OHIO — A Bellefontaine woman was arrested Thursday night following a three-vehicle crash at a local intersection, according to police.
Officers and emergency crews were dispatched around 8:30 p.m. to the intersection of County Road 1 and Gunntown Road for a reported injury crash involving three vehicles, the Bellefontaine Police Department said.
Upon arrival, officers found an Acura, a Honda Accord and a Honda CR-V involved in the collision. Several individuals were outside the vehicles, including 48-year-old Kristen Carpenter of Bellefontaine, who was identified as the driver of the Acura.
Police said Carpenter initially reported chest pain but later told responders she was not experiencing pain related to the crash and stated she had been ill.
While speaking with Carpenter, officers observed several signs of impairment, according to the report. Carpenter told officers she had been driving and had made a turn before striking another vehicle but said she was unsure exactly what happened.
Witnesses reported that Carpenter turned onto Gunntown Road from County Road 1, striking the rear of the Honda CR-V before also hitting the Honda Accord.
Officers said they found an open container of beer in the center console of the Acura, as well as an open 30-pack of beer in the back seat.
According to police, Carpenter stated she had been at a local restaurant and had “a couple” of drinks but did not believe she was impaired. She declined to perform field sobriety tests.
Carpenter was taken into custody on suspicion of operating a vehicle under the influence and transported to the Bellefontaine Police Department, where she refused to submit to a breath test.
Her driver’s license was seized, and an administrative suspension was imposed. She was cited for operating a vehicle under the influence, improper turning at an intersection and open container before being transported to the Logan County Jail.
The crash remains under investigation.
