The Butler County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of a 27-year-old man on multiple charges following a head-on collision that seriously injured a woman. The suspect is currently being held on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer.
According to Sheriff Richard K. Jones, deputies responded to the incident on State Route 747 in Liberty Township early Thursday morning. Investigations revealed that Yoan Perez Ventula, driving a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, crossed the center line and collided with a southbound 2023 Honda Civic. The female driver of the Civic sustained serious injuries and was transported to UC West Chester Hospital. Deputies found open containers and evidence of intoxication in Ventula’s vehicle. He allegedly provided false identification and was charged with aggravated vehicular assault, obstruction of justice, and multiple traffic violations before being booked into the Butler County Jail.
The Butler County Sheriff’s Office has noted an increase in alcohol-related crashes, with a reported 12% rise in Operating a Vehicle Impaired (OVI) arrests in 2024 compared to 2023. Jones has advocated for stricter immigration enforcement, citing several serious DUI cases involving noncitizens without valid licenses.
Nationally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recorded 13,524 fatalities linked to alcohol-impaired driving in 2022—a 14% increase from 2018 levels. Most incidents occurred on rural or suburban highways similar to those in Butler County. Federal officials have highlighted enforcement partnerships as key to reducing repeat offenses among unlicensed or undocumented drivers.
The Butler County Sheriff’s Office, under the leadership of Sheriff Richard K. Jones since 2005, serves over 390,000 residents in southwest Ohio. Based in Hamilton, it manages law enforcement operations across 13 townships and collaborates with federal agencies like ICE and the U.S. Marshals Service to ensure accountability for criminal and immigration violations impacting public safety.
