Jonathon D. Cordray, 35, of House Springs has been charged with six felonies and two misdemeanors for reportedly driving while intoxicated with his five children in the vehicle. He allegedly crashed the vehicle at least twice while driving the children to their mother’s house in Barnhart, authorities reported.
The children were not injured during the accidents, authorities reported.
On Feb. 15, Cordray reportedly was intoxicated while he was driving a 2017 GMC Denali to his ex-wife’s house to drop off his five children. One of the children allegedly told investigators Cordray had been swerving while driving, crashed into a ditch and that none of the kids were wearing seat belts, one of the probable-cause statements in the case said.
While Cordray was driving his children around, he allegedly hit a vehicle outside a home in the 1800 block of Dandridge Drive in Barnhart and kept driving. He also allegedly ran into a fence outside a home in the 7100 block of Burgess Drive in Barnhart, the report said.
Eventually, Cordray ran off Monticello Drive near Shadwell Drive and became stuck in a ditch. It is unclear in the reports if the children were in the pickup when it went into the ditch off Monticello Drive, or if he had crashed into a different ditch before dropping off the children at their mother’s home, according to the report.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies found Cordray in the pickup when it was stuck in the ditch along Monticello Drive. The engine was still running at the time, the report said.
A deputy reported smelling alcohol on Cordray’s breath, and he allegedly failed sobriety tests, according to the report.
Cordray was arrested, and on May 2, the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged him with five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, each one a class D felony punishable by up to seven years in prison; one count of first-degree property damage, a class E felony that carries a penalty of up to four years in prison; a count of leaving the scene of an accident, a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a possible fine of up to $2,000; and driving while intoxicated, a class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a possible fine of up to $1,000.
Cordray was released on a $20,000 cash-only bond, according to court documents.