* At 9:53 a.m. Friday, Feb. 6, Daniel A. Varnres, 31, Cloverdale, advised Dep. Mathew Biggs he was attempting to drive up a driveway in his Oldsmobile at 3313 E. CR 800 North but due to slick, wintry conditions, began to slide backward.

Varnes backed the vehicle down the driveway, lost control and struck a guardrail at the Rolling Stone covered bridge.

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

* At 12:52 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, Corey S. Gregory, 22, Bainbridge, was westbound on County Road 300 North in a Chevrolet crew cab when a tire blew out on the vehicle.

Gregory advised Dep. Adam Hull that the a pothole had caused the blow out and that he had lost control of the vehicle, sliding off the right side of the roadway and striking a large rock.

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

* At 3:11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, Justin A. York, 18, Greencastle, was northbound on County Road 725 West in a 2004 Pontiac Grand Am when slid off the road, striking a privately-owned fence and shearing off a utility pole.

York advised Reserve Deputy Richard Lambert that he lost control of the vehicle as he entered a curve at the bottom of a hill.

York eventually came to rest approximately 30 feet from the roadway. The vehicle sustained heavy front-end damage and had to be towed from the scene.

Overall damage was estimated at $5,001-$10,000.

* At 3:56 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 8., Maurica F. Anderson, 55, Greencastle, was driving east on State Road 236 in a 2008 Chevrolet Trailbazer when she struck a tire in the road as she approached County Road 650 West.

Deputy Biggs said the vehicle had to be jacked up off the ground to remove the lodged tire.

Damage was estimated to be less than $1,001.

* At 8:10 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, Danny R. Martin, 32, Roachdale, was eastbound on County Road 50 South in a 2001 Saab when he swerved to miss a deer crossing the roadway.

Martin told Deputy Biggs that he swerved to miss the deer and struck a guardrail between County Road 300 East and County Road 550 West.

Due to Martin not having a cellular phone, he drove home before being able to report the incident.

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

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department has performed two medical assists and responded to a number of calls recently.

* At 5:50 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, GFD was called to a fire alarm due to burnt food at 109 W. Hanna St.

* At 7:01 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, GFD was dispatched to 904 College Ave. for a fire alarm that was triggered due to hair products.

* At 10:59 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, GFD was called to a fire alarm at 207 Stone Mill Ct. Upon arrival, no alarm or trouble was found and it was determined that the smoke detector malfunctioned.

* At 2:18 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, GFD was called to a motor vehicle accident involving a motorcyclist and a moving vehicle at the intersection of Locust and Anderson Streets. GFD assisted Operation Life with loading a patient into the ambulance.

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.