Area Accident Reports
Kosciusko
Officers with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office investigated the following accident:
5:23 a.m. Monday, June 17, East Epworth Forest Road, west of East Sumac Lane, North Webster. Driver: Tyler L. Herbst, 22, North CR 1000E, Pierceton. Herbst was traveling west on East Epworth Forest Road when his vehicle left the roadway, striking two utility poles owned by Kosciusko County REMC. Herbst’s vehicle also struck a curve sign owned by the Kosciusko County Highway Department. Damage up to $10,000.
5:31 p.m. Saturday, June 15, North SR 13, north of East Old Road 30, Pierceton. Drivers: Crystal M. Funnell, 45, West Plaza Drive, Columbia City; Christopher Sanchez, 56, School Street, Winona Lake. According to police, Funnell was driving her vehicle southbound on SR 13 and attempted to send a text message and when she looked up, she was driving her vehicle in the northbound lane. Sanchez swerved his vehicle into the southbound lane to avoid a head-on collision when Funnell changed lanes again at the last minute, causing the collision. Damage up to $50,000.
3:19 p.m. Saturday, June 15, East CR 700N, south of North CR 300E, Leesburg. Drivers: Larry B. House, 79, Oakhaven Place, Indianapolis; Brittany L. Hastings, 34, Short Ridge Drive, Warsaw. House told police he was driving his vehicle eastbound on CR 700N and had stopped at a stop sign. He said he did not see any other vehicles and proceeded into the intersection, where his vehicle collided with the vehicle driven by Hastings. Damage up to $5,000.
2:10 p.m. Saturday, June 15, east US 30 and South SR 13, Pierceton. Drivers: William E. Elliott, 95, Birch Road, Bourbon; Corliss N. Jefferson, 63, West Market Street, Pierceton. Elliott told police he was driving his vehicle eastbound on US 30 and was distracted, causing him to run a stoplight and collide with the vehicle driven by Jefferson. Damage up to $10,000.
11:16 p.m. Friday, June 14, North CR 300E, west of East Armstrong Road, Warsaw. Drivers: Warren J. Davies, 36, North Happiness Drive, Syracuse; Connie A. Ramos, 54, North Bird View Drive, Warsaw. Davies told police he was driving his vehicle westbound on Armstrong Road, behind the vehicle driven by Ramos. He said he did not notice Ramos’ vehicle slow down for slow-moving farm equipment, causing his vehicle to strike the vehicle driven by Ramos. Damage up to $10,000.
5:42 p.m. Friday, June 14, North SR 13, north of EMS B7 Lane, Pierceton. Driver: Nicholas E. Eubank, 24, East Second Street, North Manchester. Eubank told police he was driving his vehicle northbound on SR 13 and swerved his vehicle off the roadway to avoid hitting a stopped vehicle. He said his vehicle side-swiped a tree. Damage up to $5,000.
2:58 p.m. Friday, June 14, East CR 1000N, east of North CR 1000E, Cromwell. Drivers: Bobbie J. Chidster, 62, Darden Road, South Bend; Aleiyaa R. Brockway, 19, East Wawasee Lane, Syracuse. Chidster told police she had stopped her vehicle at an intersection and did not see any other vehicles, causing her to proceed and drive her vehicle into the path of the vehicle driven by Brockway. Damage up to $10,000.
10:38 a.m. Friday, June 14, East US 30, Winona Lake. Drivers: Kelly L. Butler, 43, East Pickwick Drive, Syracuse; Donna M. Fisher, 69, East Arthur Street, Warsaw. Police reported that Butler backed her vehicle into the vehicle driven by Fisher as Fisher’s vehicle passed behind. Damage up to $1,000.
9:45 a.m. Friday, June 14, North CR 850E, Pierceton. Driver: Matthew G. Smith, Stevens Road, Monroe, N.C. Smith told police he was backing his vehicle out of a parking space and did not see a vehicle behind him, causing him to back his vehicle into the parked vehicle. Damage up to $1,000.
4:14 a.m. Thursday, June 13, North SR 19 and West CR 1350N, Nappanee. Drivers: Van L. Rohn, 70, Northwood Circle, Nappanee; Derek J. Slabaugh, 22, 4th Road, Bremen. Rohn told police he was approaching the intersection of CR 1350N and SR 19 and did not see any vehicles in the intersection. He said he decided to run the stop sign, causing his vehicle to collide with the vehicle driven by Slabaugh. Three passengers, Mark Hochstetler, 50, East 4th Road, Bremen; Marlin Slabaugh, 42, 4th Road, Bremen; and Richard J. Miller, 36, West CR 1350N, Nappanee, all complained of injuries and were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Damage up to $10,000.
5:42 a.m. Wednesday, June 12, South SR 13, south of East SR 14, Sidney. Driver: Margaret R. Hayden, 21, East Main Street, Wabash. Hayden told police she was driving her vehicle northbound on SR 13 when a deer entered the roadway. She told police she was unable to avoid hitting the deer with her vehicle. Damage up to $2,500.
North Webster
Officers with the North Webster Police Department investigated the following accident:
11:06 a.m. Sunday, June 16, North SR 13, near West Crystal Flash Road, North Webster. Drivers: David M. Norris, 20, West Crystal Flash Road 26, North Webster; and Randy M. Gregory, 47, North SR 13, North Webster. Norris was turning north onto SR 13 from Crystal Flash Road when he struck Gregory’s vehicle head-on. Norris complained of finger and right knee pain. A passenger in Norris’ vehicle, Kristina L. Marner, 16, North Webster, complained of right arm and left shin pain. Damage up to $25,000.
Syracuse
Officers from the Syracuse Police Department investigated the following accident:
7:23 p.m. Sunday, June 16, South Huntington Street, Syracuse. Driver: Rashonda R. Roller, 40, East Crooked Mile Road, Cromwell. Roller told police she was backing her vehicle in a parking lot when it struck a pole. Damage up to $2,500.
Warsaw
Officers from the Warsaw Police Department investigated the following accident:
3:09 p.m. Monday, June 17, East CR 200N, and North Cessna Road, Warsaw. Drivers: Brady X. Herendeen, 23, North Sycamore Street, North Manchester; Irene Ramirez Luevano, 41, East CR 200N, Warsaw. Witnesses at the scene said Herendeen turned his vehicle into the path of the vehicle driven by Luevano. Herendeen told police he could not remember what happened. Herendeen complained of head pain. Luevano and a five-year-old boy in the back seat of Luevano’s vehicle that police say was not in a car seat, were both transported to Parkview Warsaw Hospital. Herendeen was transported to Parkview Regional Hospital. Damage up to $25,000.