Area Accident Reports
Kosciusko
Officers with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department investigated the following accidents:
5 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, South County Farm Road, south of East CR 600S, Claypool. Driver: Kelsey Wertenberger, 25, North Rebecca Street, Claypool. Wertenberger was traveling south on County Farm Road when she struck a raccoon. Damage up to $2,500.
8:15 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, East CR 450N, west of Chapman Lake Drive, Warsaw. Driver: Michelle L. Shepherd, 35, North 1st Plaza, Leesburg. Shepherd was traveling east on CR 450N when a deer entered the roadway. Damage up to $5,000.
9:38 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, West CR 200S, east of South CR 775W, Mentone. Driver: Shaytonna N. Leavitt, 30, East CR 1000N, Syracuse. Leavitt was traveling west on West CR 200S when she struck a raccoon. Damage up to $1,000.
5:27 a.m. Friday, Sept. 7, West US 30, east of North SR 19, Etna Green. Drivers: Luis Gastelum, 23, Denali Ridge Drive, Plainfield, Ill.; and Miguel Alvarez, 50, Parkview Drive, Northlake, Ill. Gastelum was operating a semi, traveling east on US 30 when he stopped at a red light. Alvarez was also operating a semi and was traveling east when he rear-ended Gastelum’s vehicle. Damage up to $10,000.
11:32 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4, South SR 25, north of South CR 400W, Warsaw. Driver: Brandon A. Williams, 27, Heritage Drive, Rochester. Williams was traveling north on SR 25 when he swerved to miss a deer. This caused his vehicle to leave the roadway and strike a utility pole. The vehicle then rolled over, ending on all four wheels. Williams was transported to KCH for further medical treatment. Damage up to $10,000.
Syracuse
Officers with the Syracuse Police Department investigated the following accidents:
5:52 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, North Huntington Street, north of Main Street, Syracuse. Driver: Katlyn M. Waldbeser, 18, East Backwater Road, North Webster. Waldbeser was traveling east on West Main Street. As she made a turn, she struck a pedestrian in the crosswalk. Waldbeser didn’t see the pedestrian in the roadway. The pedestrian, identified as Keith E. Welty, 70, Syracuse, was transported by medics to Goshen Hospital for a leg injury. Damage up to $1,000.
3:39 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, North Oak Street, near West Railroad Avenue, Syracuse. An unoccupied, parked vehicle registered to Logan M. Robbins, Elkhart, was left on a railroad crossing. An eastbound train struck the vehicle. No one was injured in the accident. Damage up to $25,000.
Warsaw
Officers with the Warsaw Police Department investigated the following accidents:
6:08 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, North SR 15, near East CR 250N, Warsaw. Drivers: Ruby L. Sheets, 72, Gulick Street, Jonesboro; Alanna Moeller, 39, North Blue Heron Drive, Warsaw; and Jessica R. Kauffman, 20, East Washington Street, Huntington. Sheets was traveling east on Jalynn Street when she thought she had a green light to drive across North SR 15. The light was a right turn arrow to turn south onto North SR 15. As she drove across the intersection, Moeller’s vehicle struck the right rear of Sheets’ vehicle. Sheets’ vehicle then spun and struck the front center of Kauffman’s vehicle. Sheets and a passenger in her vehicle, Denise E. Goodpaster, 66, Marion, complained of pain. Sheets complained of chest pain and Goodpaster complained of neck pain. Sheets and Goodpaster were transported to KCH by Lutheran EMS. Damage up to $25,000.
3:18 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, North Detroit Street, north of West Fort Wayne Street, Warsaw. Drivers: Elmer Mazariegos-Escobar, 23, North CR 175E 143, Warsaw; and Jared M. Pritchard, 17, West Wildwood Drive, Syracuse. Mazariegos-Escobar was traveling south in the left lane of North Detroit Street when he swerved to avoid a vehicle in front of him. This caused him to strike Pritchard’s vehicle, who was traveling in the lane next to him. Damage up to $5,000.
11:41 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, East Main Street, near North Lincoln Street, Warsaw. Drivers: Helen M. Allen, 52, West Perry Street, Warsaw; and Barbara A. Hudson, 64, North Lincoln Street, Warsaw. Allen was traveling east on East Main Street, traveling the wrong way on a one way street, when her vehicle was struck in the passenger side by Hudson’s vehicle. Damage up to $10,000.
8:06 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, Commerce Drive, near US 30, Warsaw. Drivers: Juan M. Valenzuela, 38, Kolin Avenue, Midlothian, Ill.; and William L. Whitaker, 68, East Walnut Street, Warsaw. Valenzuela attempted to make a right turn from a left turn lane when he struck Whitaker’s vehicle. Damage up to $5,000.
3:28 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, 1500 Provident Drive, Warsaw. Driver: Clifford W. Pifer, 64, North Union Street, Warsaw. Pifer was backing into a parking space when he struck a parked, unoccupied vehicle. Damage up to $2,500.
2:54 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, Esat Center Street, east of Harrison Street, Warsaw. Drivers: Joshua Owens, 34, CR 200N, Warsaw; and Duane Hammond, 63, CR 1075E, Akron. Owens’ vehicle rear-ended Hammond’s vehicle. Owens sustained facial injuries but denied medical treatment at the scene. Owens was cited for operating a vehicle without financial responsibility and arrested for operating while intoxicated. Damages up to $2,500.
12:23 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, 1170 Lake City Highway, Warsaw. Drivers: Jessica M. Hisner, 35, Crooked Stick Drive, Kokomo; and Willa E. Decker, 63, West Clearwater Drive, Warsaw. Eisner was backing out of a parking spot when she struck Decker’s vehicle. Damage up to $2,500.