In mid-May, a four-year-old child and two drivers were injured in a head-on crash involving three vehicles near Midland. One of the drivers suffered severe injuries and has shared info about her recovery – a benefit is planned to help the family of six. The other driver was arrested this week, accused of crossing the center line while driving with amphetamines and THC in his system at the time of the crash.

Jason Scott Ortega, 35, Linton, was arrested by Sgt. Jordan Allor of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday night, July 13.

At 4:05 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12, Sgt. Allor, the investigating officer, was dispatched to a crash with injuries involving three vehicles in the area of State Road 59, north of County Road 700 North in the Jasonville area. The crash occurred on a two-lane, two-way road with a long straightaway and a slight grade, approximately 1,530 feet north of Midland.

When Sgt. Allor arrived, a white 2011 Chevrolet Silverado attached to a hay baler was facing south on the west shoulder of SR 59. It had extensive damage to the driver’s side front fender area with the front driver’s side tire broken at the front axle and air bags deployed. It also had damage to the entire driver’s side from front to rear. The side tire on the driver’s side of the hay baler was broken off at the axle. Billy Williams, 63 at the time of the crash, from Oaktown, was the driver of the Silverado. Clayton Williams was a passenger.

About 320 feet north of the Silverado was a blue 1999 GMC Sierra and a black 2017 Dodge Journey. They were both in the southbound lane with their front ends on the west shoulder of SR 59.

The GMC Sierra had extensive damage to the front end and driver’s side. Jason Ortega was the driver of the Sierra.

The Dodge Journey had extensive damage to the front end. Inside, a child’s car seat was in the rear seat area directly behind the driver’s seat. Patricia McAdams, 32, Carlisle, was the driver of the Journey. Her four-year-old child was a passenger in the child’s car seat.

Before Sgt. Allor’s arrival, the driver of the Silverado, Jason Ortega, had been transported to Greene County General Hospital. Patricia McAdams and her child had also been transported to Greene County General and were later transferred to Indianapolis hospitals.

Sgt. Allor first talked to Billy and Clayton Williams on the scene. They were both treated on the scene and signed releases declining further medical treatment.

Billy Williams said he was southbound on SR 59 in the Silverado pulling the hay baler when he saw the oncoming northbound GMC Sierra go left of center and the Sierra then sideswiped his Silverado. He said the Silverado then traveled into the northbound lane and he was able to steer his Silverado back to the southbound lane and stop.

Clayton Williams said he saw the GMC Sierra hit the Dodge Journey head-on directly behind them. Clayton Williams said when he got out to check on people in the other vehicles, Patricia McAdams was pinned inside the Dodge Journey and could not get out, and her child was crawling into the front seat from the back seat.

Another witness to the crash told Sgt. Allor that he had been traveling south behind the Dodge Journey on the highway and he saw the northbound Sierra, driven by Ortega, drive left of center, sideswipe the Sierra driven by Billy Williams then hit the Dodge Journey head-on.

When Sgt. Allor went to the hospital to talk to the other drivers, Patricia McAdams and her child were being transported by helicopter to other hospitals. Patricia McAdams was flown to IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and her child was flown to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis.

This week, Patricia McAdams shared information about the injuries she and her daughter suffered in the crash. Her child, a daughter, suffered a laceration to her liver, internal bleeding and bruises. She stayed at Riley for a few days then was released to recover at home.

Patricia McAdams, who suffered severe injuries in a head-on crash in mid-May, is pictured with her family, including her four-year-old child who was also injured in the crash. Courtesy photo.

The injuries suffered by Patricia McAdams were more severe. She has had more than one surgery and she has not recovered. She said she lives with pain and has a long road ahead of her. Her pelvis was fractured and it took five screws to repair the broken hip. She had two broken ribs and a bone in a hand was broken. She said every single bone on the top of her right foot was broken as well as every single toe. She had a “tibfib” disfracture that shattered the bones “into a million pieces” under a knee that took 17 screws and two plates to repair. All together, she had 22 broken bones and since the crash she has had issues with blood clots and circulation in her legs. She cannot walk and said she may not walk for another year and might not ever walk like she did before the crash. She and her husband have six children. A benefit is planned to help the family with medical expenses – see flyer posted below for more information or visit the event page on Facebook at Trish’s Recovery Benefit Jeep and Motorcycle Ride.

Sgt. Allor was able to talk to Jason Ortega at he hospital on the night of the crash. Ortega said he was on his way to a job site and he remembered colliding with the Silverado and the hay baler but said he didn’t remember anything after that – it happened so fast. When asked why he hit the Silverado, he allegedly said, “I don’t know exactly, I guess I swerved over across the line.” He said he may have fallen asleep because he had been tired.

When Ortega was informed that Sgt. Allor was asking for a blood draw, and asked if there would be anything in his system that would cause him to be impaired, Ortega allegedly said he smoked a little “green” but had not smoked any marijuana that day. Ortega refused to submit to a chemical test saying he’d rather not and he didn’t think that was the problem. After Sgt. Allor read the Implied Consent Warning for Fatal or Serious Bodily Injury Crash to Ortega, he said he understood, allegedly saying, “Yeah, so I’ll just lose my license for a year?” Yes, Sgt. Allor explained that he would lose his license for one year for refusing the blood draw and that he’d receive a citation. Ortega allegedly replied, “That’s fine.”

A blood draw was taken and Sgt. Allor reported he recently received the results of the blood draw back from Greene County General which showed Ortega tested positive for amphetamines and THC in his blood on the day of the crash.

A criminal case was filed against Ortega this week and a warrant issued for his arrest. He was taken into custody by Sgt. Allor and booked into the Greene County Jail at 8:47 p.m. Tuesday. His bond was set at $24,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He has since posted $2,400 and been released from jail.

Ortega has been charged with:

Causing serious bodily injury when operating a motor vehicle with a controlled substance in the body, a Level 5 felony,
Causing serious bodily injury when operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, a Level 5 felony,
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor,
Operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in the body, a Class C misdemeanor, and
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor.