Brooke-Lyn Leona Barrientes Injured in Ottawa Township Tr...
Suspected impaired semi-truck driver arrested after fleeing the scene of a two-vehicle collision
Brooke-Lyn Leona Barrientes, 33, and two children were injured in a crash on State Route 65 at Road 7 in Ottawa, Ohio, on Tuesday, according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.
Officers arrested 47-year-old Predrag Rasuo of North Carolina on County Road 6 near Pandora shortly after the collision. Investigators say the driver fled the scene instead of rendering aid.
Rasuo, while traveling south, failed to stop at a posted stop sign and struck another vehicle in the intersection.
The woman and two minor passengers were transported to Mercy Health – Glandorf for treatment.
The crash remains under investigation. Additional charges could be considered as the case moves forward.
Why did the Freightliner fail to stop on Road 7?
Investigators are working to determine why the commercial driver blew through a clearly marked stop sign before fleeing the intersection. Victims like Barrientes and her children face overwhelming physical and emotional challenges when a routine drive is interrupted by a negligent commercial operator. While criminal charges address the driver's immediate actions, civil investigations focus on the trucking company's hiring practices, training protocols, and potential hours-of-service violations.
Candice Bond, managing partner at Bond Legal, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News, said, "Truck driver fatigue is a recognized risk factor in serious crashes. When paired with the sheer size of a truck, even minor errors can escalate, leaving smaller vehicles exposed to disproportionate damage in collisions that unfold rapidly."
How do hit-and-run charges impact commercial liability?
In 2023, Ohio reported 5,374 semi-truck crashes, resulting in 2,258 non-fatal injuries. When a commercial driver flees a crash scene, investigators scrutinize electronic logging devices and employment records to determine if corporate pressure or negligent retention contributed to the crash. The involvement of the Ohio Motor Carrier Enforcement Inspector suggests a thorough review of the carrier's safety compliance history is underway.
According to Stefano Formica, who serves as a national legal analyst for Accident News and is of Bond Legal"Your lawyer can advocate for you by hiring expert witnesses, conducting drivers’ background checks, locating witnesses to the crash, and reviewing applicable insurance coverage, while carefully guiding a victim through the legal process."
Ohio personal injury framework
Ohio follows a modified comparative fault (51% bar) system. The statute of limitations is 2 years.
Damages include economic and non-economic losses.