HARRISON CO. – On Tuesday, Indiana State Troopers arrested a Harrison County man on numerous felony drug and alcohol charges following an ISP fatal crash investigation.
At approximately 5:43 p.m., on April 10, 2022, Indiana State Police Trooper Nathan Newton and officers from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department responded to a two-vehicle collision on State Road 64, east of Gun Club Road Northeast in Harrison County, Indiana. ISP Crash Reconstructionist Tate Rohlfing also responded due to the severity of the crash.
The ensuing investigation determined a westbound Volkswagon Jetta, driven by 25-year-old Mitchell A. Jaso of Ramsey, Indiana, traveled left of center, crossing the solid, double-yellow center lines, and collided head-on with an eastbound Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck. Mitchell Jaso was transported to University Hospital in Louisville with serious injuries.
A family of four from Lanesville, Indiana, occupied the Silverado, including the driver, Haley Casey. Trinity Toops and the couple’s two small children were also onboard. All were injured in the crash and transported to Louisville area hospitals. Tragically, a fifth passenger, Jeffrey S. Barnes, 44, of Charlotte, Michigan, was pronounced deceased at the crash scene.
Investigators believed alcohol to be a factor on the night of the collision, and Trooper Rohlfing submitted toxicology requests for both drivers. The driver of the Silverado had no trace of alcohol or drugs in their system. However, the driver of the Volkswagen Jetta, Mitchell Jaso, tested positive with a blood alcohol content of .15%. Jaso also tested positive for THC in his system.
At the conclusion of the investigation, Investigators turned the case into the Harrison County Prosecutor’s Office for Review. As a result, on August 23, 2022, an arrest warrant was issued for Mitchell Jaso for the following offenses:
- Causing Death When Operating a Motor Vehicle with an Alcohol Concentration Equivalent (ACE) of .08 or More – Level 4 Felony
- Causing Death When Operating a Motor Vehicle with Controlled Substance – Level 4 Felony
- Causing Death When Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated – Level 4 Felony
- Causing Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Motor Vehicle with an ACE of .08 or more _ Level 5 Felony
- Causing Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Motor Vehicle with an ACE of .08 or more – Level 5 Felony
- Causing Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Vehicle with a Schedule I or II Controlled Substance – Level 5 Felony
- Causing Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Vehicle with a Schedule I or II Controlled Substance – Level 5 Felony
- Causing Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated – Level 5 Felony
- Causing Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated – Level 5 Felony
- Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering a Person – A Misdemeanor
On August 23, 2022, Trooper Nathan Newton arrested Mitchell Jaso on the warrant. He was transported to the Harrison County Jail without incident.
