Man indicted with assault, endangering three kids injured in side-by-side rollover
Austen Clouser of West Plains is scheduled to appear in Ozark County Circuit Court at 9 a.m. June 7 in a case in which he’s been indicted by an Ozark County grand jury with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, two counts of second-degree assault and one count of fourth-degree assault.
The charges are in connection with a July 13, 2022, side-by-side crash at Cloud 9 Ranch in Caulfield that resulted in the injuries of a 9-year-old, 7-year-old and 5-year-old child.
According to the probable cause statement prepared by Ozark County Deputy Josh Sherman, on July 13, 2022, a woman left her three children under the supervision of Clouser, who asked the mom if it would be OK to take the children on a side-by-side. The mother said she did not give Clouser permission to take the kids on the UTV.
The report says that shortly after he took the kids, Clouser’s girlfriend called the mom and said “Don’t be upset.” She then explained that the children were in an UTV accident at Cloud 9 Ranch in Caulfield and that medical attention was rendered by first responders, ambulance services and Air Evac.
According to the report, the 9-year-old was transported by helicopter ambulance to Cox Hospital in Springfield for a head injury, arm injury and three pelvic fractures. It says the boy was later transported by ground ambulance from Cox Hospital to St. Louis Children’s Hospital where he had an extended stay in the hospital. The 7-year-old girl was reportedly transported to Ozarks Healthcare in West Plains with a broken collarbone after the side-by-side rolled and she was ejected. The 5-year-old was also transported to Ozarks Healthcare with minor cuts on her knees.
The woman told officers that the children told her Clouser was driving 30 to 40 miles an hour and attempted to conduct a “controlled slide/turn.” When the mom asked them about the incident, the children said Clouser was traveling at a high rate of speed throughout the day.