Area Accident Reports
Kosciusko
Officers with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department investigated the following accidents:
5:23 a.m. Monday, May 14, East SR 14, west of South CR 600E, North Manchester. Driver: Matthew T. Fox, 47, East CR 500S, Wolcottville. Fox told police he was driving his vehicle eastbound on SR 14 and that he may have fallen asleep. His vehicle left the roadway, went through a ditch, a yard and a plastic fence before coming to rest in another yard. Damage up to $10,000.
4 a.m. Monday, May 14, West Lake Street, Warsaw. Driver: Conrad S. Van Middendorp, 25, West Lake Street, Warsaw. Van Middendorp told police he was attempting to drive his vehicle out of a parking spot and made contact with a parked vehicle. He attempted to contact the owner of the vehicle but was unsuccessful. Damage up to $5,000.
11:59 a.m. Sunday, May 13, North SR 13, east of East CR 400N, North Webster. Drivers: Karl M. Estes, 30, Rhodora Avenue, West Peoria, Ill.; Alan R. Frank, 66, East Tee Trail, Syracuse. Estes told police he was driving his vehicle eastbound on CR 400N and stopped at a stop sign. He said he did not see the vehicle driven by Frank due to a large advertising sign and proceeded into the intersection. Frank said he attempted to avoid the collision but was unsuccessful. After the collision, Frank’s vehicle left the roadway and struck a split rail fence. Damage up to $10,000.
3:10 a.m. Sunday, May 13, North SR 13, south of EMS B7 Lane, North Webster. Driver: Joseph D. Griffith, 20, EMS B20B Lane, Pierceton. Griffith told police he was driving his vehicle southbound on SR 13 when he fell asleep and his vehicle left he roadway, striking a sign before coming to rest in a ditch. Damage up to $5,000.
9:22 p.m. Saturday, May 12, North Fox Farm Road, south of West South Side Drive, Warsaw. Drivers: Robert L. Conrad, 62, Chapman Lake Drive, Warsaw; Bridget J. Castle, 59, West Jefferson Street, Warsaw. Conrad told police he was driving his vehicle southbound on Fox Farm Road when he attempted to pull into a driveway, missing the driveway and ending up in a yard. He began pulling his vehicle back into the roadway when his vehicle was struck by Castle’s vehicle. Damage up to $25,000.
9:36 a.m. Saturday, May 12, East CR 1150N, north of North CR 150E, Milford. Driver: Ryan D. Silliman, 24, North CR 900E, North Webster. Silliman told police he was driving his vehicle westbound on CR 1200N when he missed a curve going to the left and left the roadway. Police reported his vehicle hit a fence. Damage up to $5,000.
9:43 p.m. Friday, May 11, East CR 400S, west of South County Farm Road, Warsaw. Driver: Destiny M. Daugherty, 18, Cincinnati Avenue, Anderson. Daugherty told police she was driving her vehicle westbound on CR 400S when a deer entered the roadway. She was unable to avoid hitting the deer. Damage up to $10,000.
4 a.m. Friday, May 11, East US 30, east of South CR 250 E, Warsaw. Driver: Jeffrey M. Friend, 31, Delphinium Place, Huntertown. Friend told police he was driving his vehicle westbound on US 30 when a deer entered the roadway. He was unable to avoid hitting the deer. Damage up to $2,500.
9:21 p.m. Wednesday, May 9, North SR 13, north of East CR 150N, Warsaw. Driver: Christopher R. Bragan, 44, Laurelwood Drive, Warsaw. Bragan told police he was driving his vehicle northbound on SR 13 when a deer entered the roadway from the west. Bragan said he was unable to hit the vehicle. Damage up to $2,500.
5:35 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, West Old Road 30, east of West CR 100N, Warsaw. Drivers: Danny L. Shepherd, 43, Arrowhead Road, Monticello; Regan M. Mangun, 47, North Saint Clair Court, Warsaw; Ismael Ortega, 46, North Brook Boulevard, Warsaw. Shepherd was driving his vehicle westbound on Old Road 30 and told police he looked down to put down his drink. The vehicles driven by Mangun and Ortega were stopped while the drivers waited to turn left into the City County Athletic Complex. When Shepherd looked back up, he said he didn’t have enough time to avoid rear-ending Mangun’s vehicle, which in turn rear-ended Ortega’s vehicle. Shepherd suffered a laceration to the head but refused transport to the hospital. He was instead transported to the hospital by private vehicle. Mangun complained of neck pain and was transported by ambulance to the hospital. A female juvenile in Ortega’s vehicle complained of neck pain and also refused transport by ambulance. She was taken to the hospital by her father. Damage up to $50,000.
Warsaw
Officers with the Warsaw Police Department investigated the following accidents:
4:16 p.m. Sunday, May 13, East Smith Street, west of South Scott Street, Warsaw. Drivers: Thomas E. McNees, 51, East Center Street, Warsaw; Allison E. Kosins, 19, Kincaide Street, Warsaw. Kosins told police she was driving her vehicle eastbound on East Smith Street in the area of Lakeview Middle School and when she attempted to turn into the school, her vehicle was struck by McNees’s vehicle. McNees left the scene. McNees was located by police and arrested for leaving the accident. Damage up to $2,500.
7 a.m. Sunday, May 13, Tiger Lane, Warsaw. Driver: Aubrey N. Doyle, 19, Knollwood Drive, Warsaw. Doyle told police she was pulling out of a parking space and did not realize she hadn’t pulled forward enough to avoid colliding with another parked car. She said her vehicle made contact with the vehicle next to hers in the parking lot. Damage up to $5,000.
6 p.m. Saturday, May 12, SR 15 and East Arthur Street, Warsaw. Drivers: Kristyna L. Thrams, 19, East High Street, Nappanee; Madison I. Craven, 18; Blackstone Way, Nappanee; Ashley N. Schritter, 24, Sugarmill Road, Fort Wayne. Thrams told police she was driving her vehicle southbound on SR 15 and was traveling in the left hand lane. She saw traffic ahead of her slowing and stopping. She applied her brakes, but her brake pedal went to the floor, causing her vehicle to strike Craven’s vehicle, pushing that vehicle into the vehicle driven by Schritter. Damage up to $25,000.
2:21 p.m. Saturday, May 12, Commerce Drive, Warsaw. Drivers: Sang H. Sohn, 68, Swiss Hill Court, Dayton, Ohio; Ellen Gerard, 90, Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake. Sohn told police his vehicle was parked in the McDonald’s parking lot and that he began backing his vehicle. He said he did not know that Gerard was in her vehicle behind him and collided with her vehicle. Damage up to $5,000.
4:52 p.m. Friday, May 11, East Winona Avenue, east of South Buffalo Street, Warsaw. Drivers: Robert S. Mitting, 75, Crosspointe Court, Wabash; Jose R. Patino, 32, South Union Street, Warsaw. Mitting told police he was driving his vehicle westbound on East Winona Avenue and was approaching the intersection of South Buffalo Street. He stated there was a vehicle ahead of him in the left turn lane and was stopped, waiting to turn into a parking lot. He told police he changed lanes to his right to go around the vehicle and sideswiped Patino’s vehicle. Damage up to $5,000.
3:53 p.m. Friday, May 11, US 30, west of North Detroit Street, Warsaw. Driver: Richard L. Wallace, 49, Washington Road, Columbia City. Wallace told police that while driving his vehicle, a deer ran into his path. He said he was unable to avoid hitting the deer. Damage up to $1,000.
3:51 p.m. Friday, May 11, SR 15, Warsaw. Drivers: Joseph R. Copada, 57, West 400 N, Warsaw; Ronald L. Utley, Westwood Drive, Goshen. Copada told police he was driving his vehicle northbound on Detroit Street and that he rear-ended Utley’s vehicle, which was stopped. Damage up to $5,000.
3:16 p.m. Friday, May 11, West Market Street, near South Union Street. Drivers: unknown; and Eric R. Baker, 47, East CR 550N, Rochester. Baker was traveling east on West Market Street while stopped in traffic. His vehicle was then rear-ended by a silver passenger car with a female driver. The female asked Baker if he was all right and then fled the scene. Damage up to $5,000.
3:08 p.m. Friday, May 11, US 30, Warsaw. Driver: Ross L. Peterson, 31, Lima Lane, Fort Wayne. Peterson told police he was driving his vehicle westbound on US 30 in the left lane. He said he moved over from the right lane to allow a vehicle to merge from the North Detroit Street on ramp. That vehicle then passed him and merged into his lane of travel before slamming on the brakes to make a left turn on a pass through along US 30. There was no collision, but Peterson told police when he braked to avoid a collision, the trailer he was pulling flipped to its left side and the power broom he was hauling was damaged. The other vehicle was described as a white Jeep SUV with an Indiana University plate. Damage up to $100,000.
2:26 p.m. Friday, May 11, Lake City Highway, Warsaw. A vehicle was parked on the west end of a parking lot at 1250 Lake City Highway when it was struck by an unknown vehicle. Police reported that the driver of the moving vehicle left the scene. Damage up to $1,000.