By John Estridge
A Franklin County woman was charged with a Level 5 Felony Friday, November 6, after a UTV accident on Snail Creek Road early Sunday morning, November 1.
Valerie M. Ripperger, 19, Seeley Road, West Harrison, was arrested at 1:44 a.m., Sunday, November 1, by Franklin County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Kyle Hartman.
According to a FCSD press release, at 12:19 a.m., FCSD deputies were called to the scene of a UTV accident with injuries in the 15000 block of Snail Creek Road.
Deputies through their investigation said Ripperger was operating a 2017 Polaris Rzr eastbound on Snail Creek Road. She failed to negotiate a curve in the road, causing the vehicle to run off the road and rolling over multiple times.
Two passengers in the UTV were injured. They are Shelby L. Hoke, 21, Huber Heights, Ohio, and Rose M. Coppridge, 18, Mason, Ohio. They were transported by Franklin County EMS to Margaret Mary Hospital in Batesville for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.
Ripperger was charged with Causing a Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Motor Vehicle with an ACE of .08 or More. The Information filed by Franklin County Prosecutor Chris Huerkamp said the accident resulted in serious bodily injury to Hoke.
If convicted of a Level 5 Felony, Ripperger could receive a sentence of one to six years in prison.