Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021

House fire

A house just outside of Portland caught fire Sunday.

Flames began in the living room of David Slack’s home at 3386 E. Division Road for an unknown reason, said Portland fire chief Mike Weitzel. (He noted the investigation is still ongoing.) Firefighters were called to the scene at 7:56 a.m. and put out the fire in about 40 minutes.

Slack was not home at the time of the fire.

Damage is mostly contained in the living room area, although there is smoke and water damage throughout the house, Weitzel noted.

Three firetrucks and 13 firefighters responded to the scene, including Portland, Salamonia and Bryant fire departments and Southwest Mercer County Fire District.

Left the road

Two Pennville residents were taken to hospitals after the vehicle they were riding left Division Road at 7:01 a.m. Monday.

Dustin L. Franks, 29, was driving west near county road 200 East when his 2007 Saturn Ion left the road for an unknown reason, according to a Jay County Sheriff’s Department report. Franks’ vehicle began sliding sidewalks across the road and into a ditch, where it hit a tree before coming to a stop in a field south of Division Road.

When responders arrived, Franks was found unconscious. He was flown by helicopter to Lutheran Hospital of Fort Wayne for a head injury. His passenger, Jerry D. Stone, was taken to IU Health Jay for minor bleeding from his head.

Franks and Stone were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. The Saturn was towed, with damage estimated between $10,000 and $25,000.



Deer hit

Three Jay County residents crashed their vehicles into deer recently.

Barbara J. Steed, 67, Redkey, was driving her 2016 Chrysler Town & Country east on county road 400 South near county road 550 East about 9:06 a.m. Thursday when a deer ran into her path. She wasn’t able to avoid the collision, causing between $5,000 and $10,00 in damage estimated.

Steven R. Simons, 67, Portland, was driving his 2017 Kia Sportage south on county road 600 East just south of county road 50 North about 8:30 p.m. Friday when a deer ran across the road. Simons wasn’t able to avoid the collision. Damage is estimated between $1,000 and $2,500.

Casey J. Shannon, 27, Bryant, was driving her 2019 Ford Fusion east on county road 900 North just west of county road 350 East about 8:50 p.m. Saturday when a deer entered the road. She wasn’t able to avoid the collision, causing less than $1,000 in damage estimated.



Intersection collision

Damage is estimated between $25,000 and $50,000 after there was a vehicle collision at the intersection of county roads 600 South and 1150 West about 11:19 a.m. Saturday.

Andrew E. Keister, 48, Winchester, was driving a 2004 Buick LeSabre north on county road 1150 West and crossing the intersection with county road 600 South when his Buick struck a westbound 2004 Mazda 6 driven by 32-year-old Christina A. Hathaway of Houston, Texas.

Both vehicles were towed.



Turning crash

A Bryant teen turned his vehicle in front of oncoming traffic about 3:37 p.m. Friday.

Conner A. McFarland, 17, Bryant, was driving a 1999 General Motors Sierra east on Indiana 26 and began to turn onto Indiana 67. At the same time, 44-year-old Troy A. Curtis of Portland was driving a 2012 Ford Fusion west on Indiana 67 and crossing the intersection with Indiana 26. Curtis’ Ford struck the rear of McFarland’s vehicle as it turned onto the highway, according to a Jay County Sheriff’s Department report.

Damage is estimated between $2,500 and $5,000.