Police

It has been a somewhat slow, but still promising start to a program that is designed to save the lives of people with such medical issues as Alzheimer’s, other forms of dementia, Down syndrome and autism. Project Lifesaver, a countywide program overseen by the McLeod County Sheriff’s Office, operates in Hutchinson under the guidance of Police Chief Dan Hatten, above, and Fire Chief Brad Emans. It kicked off about two months ago.

The Hutchinson Police Department has been operating without a second-in-command since the retirement of Lt. Dave Erlandson at the end of June. His replacement is scheduled to be in place Nov. 29 when Sgt. Tom Gifferson becomes Lt. Tom Gifferson. Gifferson is in his 13th year with the department. For the complete story, see the Nov. 3 print edition of the Leader.

A crash shortly before 11 a.m. Monday caused severe damage to the two pickup trucks involved and unknown injuries to the drivers. Two Hutchinson ambulances were called to the scene at the recently reopened intersection of Airport Road and McLeod County Road 7, just southwest of Hutchinson. As a result of the reconstruction of Airport Road/County Road 115, traffic on that road now has the right of way with no stop signs, while traffic on County Road 7 has stop signs. The crash is being investigated by the McLeod County Sheriff’s Department.

No one appeared seriously hurt in this two-vehicle collision about 10 a.m. today (Friday, Oct. 16), at the intersection of State Highway 15 and Edmonton Avenue, on the south side of Hutchinson. A witness said the white Ford SUV in the background attempted a left turn in front of the dark-colored Ford SUV pictured here in the foreground. The dark vehicle struck the white vehicle in the passenger side. No other information was available at this time.

A 2006 Ford Focus driven by Isaac S. Givens, 20, of Hutchinson rests next to the Phil and Pam Graves home at 310 Alan St. S.W. Givens was southbound on School Road at about 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, when he apparently lost control of the car. It jumped the curb, crossed the front yard and struck the bottom of the fireplace extension and landscaping. Neither Givens, nor Pam Graves, who was home at the time of the crash, were injured. Givens was issued tickets for allegedly driving after suspension, possessing drug paraphernalia and not having proof of insurance.

An 18-year-old Hutchinson man was taken to Hutchinson Community Hospital after his Kawasaki motorcycle was rear-ended by a car on State Highway 7 on the city’s western edge late Monday afternoon. Andrew Johnson, who received non-life-threatening injuries, was slowing to make a right turn onto a private driveway when his motorcycle was struck by a 1999 Dodge Intrepid driven by Jason DeCasas, 27, of Glencoe.