(4-23-22) Thursday and Friday was a busy day on Jay County and Portland roads…three incidents that happened within 24 hours including a school bus, a squirrel and a deer.

First the school bus….
Damage is estimated between $10,000 and $25,000 after Tonya K. Arnold (55) of Fort Wayne crashed her vehicle into a Jay School Corporation bus on U.S. 27 about 2:55 p.m. on Thursday.

The 2021 school bus, driven by Kimberly L. Loy (59) of Portland, was stopped with its flashing red lights and signal stop marker out as students were exiting the vehicle near county road 100 South. Arnold was driving her 1999 Ford F-150 north on the road when she crashed into the back of the bus. Arnold’s vehicle was towed from the scene.

No injuries were reported.

The squirrel…
Brayden L. Smith, (27) of Portland man crashed the vehicle he was driving into the back of Amber E. Troutwine’s (36) of Saratoga car at the intersection of Meridian and Walnut streets about 8:30 a.m. on Friday.

Troutwine (36) slammed on her brakes to avoid hitting a squirrel in the road. Smith, who was driving a 2015 Chevrolet Colorado behind Troutwine, also tried to brake but was unable to
avoid a collision with her 2021 Hyundai Elantra.

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

The vehicle Smith was driving is registered to Portland Motor Parts.

No word on the condition of the squirrel.

The deer…

A deer ran in front of Carey A. Brunswick’s (44) of Bryant vehicle on Indiana 18 in Jay County, causing an accident about 9:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Brunswick was driving west on Indiana 18 near county road 50 West when a deer ran in front of her 2008 GMC Yukon XL. She wasn’t able to avoid a collision with the animal, causing damage estimated between $1,000 and $2,500.

No indication of the deer’s condition.

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