<strong>Police, fire respond to two water rescues</strong>
Heavy rainfall last week resulted in police and volunteer firefighters responding to two water rescues in the northwestern part of the county.
The first water was just after 6 p.m. May 17 in the 3100 block of Green Valley Road. According to dispatch notes, a truck and trailer was stuck in high water. The driver was able to get out of the vehicle safely and was on dry land about 30 minutes after the call. He did not request any additional help and said he would call someone to come get his vehicle out.
High water signs were then requested for the area by an officer.
About two hours later, police and fire were out again on Jackson Creek Road for a report of a vehicle that was stuck and had water halfway up the doors. The three occupants were stuck inside, according to dispatch notes.
The three were able to exit the car and get to dry land about 20 minutes after the call came in. They were given a courtesy ride to the Law Enforcement Center after requesting a wrecker.
<strong>Woman fell asleep while driving, taken to hospital</strong>
HAMBLEN TWP. — A 56-year-old Brown County woman was injured after she reportedly fell asleep while driving and crashed her into a utility pole on Sweetwater Trail.
Capt. Mike Moore with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department was on patrol in the area of 7800 block of Sweetwater Trail around 1 a.m. May 17 when he reported finding the crash.
The driver, Carol Wagers, was in the front passenger seat removing items from the vehicle and told Moore she was the driver.
Moore reported that the vehicle was in a ditch with its lights on and a utility pole was broken with lines down.
Wagers said she did not know what happened, but remembered she was driving and that she must have fallen asleep.
She reported having trouble breathing as well as neck and back pain. She was taken by ambulance to Johnson Memorial Hospital. She was wearing a seat belt. The vehicle was towed.
<strong>Reminder: It’s illegal to drive and hold a cellphone</strong>
A one-day enforcement campaign, Connect 2 Disconnect, took place on April 8 to discourage distracted driving in Indiana. More than 60 police agencies participated in the mobilization which, combined, issued a total of 455 written warnings and 596 citations under the hands-free device driving law.
“Driving distracted is one of the most dangerous activities a person can do behind the wheel,” said Devon McDonald, Indiana Criminal Justice Institute executive director. “It’s on the same level as impaired driving and can be just as lethal. As a society, we need to change how we view this issue and treat it as something that’s socially unacceptable.”
Data from NHTSA shows that in 2019, distracted driving crashes claimed the lives of 3,142 people in the United States — a 10 percent increase from the previous year. In Indiana alone, there were 24 traffic fatalities involving a distracted driver in 2019.
One of the goals of the Connect 2 Disconnect campaign was to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, as well as educate motorists about the hands-free law, which went into effect last July. Drivers are prohibited from holding a mobile device, except in emergencies, while their vehicles are moving. Violators could face a Class C infraction and be subject to a fine.
Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention away from the task of driving and includes everything from adjusting the stereo to grooming to eating and drinking. Although texting is the most alarming distraction, all forms are considered dangerous, as they increase the risk of crashing.
Drivers are encouraged to activate their phone’s “do not disturb” feature or place it in their glove box, center console or back seat until they reach their destination. They can also designate a passenger to be their “designated texter” by allowing them to access their phone.
For more information about Indiana’s hands-free device driving law, visit HandsFreeIndiana.com.
