ing outside of his vehicle ….

ing outside of his vehicle smoking a cigarette. She stated that she saw children and adults in the ditch just south of Opelt and that the horse was on top of one of the kids.

She asked Opelt to help her and he told her “no” and just stood by his vehicle. Anding stated that she felt Opelt was acting odd and at one point she told officers she observed him spinning around in a circle.

In the course of the investigation, Deputy Swiantek spoke with Taylor County Jail Sergeant Jesse Turner who advised that there were recordings of telephone conversations that occurred before, during and after the crash, between inmate, Crissey Morrissey, and Opelt. Swiantek listened to those recorded conversations which are summarized as follows: At approximately 2:33 p.m., Morrissey made phone contact with Opelt from jail block B. Morrissey asks Opelt what he was doing and where he was. Opelt replies “coming down D, not D, coming down E. Opelt told her about his job. Morrissey asks if Opelt has her phone and if he can put money in her account. Opelt indicates he did have her phone.

Morrissey then told Opelt to grab her phone so she can explain what buttons to push to put cash on her card. Approximately three minutes into the phone call there is a noise and Opelt states that he got into a car accident that he totaled the vehicle and that he hit an Amish buggy. The conversation then ends.

At approximately 2:44 p.m. Morrissey makes phone contact with Opelt again and asks him what’s happening. Opelt told her that an ambulance is coming and the cops are coming. He also states there are some people hurt. Crying and screaming can be heard in the background. Opelt states that he will probably be in jail and that there are some people badly hurt.

Morrissey asks how this happened and Opelt responds by saying because she kept calling him. Morrissey then states that if she had known he was driving she would not have had him access her phone.

At approximately 6:26 p.m. Morrissey makes phone contact with Opelt’ s sister who was at the hospital with Opelt. Opelt then gets on the phone and he tells Morrissey that he might have killed somebody. Morrissey then asks him if they did any blood tests on him and if he is sober to which he replies “no.”

Morrissey again states that if he would have told her he was driving she never would have told him to look at the phone app. Opelt states that he lied to her about riding in a vehicle with his friend because he did not want the jail to know that he was driving and talking on the phone.

Detective Aemis Balsis obtained a subpoena for Skyler Opelt’s medical records. Those medical records indicate the following: “During initial assessment patient denied alcohol and drug use and was unsure of vehicle speed. Later on patient admitted to snorting ‘something’ unsure what was in a paper bag.

“Patient states he went to the Curtiss Truck stop and got something from a friend and was on his way back to Medford. Patient states he didn’t use because he was going to another friend’s house in Medford for a “tool” to inject the drugs.

“During his drive his girlfriend, who he states is in jail, was calling him and he was on his phone. He remembers seeing a buggy, then another buggy, then hitting another buggy. Patient then states he snorted the drugs in the bag because he didn’t want to be caught with them.”

The report also indicated that Opelt told medical staff his cruise control had been set to be about 60 mph.

Opelt is no stranger to the Taylor County courts. This is the fourth felony charge against Opelt in the past 12 months. Previous felony charges have been for possession of methamphetamine last January and in November he was charged with escape.