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RATLEFF |
Robert R. Ratleff, 45, of 308 E. Center St., West Mansfield, was charged with possession of drugs cocaine, a fifthdegree felony, and illegal conveyance of drugs into a detention facility, a third-degree felony, following a crash that occurred Saturday evening.
Deputies of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office report he was operating an eastbound car about 7:10 p.m. on State Route 47 near Township Road 230 when he failed to negotiate a curve and drove off the north side of the road, striking trees and coming to rest in the ditch.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they spoke with Ratleff along with a passerby, who said he had stopped to check on the crashed vehicle. The passerby said Ratleff tried to convince him to give Ratleff a ride away from the scene.
While speaking with deputies, they said Ratleff showed signs of impairment and was unsteady on his feet. He also claimed that he had not driven the vehicle that crashed.
He had visible injuries, including an abrasion on his lip and a small amount of blood by his nose, but refused medical treatment. His vehicle had heavy damage was towed from the scene.
The defendant told deputies that he did not need to be detained and was uncooperative with deputies’ requests. He was placed under arrest, and transported to the Logan County Jail.
At the jail, corrections officers also advised he was extremely unsteady on his feet and he had to be held up by officers to prevent him from falling. During a pat down search of his person, corrections officers recovered a baggie with two white rockshaped substances suspected as cocaine, which the defendant claimed were not his.
He refused to take a urine chemical test. He continued to be uncooperative at the jail and was placed in the restraint chair.
Additional charges are under review with the Logan County Prosecutor’s Office, including driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, persistent disorderly conduct, failure to reinstate driver’s license, seat belt violation, failure to control and an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.
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