Area Accident Reports
Kosciusko
Officers from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department investigated the following accidents:
4:29 p.m. Sunday, May 20, North 1st Street, south of East Armstrong Road, Leesburg. Driver: Niles G. Butler, 23, US 6, Ligonier. Butler told police he was driving his vehicle northbound on 1st Street when he took his eyes off the road to grab his water bottle. Niles’ vehicle left the roadway and struck several mail boxes. Damage up to $5,000.
1:23 p.m. Sunday, East CR 1100N and North Turkey Creek, Syracuse. Drivers: Betty A. Collar, 69, Pine Court, Yalaha, Fla.; Austin D. Yoder, 22, East CR 1050N, Syracuse. According to police, Yoder was driving his vehicle eastbound on CR 1100N when Collar turned her vehicle into his path. Collar was transported to Parkview Fort Wayne with injuries related to the accident. Damage up to $25,000.
7:40 a.m. Saturday, May 20, East CR 1400N and North CR 560E, Syracuse. Driver: Sailor D. Davis-York, 16, North Hillview Drive, Syracuse. Davis-York told police she was driving her vehicle eastbound on CR 1400N when the vehicle malfunctioned. She said she was unable to control the vehicle and that it left the roadway, entering a wet ditch, continuing eastbound in the ditch until it became entangled in the guide wires of a utility pole. Davis-York complained of shoulder pain but refused EMS. Damage up to $25,000.
Warsaw
Officers from the Warsaw Police Department investigated the following accidents:
7:28 a.m. Monday, May 21, Anchorage Road, east of North Detroit Street, Warsaw. Drivers: Luke E. Wielgot, 57, EMS C24C Lane, Warsaw; Joanna M. VanCuren, 41, Nature Way Drive, Warsaw; Johnny I. Hernandez, 18, East CR 200N, Warsaw. Wielgot told police he was driving his vehicle westbound on Anchorage Road and was distracted by talking to his passengers. His vehicle struck VanCuren’s vehicle, which in turn struck the vehicle driven by Hernandez. Damage up to $5,000.
7:19 a.m. Monday, Monday, May 21, North Detroit Street, north of East Main Street, Warsaw. Drivers: Benjamin M. Turben, 25, Tippecanoe Drive, Warsaw; Kelcy L. Smith, 28, North McKinley Street, Warsaw. Turben told police he was driving his vehicle northbound on North Detroit Street and that he wanted to turn left onto East Main Street. He said the driver of a semi waved him through and he proceeded into the intersection, not seeing the vehicle driven by Smith. Damage up to $5,000.
4:35 p.m. Sunday, May 20, East Old Road 30 and Kosciusko Drive, Warsaw. Drivers: Nicolette M. Lewis, 37, Stratford Drive, Winona Lake; Phillip J. Hoover, 34, East Fort Wayne Street, Warsaw. Lewis told police she was driving her vehicle eastbound on Kosciusko Drive and that she was stopped at the intersection with East Old Road 30. She said she wanted to make a right turn and proceeded into the intersection, not seeing the vehicle driven by Hoover. Damage up to $2,500.
2:27 p.m. Saturday, May 19, Lake City Highway, Warsaw. Driver: Ryan J. Hamel, 17, West CR 525S, Claypool. Hamel told police he was attempting to park his vehicle and collided with a parked vehicle. Damage up to $2,500.
6:41 p.m. Friday, May 18, US 30 and East Old Road 30, Warsaw. Drivers: Rebecca J. Shaw, 37, North CR 100E, Milford; Austin V. Seastrand, 19, West 60th Street, Davenport, Iowa. Shaw told police she was driving her vehicle westbound on US 30 and was behind the vehicle driven by Seastrand. She said she believed Seastrand had begun to proceed and then stopped suddenly. She was unable to avoid a rear-end collision. Damage up to $10,000.
5:49 p.m. Friday, May 18, US 30, east of North Parker Street, Warsaw. Driver: Zachary E. Mockler, 20, Meadowdale Court, Valparaiso. Mockler told police he was driving his vehicle westbound on US 30 and that traffic was backed up at Parker Street. He said the vehicle in front of him, a red SUV, braked suddenly and swerved to the left to avoid a collision with the vehicle in front of it. Mockler said he was unable to avoid a rear-end collision with the red SUV. The driver of the red SUV fled the scene. Damage up to $10,000.
5:25 p.m. Friday, May 18, South High Street and East Winona Avenue, Warsaw. Drivers: Soumyaa S. Varshni, 25, Chamberlin Drive, Warsaw; Charles D. Trout, 44, North CR 800W, Roann. Varshni told police she was driving her vehicle southbound on South Indiana Street and was following the vehicle driven by Trout. She said they began to move after having stopped at an intersection and that she briefly looked at her vehicle’s GPS and when she looked back up, Trout’s vehicle had stopped again. She was unable to avoid a rear-end collision. Damage up to $2,500.
4:20 p.m. Friday, May 18, East US 30 and South CR 250E, Warsaw. Drivers: Timothy Benedic, 63, West 4th Street, Granton, Wisc.; Steven Giles, 57, Coles Avenue, Chicago; Robert G. Walmer, 66, Connors Court, Warsaw. According to police, Walmer was driving his vehicle westbound on US 30 approaching CR 250E and began stopping in traffic. Giles was unable to stop in time to avoid a rear-end collision, so he moved to the right lane and was struck by Benedic’s vehicle and also side-swiped Walmer’s vehicle. Damage up to $25,000.
3:08 p.m. Friday, May 18, SR 15 south of Prairie Street, Warsaw. Katherine G. Schmidt, 16, Sally Street, Warsaw; Richard A. Wroughton, 62, Glad Street, Warsaw. Schmidt told police she was driving her vehicle northbound on SR 15 and was following Wroughton’s vehicle. She said when Wroughton stopped his vehicle due to traffic buildup, she was unable to stop her vehicle in time to avoid a rear-end collision. Damage up to $2,500.
2:41 p.m. Friday, May 18, East Center Street and Argonne Road, Warsaw. Drivers: Christ Stoble, 24, Chartwell Drive, Fort Wayne; Johnny G. Szoldrak, 68, Riverwood Ranch Road, Warsaw. Police said Stoble’s vehicle rear-ended Szoldrak’s vehicle and that Stoble did not give a reason why the collision occurred. Stoble was cited for a learner’s permit and for driving without insurance. Damage up to $5,000.
2:03 p.m. Friday, May 18, Lake City Highway east of Parker Street, Warsaw. Drivers: Jeremy D. Cates, 19, Alexis Drive, Milford; Javier E. Iraheta, 20, Heron Boulevard, Warsaw. Cates told police he was driving his vehicle westbound on Lake City Highway and that he took his eyes briefly off the road. He said when he looked up, the vehicle driven by Iraheta was stopped. He applied the brakes but could not avoid a rear-end collision. Damage up to $25,000.
2:29 p.m. Thursday, May 17, Husky Trail, Warsaw. Hal Hueston, Syracuse, told police he had parked at the Menard’s Parking Lot and when he returned from shopping, there was damage to his vehicle. Damage up to $2,500.
Winona Lake
Officers from the Winona Lake Police Department investigated the following accident:
10:58 a.m. Saturday, May 19, Pierceton Road, was of Freedom Lane, Winona Lake. Drivers: Kimberly A. Kroll, 34, Debbie Lane, East Patchogue, N.Y.; Mary C. Stiver, 47, North CR 150E, Warsaw. Kroll told police she thought she saw Stiver’s vehicle slow down, not realizing it had stopped completely. She said she was unable to avoid a rear-end collision. Damage up to $2,500.