Putnam Scanner for 2-24-16

County Jail

Three people were taken into the custody of the Putnam County Jail recently.

* At 8:46 p.m. on Saturday, Robert Lee Demaree, 59, no city listed, was lodged at the jail for operating while intoxicated.

* At 3 a.m. on Sunday, Brian Alan Ping, 31, Roachdale, was taken into custody on a warrant.

At 10 a.m. David Baker, 26, Terre Haute, was booked in for driving with a suspended license.

Sheriff's Department

Putnam County sheriff's deputies have responded to eight recent property-damage crashes, including one in which a car traveled 200 feet from the road before the driver left the scene.

* At approximately 1 a.m. on Saturday, a 2006 Pontiac G6 was southbound on State Road 243. Capt. Tom Helmer reported that the driver failed to negotiate a 90-degree turn, instead traveling straight into a ditch and field south of the road.

The vehicle struck a 4X4 post and tree before coming to a stop about 200 feet south of the road due to mud and standing water in the field. The driver fled the scene and left the vehicle in the field.

Helmer was notified of the vehicle in the field at 8:10 a.m. The owner of the car, Joshua T. Blankenship, 31, Cloverdale, told Helmer he did not know what happened.

Blankenship said he believed the Pontiac was about to be repossessed so he left the key in the ignition and the car in his driveway.

He told Helmer that he noticed the vehicle was missing when he got up Saturday morning and assumed it had been repossessed. He said, however, that he found the car while driving through the area on Saturday morning.

Blankenship told Helmer the car was at his residence at 11 p.m. when he went to sleep and he had no idea what might have happened or who might have taken the car.

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

* At 11:20 a.m. on Saturday, Jackie J. Murphy III, 24, Frankfort, was southeast-bound on County Road 550 East in a 2000 Chevrolet Blazer.

Murphy told Capt. Helmer he was trying to round a curve but was going too fast and started sliding on sand left over on the road from recent snow.

He lost control and hit a highway sign on the shoulder and leaving the road and entering a ditch and hitting a tree head on.

Murphy and his passengers were not injured.

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

* At 8:10 a.m. on Saturday, Halie M. Buchanan, 20, Greencastle, was southbound on County Road 400 West in a 2006 Saturn Ion.

Buchanan told Capt. Steve Fenwick she rounded a curve and lost control on the damp road surface. The car slid into a field.

When the vehicle stopped, Buchanan tried to drive back on the road. She hit a ditch, causing front-end damage.

Damage was estimated at $1,001-$2,500. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage.

* At 8:57 p.m. on Friday, G. E. Thornburg, 59, Russellville, was northbound on U.S. 231 approaching County Road 850 North in a 2011 Toyota RAV4 when he hit a deer.

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

* At 8:19 p.m. on Friday, Shane M. Baker, 31, Coatesville, was northbound on County Road 725 East in a 2008 Toyota Corolla. The vehicle left the road on the east side, continuing approximately 200 feet before hitting a driveway embankment.

The car then flipped at least once before coming to rest on its tires facing south approximately 35 feet from the point of impact.

Deputy Kyle Gibbons reported that Baker left the scene prior to the arrival of an officer. Gibbons' investigation revealed Baker to be the driver.

The vehicle's registration was expired and no insurance was located.

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

Deputy Downing assisted at the scene.

* At 5:49 p.m. on Thursday, Jake D. Mundy, 18, Greencastle, was eastbound on Old Right-of-Way Road in a 1997 Plymouth Voyager.

Mundy told Reserve Deputy Ken Rozelle he fell asleep and drifted off the left side of the road, hitting a mailbox and then a utility pole.

There were no skid parts at the scene, indicating that Mundy was not in control of the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Mundy complained of knee pain and minor scrapes to his hands and was taken to Putnam County Hospital.

* At 4:14 a.m. on Thursday, William S. Evans, 63, Greencastle, was eastbound on State Road 240 near County Road 450 East in a 2008 Honda Element when he hit a deer.

Downing estimated damage at $5,001-$10,000.

* At 11:57 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 17, Shelody M. Birkemeier, 25, Reelsville, was northbound on County Road 325 West near County Road 400 South in a 2015 Dodge Caravan when she hit a deer.

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

City Police

One recent alcohol-related arrest was reported by Greencastle City Police officers.

* At 1:41 a.m. on Sunday, Mary Waldman, 19, St. Louis, was arrested by Officer Kyle Lee for being a minor in consumption of alcohol.

Waldman, who was reportedly walking near the corner of Walnut Street and College Avenue, registered a blood-alcohol content of .218 percent, Officer Lee reported.

One recent traffic accident was investigated by city officers.

* At 11:07 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 19, at two-vehicle accident occurred at Washington and Vine streets, resulting in an estimated $2,500-$5,000 damage.

Patrick Payton, 42, Roachdale, was eastbound on Washington Street, driving a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado, Sgt. Ed Wilson reported, when a 2006 Jeep Liberty, driven by Ermil Sheese, 75, Greencastle, entered the intersection northbound on Vine Street.

Sheese told Sgt. Wilson he was having a medical issue and was unable to move his foot to the brake pedal, resulting in the car running through the stopsign at Vine and Washington and colliding with the Payton vehicle.

Greencastle officers issued seven recent citations.

* At 6:40 a.m. Tuesday, Andrew Dykman, 25, Coatesville, received three separate citations from Officer Nick Eastham.

Stopped on Fillmore Road, Dykman was ticketed for 55 mph in a 30-mph zone, an infraction of driving with a suspended license and for having an expired license plate (Jan. 31, 2016).

* At 10:04 p.m. Saturday, David Durham, 16, Coatesville, was ticketed for speeding by Sgt. Eric Vaughan.

Durham was cited for 55 mph in a 30-mph zone on Fillmore Road.

* At 7:12 p.m. Saturday, Fredrick Buttery, 41, Cloverdale, was cited by Officer Lee.

Stopped at Veterans Memorial Highway and South Jackson Street, Buttery was cited for driving with a suspended license with a prior offense.

* At 1:17 a.m. Saturday, Kevin Faucett, 22, Greencastle, was ticketed by Sgt. Vaughan.

Stopped along Indianapolis Road, Faucett was cited for being an operator never licensed.

* At 7:11 p.m. Friday, Shelby Casteel, 22, Greencastle, was ticketed by Officer Lee.

Cited for an expired license plate (Aug. 7, 2015), Casteel was stopped at Fawnview Drive and Deerfield Lane.

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department recently responded to five dispatches and three medical runs.

* At 11:10 a.m. on Sunday, GFD responded to a fire alarm due to cooking at 2138 W. Rangeline Rd.

* At 5:59 p.m. on Sunday, GFD assisted Bainbridge Fire Department with the extinguishment of a brush fire located at the intersection of County Road 190 West and County Road 250 North.

* At 10 p.m. on Monday, GFD responded to a fire alarm due to smoking at 110 E. Larrabee St.

* At 12:19 a.m. on Tuesday, GFD responded to a fire alarm at 202 E. Hanna St. The alarm was determined to have been unnecessarily set off by haircare products.

* At 10:56 a.m. on Tuesday, GFD responded to a motor vehicle accident on Percy Julian Dr. by McDonald's restaurant. One patient was checked for injury but none were reported.

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.