Wednesday, November 5th, 2008

Car found submerged in Eastview pond

Celina firefighters found auto during diving exercise

By Shelley Grieshop
Celina firefighters got a bit more than they bargained for when they came upon a sunken vehicle in Eastview Pond during a training exercise Tuesday afternoon.
Celina Police, who are investigating the incident, believe the red Ponitac Sunbird has been submerged in the pond for eight to 10 months.
Police are currently working with state officials in order to identify the owner of the car. They continue to investigate how and why it ended up in the city's pond along the four-lane highway.
"There are currently no local stolen vehicles that match its description," Celina Police Detective Ron Waltmire told The Daily Standard this morning.
The car had an "older-style" license plate on the rear but no personal belongings inside, he added.
The Celina Fire Department was performing a diving exercise about 30 feet from shore at 2:30 p.m. when they discovered the car submerged in 12 feet of water at the northwest corner of the pond. Initially, divers weren't certain whether the vehicle was occupied due to the lack of visibility in the murky water.
The car, which was found upside down, had settled into the silt at the bottom of the pond, making it impossible for divers to open its doors. A large wrecker was called to the scene and firefighters immediately confirmed that no occupants were inside.
The vehicle is being held at a towing facility until the conclusion of the investigation, Waltmire added.
Officials believe it is unlikely that anyone was inside the Sunbird when it entered the water.
"It was abandoned by someone for some reason, we just don't know why yet," Waltmire said.
Additional online stories on this date
Grand Lake area voters said yes to all levies on the ballots Tuesday.
That includes passage of two school tax levies, a council on aging levy, four fire protection levies, an operating levy and bond issue for a career center and a village levy for street lights. [More]
By JANIE SOUTHARD
and WILLIAM KINCAID
newsdept@dailystandard.com
Voter turnout in Mercer and Auglaize counties was among the highest ever, according to local election officials. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Voters in East Jefferson Township in Celina voted over 2 to 1 against a referendum to raise the maximum height for industrial structures from the current 45 feet to 125 feet.
Incumbents were victors on Tuesday for the positions of Mercer County commissioners, treasurer and clerk of courts.
The closest race resulted in a
Two Republicans won the contested seats of Auglaize County commissioner and county coroner.
Commissioners
Republican Don Regula will replace the retiring Ivo Kramer as county commissioner in January after defeating Democrat Brent Henschen by 961 votes.
The incumbents for the local state and U.S. legislative seats won an overwhelming majority of votes on Tuesday.
U.S. House District 4
U.S. Congres
Ann Jacobs was triumphant in her bid for the vacant seat on the State Board of Education for District 1, defeating challenger Tracey Smith on Tuesday night, according to the unofficial election results.
Two Celina businesses were successful in passing their liquor licenses on Tuesday night.
In the Celina D precinct, 182 voters said yes to allowing
Celina man allegedly did donuts on lawn with four-wheeler
Nick, a K-9 officer with the Celina Police Department, is credited with tracking down a Celina man who allegedly used a four-wheeler to do donuts on the Mercer County Courthouse lawn the evening of Election Day.
Project Send-A-Card lets customers create and send cards using the Internet
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