Delivery driver run off road due to oncoming vehicle
VAN BUREN TWP. — Police say a Fed-Ex delivery driver was reportedly run off the road by an oncoming vehicle this month.
On June 19, Det. Paul Henderson with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department responded to a crash on Becks Grove Road after a caller advised dispatch that she was traveling westbound on Beck’s Grove Road when a vehicle came into her lane, causing the driver to swerve and run off the road.
The driver, Latasha McClary, 30, of Indianapolis, told police she was unable to get back onto the road because loose gravel caused her to go into the ditch and strike a tree, according to an accident report.
McClary reportedly complained of chest pain, but refused checkout by EMS. She was wearing her seatbelt.
According to the accident report, the crash caused between $25,001 and $50,000 in damages.
Local man crashed on Gatesville Road
HAMBLEN TWP. — A local man told police that he ran into a tree after his attention diverted from the road, according to an accident report.
On June 21, Brown County Officer Greg Duke responded to a crash on Gatesville Road. Upon his arrival he made contact with the driver, 44-year-old Thomas N. Thompson from Nashville, who had hit a tree.
Thompson told police that he was traveling eastbound on Gatesville Road, when he ran off the road when he was admiring a garage and cabin on the north side of the road.
He then struck a large tree. According to the report, the impact spun his vehicle and it slid down a grassy slope and rolled over at least once before coming to a rest on its wheels.
Thompson refused checkout by EMS.
Man charged with intimidation, battery
HAMBLEN TWP. — A man from Plainfield has been charged with a Level 6 felony for intimidation and a Class A misdemeanor for battery after an incident in May.
On May 11, Sgt. Chad Williams with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department made contact with someone who wanted to report a battery that had previously occurred.
The woman told Williams that she was battered by Dustin Howard, 42, of Plainfield, that morning.
The victim said that she and another individual were driving to a store in Peoga when she saw a familiar truck at a nearby home and stopped to talk with the presumed driver.
Upon arriving she reported seeing Howard in the passenger seat. She told police Howard’s lip was bloody and cut. She asked what happened. She told police he became aggressive and exited the truck. He then hit her in the back of the head, the ribs and the leg, a probable cause affidavit states.
She said there were three witnesses at the scene of the battery.
Later that evening, Williams spoke with a witness who corroborated the victim’s statement.
The victim told Williams she was afraid for her life.
Charges were formally filed against Howard on May 12.
Man charged with felony after car breaks down
A man from Columbus has been charged with a Level 6 felony for possession of methamphetamine after police stopped to assist a broken down vehicle.
On May 25 Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholson Briles was traveling in the 5200 block of State Road 46 East when he noticed a truck that appeared to be broken down on the south side of the road.
A second vehicle was in front, trying to assist.
Briles turned on his vehicle lights and stopped to alert other drivers to slow down.
According to the probable cause affidavit, there were two individuals walking toward the rear of the truck and one Briles recognized from previous incidents.
The other individual was later identified as David Defibaugh, 54, of Columbus.
Briles asked what the plans were to remove the truck, to which they said one individual would pull the truck with the small passenger car.
Briles said he advised of the proper way to tow the vehicle and they said another friend could possibly come and tow it.
After running their IDs, Briles found that Defibaugh had an active warrant out of Bartholomew County. Deputy Kyle Minor arrived to assist.
The license plate on the truck returned to a different vehicle, according to the affidavit. One individual at the scene said they knew the owner and the owner knew where the vehicle was.
Briles made contact with the owner, who said she was having them tow it back to her house.
Defibaugh was informed of the warrant and placed into handcuffs. When a search was conducted of Defibaugh’s person, Briles found a container with methamphetamine.
Defibaugh reportedly told Briles that he only smokes marijuana and had found the container on the side of the road. He was turned over to a Bartholomew County Deputy at the county line.
Formal charges were made towards Defibaugh for possession of methamphetamine on May 26.
