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WIS Reporter Stephen Biddix will have more on this story on WIS News at 6. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Authorities have confirmed that the case against a former Midlands police chief involved in a head-on crash is closed. The South Carolina Highway Patrol told WIS on Tuesday that there are no pending charges or active investigations related to retired South Congaree Police Chief Steve Jonas. Jonas was involved in a crash on Aug. 27 in Columbia that left three other people hurt. However, no details were initially provided about Jonas’s condition. Dashcam footage obtained by WIS from a Freedom of Information Act request showed the moments after the crash - including Jonas failing an initial field sobriety test, being taken into custody and driven to jail. Documents also state that after being taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, Jonas registered a .00 on a breathalyzer test before later being taken to a hospital. A toxicology report also showed 1.5 micrograms (µg) per milliliter of a substance in Jonas’s blood that was identified by SCHP as a daily prescribed medication. The specific medication was not disclosed, with the agency citing HIPAA laws that protect health information. Questions remained, however, including why Jonas was taken into custody with a charge of driving under the influence listed on an incident report. SCHP addressed those questions to WIS on Tuesday. According to the agency, staff at the hospital where Jonas gave a voluntary blood test determined that he needed to be admitted. Troopers were also reportedly told that further testing concluded the wreck Jonas was involved in was caused by an unforeseen medical event. In a statement days after the crash, the Town of South Congaree said Jonas experienced a transient ischemic attack, commonly known as a “mini-stroke,” at the time of the crash. He was later released from the hospital. Once the toxicology report was returned, SCHP said Jonas would not be issued a ticket or be charged in connection with the crash. When asked directly by WIS, the agency confirmed that the case against Jonas is closed. Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.
