Published: September 18, 2008 11:38 am      

Area briefs

Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008

Two drivers hurt in crash

ROUND GROVE — Both drivers in a two-vehicle crash that occurred in White County on Wednesday sustained injuries.

About 1 p.m., the White County Sheriff’s Office responded to personal-injury accident involving a semi and car on Ind. 18 at 1100W.

A 2008 Sterling semi tractor trailer driven westbound on Ind. 18 by 59-year-old Rogelio Tischina of Burbank, Ill., reportedly struck a westbound 1996 Buick Century driven by 71-year-old Therman Stone of Wolcott.

The two vehicles collided when Tischina reportedly attempted to pass Stone as she was attempting to turn onto 1100W. Both vehicles ran off the road, and the semi tipped over.

Stone and Tischina were taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Lafayette for treatment of minor injuries.

Otterbein Fire Department, Monticello Fire Department and Indiana State Police assisted at the scene.

Police planning DUI checkpoint

ROCHESTER — On Friday evening, the Indiana State Police will conduct an enforcement checkpoint targeting impaired drivers in Fulton County.

After the checkpoint, troopers will conduct roving saturation patrols aggressively seeking impaired drivers throughout the Peru district, which covers Cass, Fulton, Miami, Howard, Tipton and Wabash counties.

According to statistics, 42,642 people were killed nationally in motor vehicle crashes in 2006. That same year, 13,470 people were killed in crashes that involved a driver or motorcyclist with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. In 2006, Indiana recorded a total of 31,252 crashes, of which 1,464 were alcohol-related.

Motorists are encouraged to report suspected impaired drivers by calling 9-1-1. Police ask callers to give a vehicle description and direction of travel, but they urge motorists never to follow an impaired driver.

Police department lists August stats

The Logansport Police Department received 1,743 calls during the month of August, according to a monthly report by Chief Randy Rozzi to the Logansport Board of Public Works and Safety.

Those calls resulted in 115 adult arrests, including nine for operating while intoxicated and two for drug-related infractions. The calls also included 83 new calls for the animal warden.

The traffic division issued 10 green tag warnings, 39 parking tickets, 145 traffic citations, 33 traffic warnings and towed 15 vehicles.

The department responded to 47 accidents, including 37 property-damage, 10 personal-injury and 11 leaving-the-scene accidents.

For the month, the police department fleet logged 23,055 miles.

Prison nurse held on forgery charges

BUNKER HILL — State police recently arrested a Miami Correctional Facility nurse for allegedly forging signatures for prescription drugs.

On Tuesday, Detective Mike Tarrh concluded an investigation that resulted in the arrest of 43-year-old Belinda M. Slone of Peru. Slone was a nurse for the prison.

The investigation began after prison officials noticed alleged forged signatures on some of the prison’s controlled substance records, which track any medication dispensed by the prison’s medical staff to a particular inmate.

On four separate occasions, Slone allegedly forged the signature of another staff member on documents indicating that prescription pills were either destroyed or dispensed to an inmate. Police say the medication had not been dispensed.

Slone also allegedly removed two Prozac pills from a prison medication stock cart for her personal use.

She was arrested at her home and incarcerated in the Miami County Jail on four counts of forgery and four counts of theft, all class D felonies. Slone has a surety bond of $44,000.