OTTAWA TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WLIO) - The Putnam County Sheriff's Office is investigating a crash that happened on Tuesday morning.
The sheriff's office says that they were dispatched around 10:15 AM to the intersection of Road 7 and SR 65 in Ottawa Township. Initial investigations show that a semi being driven by 47-year-old Predrag Rasuo of Greensboro, North Carolina failed to stop at a stop sign and struck an SUV being driven by 33-year-old Brook-Lynn Barrientes. Barrientes and her two minor passengers were injured in the crash and were transported to Putnam County Ambulatory Care for treatment.
After the crash, Rasuo fled the scene and was later stopped by officers from the Pandora Police Department and Putnam Sheriff's deputies on County Road 6 just outside of Pandora. He was taken into custody without incident.
Impairment is suspected as a factor in this case, which remains under investigation.
OTTAWA TOWNSHIP, Ohio - The Putnam County Sheriff's Office is investigating an injury crash that occurred on April 28, 2026, at approximately 10:12 a.m. at the intersection of Road 7 and State Route 65 in Ottawa Township.
Preliminary investigation indicates that Predrag Rasuo, age 47, of Greensboro, North Carolina, was operating a 1999 Freightliner southbound on Road 7 when he failed to stop at a clearly marked stop sign. Rasuo entered the intersection and struck a 2022 Chevrolet Trax operated by Brooke-Lyn Leona Barrientes, age 33, who was traveling eastbound on State Route 65.
Barrientes and her two minor occupants sustained injuries in the crash and were transported to Putnam County Ambulatory Care Center for treatment.
After the collision, Rasuo fled the scene in the semi tractor. He was later located and stopped by officers from the Pandora Police Department and deputies from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office on County Road 6, just outside Pandora. Rasuo was taken into custody without incident.
The Freightliner sustained heavy front-end damage as a result of the crash.
Assisting at the scene were the Leipsic Fire Department, Leipsic EMS, Leipsic Police Department, Ottawa Police Department, Ottawa Fire Department, Ottawa EMS, Putnam County EMA, Pandora Police Department, and the Ohio Motor Carrier Enforcement Inspector.
The crash remains under investigation. Impairment is suspected as a contributing factor.
