SIDNEY — The Ross Historical Center has sustained at least $50,000 in damages as a result of a car crash Saturday morning, April 28, at North Street and Main Avenue, here.
According to a report by the Sidney Police, when Joanne Nolet, 33, of Sidney, ran a red light at the intersection, she hit a car driven by John Fultz, 75, of Sidney, knocking it into the porch of the building owned by the Shelby County Historical Society.
The report notes that Nolet, in a 2007 Dodge Charger, was traveling west on North Street. She hit a 2016 Honda Pilot driven by John Fultz, of Sidney, which was traveling north on Main Avenue.
The crash happened at 8:05 a.m. In addition to the drivers, both cars were occupied by children. Neither Nolet, Ace Elliott, 8, of Sidney, nor Trenton Kelly, 11, of Sidney, who were in the Dodge, sustained injuries.
Fultz, Libby Hurley, 11, of Sidney, and Emma Hurley, 14, of Sidney, who were in the Honda, were taken to Wilson Hospital with nonincapacitating injuries by Sidney Fire and Rescue.
Both cars sustained disabling damages and air bags deployed in both vehicles.
Police cited Nolet for running the red light and for driving with an expired license.
When the Honda hit the Ross Center porch near its northeast corner, it loosened several limestone blocks in the porch wall and broke the limestone cap. It also cracked a solid wood column that supported the porch roof. One of the main beams in the porch roof also may be broken.
The house was built in 1902, and the porch is part of the original construction.
“According to the contractor, the early estimate is that it will cost $50,000 or more to fix,” said Tilda Phlipot, executive director of the Shelby County Historical Society. “While it’s too bad that it was damaged, and it’s causing inconvenience to fix it, I’m glad no one was seriously injured in the crash.”
