Jasper Police Department
OWI arrest
At approximately 9:03 a.m. Saturday morning, December 5, Jasper Police Department received a phone call from a concerned citizen reporting a possibly impaired driver. Officers located the vehicle, a 2007 Crown Victoria, and conducted a traffic stop for speeding. Upon further investigation, officers determined that the driver, 48-year-old Richard Gordon of Jasper, was under the influence of alcohol. Gordon was transported to Memorial Hospital, where his blood alcohol content was found to be 0.286. Gordon was taken into custody on charges of Operating While Intoxicated (class C misdemeanor) and Operating While Intoxicated with a BAC of 0.15 or More (class A misdemeanor). He was lodged in the Dubois County Security Center.
Driver injured in collision
Jose Artiga Cartagena, 35, of Huntingburg, was southbound on Newton Street when a 2013 Chrysler pulled into his path from the Marathon gas station parking lot. The driver of the Chrysler, 52-year-old John Buechlein of Jasper, advised that he did not see Cartagena’s 2009 Ford before pulling out of the parking lot. Buechlein was not injured in the December 4, 11:36 a.m. collision, but Cartagena complained of pain in his side and was transported to the hospital for treatment. Damage to Buechlein’s Chrysler was estimated at $8,000, while Cartegena’s Ford sustained approximately $6,000 in damage.
Driver, passengers injured in crash
Samuel Steffy, 17, of Jasper, was eastbound on 13th Street, at the intersection with Newton when, according to police, 34-year-old Alicia Labhart of Jasper disregarded the traffic signal and struck Steffy’s 2007 Lexus. Labhart and multiple juvenile passengers complained of injury and were transported to the hospital. Steffy was not injured. Labhart was cited for disregarding a traffic control device. Both vehicles involved in the December 1, 7:37 a.m. collision were deemed total losses.
