PICKAWAY COUNTY, Ohio — A woman was arrested late Saturday night after allegedly attempting to flee a traffic stop along U.S. Route 23, prompting a brief pursuit by sheriff’s deputies.
According to the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began around 10:43 p.m. on April 12 when a deputy observed a silver 2024 Honda HR-V driving erratically while heading southbound on U.S. 23. The vehicle reportedly nearly rear-ended another car before veering off the right side of the roadway twice.
Authorities say the driver appeared to be trying to pass traffic by using the edge of the road and nearly struck another vehicle in the left lane. A traffic stop was initiated near the area of 23501 U.S. 23, but the Honda accelerated instead of pulling over.
With lights and sirens activated, deputies pursued the vehicle as it continued southbound, reportedly swerving between lanes and endangering other drivers—though never exceeding the speed limit.
Sgt. Hugus joined the pursuit near Neville Street and drove ahead of the suspect vehicle in an attempt to deploy spike strips. Before that became necessary, the driver turned into a business parking lot at 26055 U.S. 23 S, where deputies conducted a felony traffic stop.
The driver, identified as Neritza Garcia Cruz, was taken into custody without further incident. Deputies noted she appeared confused and said she did not speak English fluently. She was informed of her Miranda rights in both English and Spanish.
During field sobriety evaluation, deputies reported that Cruz smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot and glassy eyes, and showed signs of impairment during the horizontal gaze test. Due to a language barrier and lack of a safe testing area, no additional field tests were conducted.
Cruz was transported to the Pickaway County Jail, where she submitted to a breath test, registering a blood alcohol concentration of .152—nearly twice the legal limit.
Her vehicle was impounded by Fletcher’s Towing. She faces charges related to impaired driving and fleeing law enforcement. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.
