Tuesday, September 24th, 2019
Hit-and-run leaves one man injured
From staff reports
Photo by Dan Melograna/The Daily Standard
Harold Bashore, 70, faces one count of a hit-and-run crash on a public roadway, a fifth-degree felony, after his pickup truck allegedly struck a pedestrian at the intersection of Main and Logan streets in Celina on Monday.
CELINA - A Montezuma man was arrested on Monday after a midday hit-and-run accident left a Celina pedestrian with a serious head injury.
At about 12:41 p.m Monday, Celina police responded to a call that James M. Farmer, 70, Celina, had been struck while crossing South Main Street in the southernmost crosswalk at the Logan Street intersection, according to a Celina Police Department news release. The driver, later identified as Harold E. Bashore, 70, Montezuma, had reportedly been driving westbound on East Logan Street in a 2003 Ford pickup truck when he entered the intersection and turned south, reportedly striking Farmer in the crosswalk.
Farmer was thrown forcefully to the asphalt, causing a serious head injury. He was transported to Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater, according to the release. Bashore reportedly fled the scene, heading south on U.S. 127.
Witnesses reportedly came forward with detailed descriptions of the vehicle and video was recovered from the security system at JOCO, a nearby business owned by Joe Grieshop, the release stated. CNT manager Ron Hollingsworth responded to the business and helped recover the video, which reportedly showed the crash. A witness description of a unique design on the back of the truck also helped in identification.
Mercer County Sheriff's Deputy Luke Wolfe remembered the design and was able help find the vehicle and driver, the release stated. Bashore was arrested and was being held Monday night in the Mercer County jail on a hit-skip charge with a $50,000 bond, subject to 10% cash option, per Celina Municipal Court Judge Kathryn Speelman. The case is being reviewed by the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office for possible additional charges.
"The Celina Police Department would like to give special thanks to our citizens both mentioned and not mentioned in this article who helped to quickly identify the suspect in the case," the release stated.
