Monday, August 30

Five hurt
Five people were injured — one of them seriously — in a two-vehicle accident Saturday in Jefferson Township.
Amanda D. Pitman, 25, 712 N. Main St., Apt. 3, Dunkirk, suffered internal injuries in the 3:17 p.m. accident. She was flown by Samaritan helicopter from the crash site to Parkview Hospital, Fort Wayne. She was listed in critical condition this morning, according to a hospital spokesperson.
The driver of the other vehicle, Thomas A. Sheppard, 58, 5427 N. Water St., Cayuga, complained of body pain. His passengers, Andrew T. Sheppard, 13, Amy L. Sheppard, 45, and Kate E. Sheppard, 12, all of the same address, also were injured. Amy L. Sheppard suffered severe facial bleeding, while Kate Sheppard suffered minor facial bleeding. Andrew Sheppard complained of abdominal pain.
Sheppard told Jay County police he was driving southwest on Ind. 67. As he approached county road 400 South, he told police that Pitman pulled out in front of him. Sheppard said he could not avoid the collision. Both vehicles went off the east side of the road.
Pitman was trapped inside the vehicle and was freed by emergency personnel.
Police estimated combined damage to the 1996 Mercury Sable, driven by Pitman, which is registered to Phyllis J. Freeman, same address, and Sheppard’s 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, at $10,000 to $25,000.

Sideswipe accident
Vehicles driven by an Ohio man and a rural Portland woman collided on Meridian Street in Portland on Saturday.
A 1999 Chevrolet truck driven by Robert L. Rexrode, 79, 5182 Hillgrove Southern Road, Greenville, and a 2007 Dodge Caravan driven by Anita M. Lewis, 54, 1321 East 500 South, collided at 9:14 a.m.
Lewis told Portland police she was driving north on Meridian Street and slowing down to stop at 1513 S. Meridian St. Rexrode was driving behind Lewis and could not stop in time. He attempted to avoid a collision but could not.
Combined damage to the Chevy, registered to Rexrode Family Trust, same address as driver, and the Dodge, was estimated at $2,500 to $5,000.

Driver cited
A rural Bryant man was cited by police Saturday, following a high-speed accident.
Derek D. May, 19, 3739 East Ind. 67, was cited by Jay County police for exceeding maximum lawful speeds.
May told police he was driving east on county road 200 North at a high rate of speed. The car he was driving hit a dip in the road and he lost control of the 1987 Ford Mustang. The car went off the north side of the road and into a ditch, where it struck a utility pole and a mailbox.
The 10:30 p.m. accident caused combined damage to the utility pole, owned by Century Link, 301 E. Sixth St., Portland, the mailbox, owned by Dalton VanSkyock, 5327 East 200 North, Portland, and the car, registered to Joseph E. May, same address as driver, that was estimated at $2,500 to $5,000.

Enters ditch
A vehicle driven by a rural Portland man went off the road and into a ditch Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Nathan A. Tomey, 24, 6099 South 100 West, told Jay County police he was driving south on county road 100 West, just south of county road 600 South. Tomey looked away from the road and the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox went off the west side of the road and into a ditch.
Damage to the sport utility vehicle, registered to Susan Tomey, same address, was estimated at $1,000 to $2,500.

Wrecks bike
A Richmond woman told police she was injured Tuesday when three dogs ran near her bicycle, causing her to fall off the bike and injure her shoulder in Noble Township.
Gayle Waldenmaier, 218 Arbor Drive, told Jay County police that she was riding her bike Tuesday on county road 200 South, near the state line, and three dogs ran onto the road. One of the dogs ran in front of her bike, causing her to wreck. She injured her right shoulder.
The dogs’ owner helped control the dogs and drove her to the emergency room. Her bicycle was damaged.
She contacted police Friday morning.[[In-content Ad]]