Capsule Reports - Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

Structure fire

A building was severely damaged in a fire on county road 400 North Sunday.

Bryant, Portland, Pennville and Geneva fire departments responded to a fire about 5:26 pm. Sunday at 1117 W. 400 North, Portland. The flames had progressed throughout the house and attached garage.

After firefighters determined the structure was vacant, they began a defensive firefighting strategy, bringing the fire under control within an hour and extinguishing the flames at 8:25 p.m.

At least 33 firefighters responded. The flames rekindled another two times, with fire departments responding to additional calls after midnight Monday and about 6 a.m. Tuesday.

The building was completely destroyed, with firefighters using an excavator to tear down the remaining structure Tuesday morning. Carol Lykins owned the building.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Hit tree

A Bryant man sustained a head injury after crashing his sport side-by-side vehicle near the intersection of county roads 400 West and 850 North about 7:15 p.m. Saturday.

According to a Jay County Sheriff’s Office report, Todd A. McCulloch, 51, was driving his 2019 Honda vehicle northeast through a field near the intersection when his car got too close to a line of trees. He attempted to slow down and wasn’t able to stop before hitting a tree head on.

Damage is estimated between $10,000 and $25,000. McCulloch was transported to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne for his injuries.

Pole hit

A Marion woman lost control of her vehicle and hit a utility pole along Como Road about 9:30 a.m. Monday.

Tamra N. Gingus, 46, was driving her 2014 Chevrolet Impala northwest on the road near county road 400 South when she lost control. Her car slid off the road and into a pole.

Gingus complained of head pain. Her vehicle was towed, with damage estimated between $5,000 and $10,000. The pole is owned by American Electric Power. 

Rear accident

A Winchester man crashed into the back of a Union City man’s car at the intersection of U.S. 27 and county road 800 North about 3 p.m. Thursday.

Zachary Dean, 40, was driving a 2025 Nissan Sentra south on the highway when a truck in front of him began turning east onto county road 800 South, according to a Jay County Sheriff’s Office report. As the vehicle in front of him turned, the car Dean was driving was struck by a southbound 2016 Dodge Dart driven by 20-year-old Cade Tucker.

The Nissan that Dean was driving is a rental vehicle registered to Ean Holding LLC of Cincinnati, Ohio. Damage is estimated between $1,000 and $2,500.

Went into ditch

A Redkey man lost control of his van and drove into a ditch along county road 800 South near Indiana 1 about 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Robin D. Boyer, 66, was driving a 2000 Ford E-350 east on the road near the highway when he lost control. His van went into a ditch on the north side of the road and came to a rest on its passenger side.

Redkey Fire Department cut open the front window to retrieve a dog inside the van. The vehicle was towed, with damage estimated between $1,000 and $2,500.

Lost control

A Portland woman lost control of the vehicle she was driving and hit a guardrail along county road 400 South about 2 p.m. Saturday.

Emily W. Cline, 32, was driving a 2008 Mercury Mountaineer west on the road when she lost control of the vehicle. The car went off the north side of the road, swiped a guardrail and went back across the road and into a ditch on the south side of the road, according to a Jay County Sheriff’s Office report.

Damage is estimated between $1,000 and $2,500.