A Crawfordsville man underwent a mental evaluation late last week after, Sheriff’s deputies said, he fled the scene of an accident and climbed high into a tree.
Linn County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a report of the crash at 3:13 a.m. Friday, May 15, on Brush Creek Road, four miles south of Hwy 228 near Crawfordsville.
Upon arrival, Sheriff Bruce Riley said, deputies found a maroon Subaru SUV resting on its side in a field approximately 50 feet from the roadway.
Deputies contacted a woman near the vehicle who was identified as Sarah Dawn Williams, 29, from Crawfordsville. She told deputies her husband, Jonathan Josiah Williams, 33, of Crawfordsville, was driving the SUV and had fled the scene with their 6-year-old son.
Shortly after contacting Sarah Williams, deputies located the child in a nearby wooded area.
Both the child and his mother were transported to the Lebanon Community Hospital for minor injuries.
Approximately a quarter of a mile away, deputies located Jonathan Williams, who had climbed 70 to 80 feet up a tree and refused to come down.
Deputies remained with him for more than five hours, attempting to talk him down from the tree, Riley said.
Family members told deputies that Jonathan suffers from a possible bi-polar disorder and might be taking medication.
A Linn County Mental Health crisis counselor arrived at 9:04 a.m. to assist deputies. At 10:19 a.m., Williams, who was uninjured, voluntarily climbed down the tree and was taken into custody without incident.
Riley said Williams made statements to deputies that he intentionally crashed the SUV with his family inside.
Williams was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis, where he was evaluated by mental health staff.
Linn County deputies were assisted by Linn County Mental Health, Sweet Home Fire Department, Mohawk Valley Fire Department, Department of Human Services and the Multi-Agency Crash Investigation Team.
The investigation is continuing and possible criminal charges are pending, Riley said.