Spencer County Sheriff’s Department
Bobcat struck by car
Aaron Waters, 26, of Richland, was westbound on SR 66 in Richland when, he later told police, a bobcat ran into his path and struck the front end of the 2009 Saturn Aura he was driving. After noticing the bobcat was still alive and wedged underneath the car’s undercarriage, the officer instructed Waters to slowly put the vehicle in reverse, which freed the bobcat. The animal then ran off into the woods. Neither Waters nor his passenger were injured in the January 9, 6:28 a.m. incident, and damage was estimated between $1,000-2,500.
Ran off road
Corissa Sherman, 29, of St. Meinrad, was southbound on SR 545 near Santa Claus when, she told police, her 2009 Chevrolet Malibu lost traction on a bridge due to snow and possibly black ice, causing the car to slide and over-correct before running off the roadway and down an embankment, where it rolled over onto its top. Sherman complained of pain in her hand but refused EMS treatment. Total damage in the January 8, 5:56 a.m. accident was estimated between $10,000-25,000.
Driver arrested for leaving the scene of an accident
In the early morning hours of Friday, January 8, two deputies with the Sheriff’s Department were called to investigate a single-vehicle accident on CR 700N in the Chrisney area. Upon arriving at the scene, deputies found a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee with damages consistent with a rollover crash; it was also determined that fencing belonging to Vectren had been damaged in the crash as well. After further investigation, deputies were able to locate the owner of the vehicle, Farah Smith of Chrisney, who advised she had let her brother-in-law, 36-year-old Bruce Smith of Chrisney, borrow her Jeep to drive to work. Farah Smith told officers she had made multiple attempts to contact Bruce Smith throughout that morning with no response. Later, Smith provided the deputies with screenshots of messages in which Smith had admitted to wrecking her Jeep after striking a patch of black ice in the roadway. Deputies tracked down Smith at a residence in Rockport, where he was questioned about the crash. After allegedly asking for a lawyer and refusing to answer questions, Smith was placed under arrest for leaving the scene of an accident. Despite having suffered injuries to his face in the collision, Smith declined medical treatment by EMS; he was lodged in the Spencer County Law Enforcement Center.
