Fleeing Put-in-Bay police officer rams golf cart during chase, injuring woman

PUT-IN-BAY, Ohio — A woman was injured early Sunday morning when an accused drunk driver who led police on a chase around the island in Lake Erie rammed the golf cart she was in, police said.

The 29-year-old woman from Lebanon, Ohio, was not seriously injured but was still flown to a hospital by helicopter because her injuries could not be treated by emergency personnel, a police news release said. The suspect, a 39-year-old man from Marion, is in custody.

The chase began shortly after police were called at about 1:30 a.m. about a man attacking a woman outside Put-in-Bay School. When officers arrived, the suspect jumped into a vehicle and drove toward the officers’ patrol cars, nearly hitting them, police said.

The suspect led police down several streets before eventually turning the wrong way onto Delaware Street, nearly hitting the patrol cars again. While driving the wrong way on Delaware Street, the suspect’s vehicle struck the woman’s golf cart but continued driving.

An Ottawa County Sheriff’s deputy joined the chase toward South Bass Island State Park. The suspect nearly collided with a patrol car again in a parking lot at the park. A short time later, the car stopped on Niagara Avenue and the suspect was arrested.

Police said the suspect did not have a valid driver’s license and appeared to be intoxicated. He faces several unspecified felony and misdemeanor charges.