Injury, charges for teens after effort to video car ramping hill

An ill-advised attempt to ramp a hill in a compact sedan and capture it on video has injured a Reelsville teenager and left a Cunot teen facing one misdemeanor and three citations, authorities reported.

The incident reportedly unfolded as Dillon C. Thompson, 18, Poland, was southbound on County Road 75 West at the intersection of 550 South in a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt at 2:43 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25.

Thompson told Putnam County Sheriff's Department Lt. Donnie Pettit he intentionally drove at a high rate of speed in an attempt to ramp the hill at the intersection.

The teenage driver said he was traveling at approximately 75 mph while a female friend stood at the intersection and used Thompson's cell phone to videotape the event.

The car reportedly went airborne, traveling approximately 60 feet in a southerly direction from the crest of the hill before making contact and leaving gouge marks in the pavement. The investigation noted that a second set of gouge marks were found about 82 feet from the hillcrest.

The car continued south, veering slightly left before Thompson overcorrected and rotated counterclockwise. Yaw marks left on the pavement were 185 feet south of the hillcrest.

The car left the west side of the road, striking a power pole some 340 feet from the hillcrest.

However, the car continued, rotating off the pole and coming to rest just off the west side of the road, about 425 feet from the hillcrest.

Police took statements from two witnesses, one a driver who had stopped on CR 550 South when she observed Thompson reportedly pass at high speed, and the other, the female friend taking video of the attempt.

The one passenger in Thompson's vehicle, Tori P. Chambers, 17, of Reelsville, was treated for neck pain following the wreck.

Thompson was apparently uninjured but is facing a misdemeanor charge of criminal recklessness, as well as three citations, reckless driving, speed greater than reasonable and operating without financial responsibility.

Damage in the incident was estimated in excess of $10,000.