Local law enforcement officers were involved in two separate crashes overnight.
There were minor injuries, but no officers were hurt.
The first crash occurred along U.S. 30 near the intersection of Ind. 19 at approximately 7:48 p.m. Thursday.
Kosciusko County Sheriff's Dept. deputy Shawn Castillo was at the scene of a slide-off accident along the shoulder of U.S. 30 and had his fully-marked squad car protecting a wrecker as it was retrieving the vehicle.
A semi tractor-trailer, driven by Harold D. Butcher, 56, Grand Rapids, Mich., approached westbound and had not braked for slower traffic. Butcher attempted to swerved and "side-swiped" the driver's side of the Castillo's vehicle.
The driver and passenger from the slide-off crash were inside Castillo's vehicle but were not injured. Castillo was outside of the squad car assisting the wrecker driver with traffic but avoided being injured.
The second crash occurred at 2:38 a.m. Friday on Ind. 13, approximately one quarter mile south of Syracuse.
KCSD Corp. Kevin Gelbaugh had responded to a report of horses in the roadway. Syracuse Police officer Joe Denton had parked his fully marked squad car in the southbound lane of Ind. 13 and was outside of the vehicle assisting Gelbaugh.
A southbound vehicle, driven by Rosetta M. Ritchie, 48, Syracuse, crashed directly into the rear of Denton's squad car, destroying both vehicles.
Ritchie was taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital with minor injuries, but provided a portable breath test result of .20 at the scene. Officers are awaiting legal blood test results that will be forwarded to the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office for possible further charges.
At the time of both crashes, officers had all police lighting illuminated.
