Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024 - Capsule reports

Four injured

Four people were injured Tuesday after a Portland woman allegedly crossed the center line on county road 50 North and struck an oncoming Decatur woman’s vehicle.

Samantha K. Howard, 28, Portland, was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado north on the road near county road 800 North about 9:58 p.m. Tuesday. At the same time, Nancy Garcia Magdaleno, 27, Decatur, was driving a 2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette south on the road. According to a Jay County Sheriff’s Office report, Howard crossed the center line into the path of Garcia Magdaleno’s vehicle, causing their cars to collide head on. 

Howard told police Garcia Magdaleno crossed the center line, but the sheriff’s office report indicates that the police investigation shows it was Howard’s vehicle that crossed the center line.

Garcia Magdaleno was trapped in the vehicle and extricated by emergency responders. She sustained leg and hip injuries and was flown to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. Her passenger, 35-year-old Diana E. Garcia of Decatur, complained of pain all over her body.

Howard sustained leg and mouth injuries, and her passenger, 2-year-old Grayson W. Howard of Portland, sustained a head injury. The Howards were transported to IU Health Jay.

Both drivers were given alcohol and drug blood tests with results pending. Damage is estimated between $25,000 and $50,000.

Plow accident

Damage is estimated between $5,000 and $10,000 after a Pennville man’s vehicle struck Jay County equipment along county road 750 West about 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Fred W. Miller Jr., 61, was driving his 2018 Ford F-150 north on the road near county road 400 North. At the same time, Harley W. Geesaman Jr., 60, was driving a 2018 Western Star 4700 dump truck south on the road while working on it, according to a Jay County Sheriff’s Office report. As Miller drove by Geesaman, his tire hit the vehicle’s plow.

Miller’s vehicle was towed. The dump truck Geesaman was driving is registered to Jay County Commissioners.