Jonathan B. Ryan, 21, of Steelville, was arrested on July 17 on charges alleging second-degree murder - a class A felony, two counts of second-degree assault - class D felonies, operating a vehicle on a highway without a valid license - a class E felony and two felony counts of unclassified armed criminal action.

According to the probable cause statement written by Trp. T. McVeigh, he was dispatched at 5:07 p.m. on June 12 to a head-on collision on Highway 8, east of Pigeon Roost Road in Washington County. While en route, he was advised of a confirmed fatality and three with serious injuries.

“Washington County deputies advised the female driver, aged 30, of the (white Volkswagen) Jetta was confirmed deceased and her female juvenile passenger, aged 10, was seriously injured,” McVeigh wrote. “They also advised the driver (Ryan) of the (black Dodge Ram 2500 pickup) was in the ambulance.”

According to the probable cause statement, emergency medical personnel who were on the scene said that the 10-year-old had a blown pupil, that neither eye reacted to light, indicating a brain injury and had severe injuries to her extremities and internal bleeding. To keep her stable, they had to do an endotracheal intubation at the crash site.

McVeigh said he was later updated on her condition and she had received multiple traumatic injuries to the head, upper body and lower extremities.

When he contacted Ryan, he said he didn’t remember what had happened, but McVeigh also noted Ryan’s difficulty speaking. Using a Preliminary Breath Tester (Alco Sensor FST), Ryan blew a 0.000 percent.

McVeigh was later advised that Ryan suffered from severe spine and leg injuries. His passenger suffered a significant injury to her head and lower extremities, and was unable to remember what happened.

“My observations of the crash indicated that the driver of the Ram was traveling at a high rate of speed. As the Ram went to pass the eastbound traffic, the Ram began passing in a No Passing Zone. I noticed the skid marks in the westbound lane leading to the area of impact indicated Ryan observed the Jetta; however, could not merge back to the eastbound lane,” McVeigh wrote.

The probable cause mentioned McVeigh contacted three unnamed witnesses. The first was driving behind the Jetta

“As soon as we approached the straight from the corner, I saw him coming at burn speed trying to come around a line of traffic, maybe eight cars. As soon as she (pointed at the Jetta) realized, she hit her brakes. He (pointed at the Ram) mashed his brakes and swerved side-to-side, eventually slammed into her face-on,” Witness one reported.

He also confirmed that Ryan had been the one behind the wheel of the Ram.

Witnesses two and three were in the line of cars that Ryan attempted to pass.

Witness two said she was going about 55-58 miles per hour when she heard brakes squealing, then saw both vehicles before they collided.

Witness three said that Ryan had originally been leading the line of vehicles before he pulled off the roadway prior to the accident.

“The driver of the truck pulled off and stopped. He was blowing black smoke all over everybody and stopped. I can’t remember the name of the road. He let us all go past him and then pulled back out and rode my butt all the way to here, then tried to pass us,” witness three alleged. “He basically swerved over and like he lost control. I saw the white car coming, so I hit my brakes.”

A computer check of the Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System revealed that Ryan had a revoked driver’s license. It also revealed that he was convicted in the Crawford County Circuit Court on March 5 of driving the wrong way on a divided highway, driving in a careless and imprudent manner, and four counts of operating a motor vehicle without a license.

On Dec. 9, 2024, he was convicted of driving in a careless and imprudent manner, and again on Sept. 9, 2025, as well as driving without a license.

Ryan is currently being held in the Crawford County Jail with no bond.

He is scheduled to appear before Associate Circuit Court Judge Tony Dorsett at 9 a.m. on Aug. 11 at the Washington County Courthouse.