Putnam Scanner for May 6, 2022

County Jail

Ten people were booked in the Putnam County Jail recently.

Wednesday

• At 11:34 p.m. Kevin L. Drengacs, 44, Greencastle, was lodged at the jail for theft of a firearm.

• At 11:32 p.m. Rafael E. Rodriguez-Caraballo, 55, Greencastle, was taken into custody for driving while intoxicated with a prior conviction, driving while intoxicated endangering a person and driving with a suspended license with a prior conviction.

• At 9:23 p.m. Charles E. Riggles, 38, Indianapolis, was housed at the jail for two counts of dealing in methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine and trafficking with an inmate.

• At 4:22 p.m. John M. Meyer, 39, Indianapolis, was booked in for theft.

• At 12:18 a.m. Jerry J. Bushong, 58, Bedford, Ky., was lodged at the jail for possession of methamphetamine and possession of paraphernalia.

Tuesday

• At 4:11 a.m. Megan S. Muse, 28, Indianapolis, was taken into custody for criminal recklessness.

Monday

• At 9 p.m. Jeremiah H. Barker, 39, Roachdale, was housed at the jail for domestic battery.

• At 6:20 p.m. Jeremiah D. Parrish, 32, Cloverdale, was booked in on a writ.

• At 3:50 p.m. Tara K. Mateyko, 52, Cloverdale, was lodged at the jail for dealing in methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine.

• At 9:21 a.m. Ronda L. Cooksey, 55, Jasonville, was taken into custody for theft.

Sheriff’s Office

Putnam County sheriff’s deputies investigated three recent property-damage crashes.

• At 5:02 p.m. Tuesday, John K. Lentz, 66, Terre Haute, was westbound on U.S. 40 in a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado.

Lentz told Deputy Rober Soilleux he fell asleep at the wheel. The pickup then ran off the north side of the road, glancing off some trees and hitting large rucks before rolling over and coming to a stop on the driver’s side.

Lentz had climbed out of the truck upon Soilleux’s arrival. He complained of pain to the right side of his upper body and head, and was transport by ambulance to Union Hospital in Terre Haute.

The truck was towed. Soilleux estimated damage at $50,000-$100,000.

• At 8:23 a.m. Monday, Kathleen Barger, 16, Greencastle, was eastbound on County Road 300 South in a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Barger told Deputy Tanner Brown she was having trouble with a window and took her eyes off the road. At that point, she crossed the center line and entered the ditch, hitting a utility pole and coming to rest against a fence.

The car was towed. Brown estimated damage at $10,000-$25,000.

• At 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, Jose M. Ramirez Barrera, 39, Worcester, Mass., was eastbound on U.S. 40 in a 2008 Honda Civic. Lu Zhenlian, 57, Rosemead, Calif., was also eastbound in a 2017 Freightliner Cascadia tractor-trailer.

Ramirez Barrera told Deputy Todd Hopkins he ran out of gas and was unable to get off the road. He said he opened the door to get out, and the semi hit the door.

Zhenlian told Hopkins he was changing lanes to pass the car, but when the door opened, he could not avoid it.

Hopkins estimated damage at $5,000-$10,000.

City Fire

The Greencastle Fire Department responded to 10 incidents between Thursday, April 28 and Monday:

• At 12:19 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, GFD was dispatched to the DePauw University-owned duplexes at 109 E. Hanna St. for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 12:23 and determined the alarm was due to cooking. The alarm was reset. GFD went back into service at 12:27 p.m.

• At 5:14 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, GFD was dispatched to Humbert Hall on the DePauw University campus for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 5:20 and determined the alarm was due to a faulty detector head. The alarm was left in trouble mode and maintenance was called to replace the detector head. GFD went back into service at 5:42 p.m.

• At 9:40 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, GFD was dispatched to 2118 W. CR 300 South for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 9:46 and found no cause for the alarm. It was advised that the alarm be checked, and GFD went back into service at 9:52 p.m.

• At 10:57 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, GFD was dispatched to Yuncker House on the DePauw University campus for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 11 p.m. and could not determine a cause for the alarm. The alarm was reset. GFD went back into service at 11:03 p.m.

• At 2:28 p.m. on Friday, April 29, GFD was dispatched for a motor vehicle incident without injuries on Washington Street. Firefighters arrived on the scene at 2:43 and cleaned up debris. GFD went back into service at 2:55 p.m.

• At 4:28 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, GFD was dispatched to Rescare Homecare for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 4:31 and could not determine a cause for the alarm. Staff advised that they were not aware that it had activated. The alarm was reset. GFD went back into service at 4:44 p.m.

• At 6:42 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, GFD was dispatched for a motor vehicle incident injuries at 200 W. CR 125 South. Firefighters arrived on the scene at 6:48 and assisted with patient care and cleaned debris. GFD went back into service at 7:05 p.m.

• At 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, GFD was dispatched to Vernon E. Jordan Jr. Hall on the DePauw University campus for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 8:47 and determined the alarm was due to cooking from a microwave. The alarm was reset. GFD went back into service at 9:18 p.m.

• At 1:03 p.m. on Monday, GFD was dispatched to Druley House on the DePauw University campus for a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived at 1:04 and determined the alarm was due to cooking. The alarm was reset. GFD went back into service at 1:08 p.m.

• At 2:44 p.m. on Monday, GFD was dispatched for a motor vehicle incident without injuries on Water Works Hill (U.S. 231). Firefighters arrived on the scene at 2:50 and cleaned up debris. GFD went back into service at 3:23 p.m.

Additionally, GFD performed 12 medical assists during this time.

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.