Teen driver sustains minor injuries in rollover crash
A 17-year-old driver sustained minor injuries after the Jeep he was driving ran off the road and landed on its roof the afternoon of Feb. 26.
The single vehicle-crash was reported with unknown injuries just after 4 p.m. on Lanam Ridge Road near Dubois Ridge Road, according to a crash report by Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholson Briles. Dispatch reported that the vehicle was inverted, but the driver was out of the car. Briles reported seeing a Jeep inverted on its roof facing southwest, blocking the westbound lane of traffic.
The driver, Orion Clarke of Nashville, told officers he was OK despite some scrapes. His right knee was bleeding and he had a small cut on his wrist, but no pain, the report said. EMS checked Clarke out at the scene; he denied transport to the hospital.
Clarke said he was driving west and when he came around a turn, his Jeep lost traction, causing him to go up an embankment on the south side of the road and his Jeep to overturn and land on its roof. He was able to crawl out through the driver’s side window, which was broken.
The Jeep was towed. Clarke was wearing a seat belt.
Charges filed for headbutting, grabbing woman
FRUITDALE — A 30-year-old Brown County man faces a Class A misdemeanor domestic battery charge after police say he headbutted and grabbed a woman last fall.
Scott Chrisman was formally charged Dec. 16. He was was summoned to appear in court in February, but did not appear at his initial hearing. The probable cause affidavit was filed in February to issue an arrest warrant.
Police had been called to respond to a domestic battery on East Robertson Road on Oct. 20. The victim told Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholson Briles that Chrisman had been drinking that day and was “very intoxicated,” the probable cause affidavit states.
She told Briles that Chrisman had gone on a rampage earlier that evening, but that nothing physical occurred. A deputy was sent out to the home at that time and spoke with Chrisman, and he had calmed down.
Chrisman told the victim to leave the home after she said she wanted to go to bed. When she went to grab keys to leave, he followed her outside and began to fight with her over the keys, the affidavit states. The victim said Chrisman grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. They went back inside the home and the victim asked for the keys again, but Chrisman refused to give them to her and grabbed her again, the report said.
The woman was able to get away again, but Chrisman followed her and headbutted her in the mouth causing a small cut on her lip. Chrisman went into the bathroom and began hitting himself, then headbutting the bathroom mirror, smashing it, the report said.
A second woman there told police she witnessed the incident, and that it was not typical behavior for Chrisman. Both women refused to fill out written statements for police. The victim told Briles she did not want Chrisman to go to jail and only wanted to separate from him for the night.
Chrisman told Briles that he and the victim had been arguing. He said he headbutted the victim because she had grabbed him around his neck, causing him to fear for his life because he could not breathe. He told police he headbutted the bathroom mirror to show the victim what a “headbutt actually was.”
Police to conduct patrols for drunken driving
Police are reminding the public to “drive sober or get pulled over” during what can be some popular celebrations in March: St. Patrick’s Day and the NCAA tournament.
Throughout March, officers will be conducting overtime patrols and sobriety checkpoints to prevent dangerous and impaired driving. This is part of a statewide enforcement campaign funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.
“This March, we’re conducting our own full-court press targeting anyone driving under the influence,” Sheriff Scott Southerland said in a press release. “As a basketball state, we want everybody watching the tournament to have a good time, but not at the expense of others. It’s simple: If you plan on drinking, don’t drive.”
According to ICJI, in March 2019, there were 433 alcohol-related crashes across Indiana, resulting in 205 injuries and five fatalities. Of those, 65 crashes (15 percent) and one fatality occurred during the St. Patrick’s day holiday weekend alone.
“St. Patrick’s Day is one of, if not the biggest drinking days of the year,” ICJI traffic safety director Robert Duckworth said. “If you’re out celebrating, make the right choice and find a sober driver to get you and your friends home safely. Luck won’t keep you out of jail if you’re caught driving under the influence.”
Impaired driving isn’t the only risk on the road in March, according to ICJI. Dangerous driving, which includes factors such as speeding too fast for weather conditions and aggressive driving, is also a concern and something Brown County officers will be watching for.
Shelbyville man faces multiple misdemeanors
A 30-year-old Shelbyville man faces multiple misdemeanors for possession of marijuana, paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license after he was stopped by police in Brown County on Feb. 27.
Nashville Police Officer Cody Poynter was stationed at the Main and Van Buren Street intersection watching for cars who disregarded the stop signs. He reported seeing a small vehicle go through the stop sign without coming to a complete stop, a probable cause affidavit filed Feb. 28 states.
Poynter stopped the vehicle at the Green Valley Motor Lodge. He talked with the driver, Christopher Ford, and reported smelling marijuana in the vehicle. Ford told Poynter he thought he had stopped at the stop sign.
Ford was found to be driving with a suspended driver’s license. When he asked Ford to exit the vehicle, Poynter reported seeing a baggie with a smoking device in his right front pocket, the report said.
He was then placed under arrest. Before police searched his vehicle, he told them about marijuana in the center console of the vehicle. Poynter reported finding two large baggies of it there. Ford told Poynter he had spent $400 on the marijuana and it was all for him. He was taken to the Brown County jail.
On Feb. 28, Ford was charged with driving while suspended, a Class A misdemeanor; possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor; and possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.
Stop for speeding results in misdemeanor charges
An 18-year-old Brown County driver faces misdemeanors charges for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia after he was stopped for speeding on Feb. 16.
Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy William Pool was driving north on State 135 North when he clocked a vehicle driving 70 MPH southbound on 135. Pool turned around and initiated a traffic stop north of Bean Blossom, the probable cause affidavit filed March 4 states.
Pool reported smelling marijuana in the vehicle. The driver, John William Normile, denied that that was the case. Pool told Normile he could smell it, and noted that Normile became more nervous. He told Normile his vehicle was going to be searched, and Normile handed him a $10 bill folded up with a small amount of marijuana wax inside.
During the search, Deputy Austin Schonfeld reported finding another small amount of marijuana wax and a blue pipe used for smoking it under the back seat in a bag.
Normile was issued a ticket for speeding, possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, then released from the stop. The wax and pipe were logged as evidence. On March 4, he was charged with two misdemeanors.
