A memorial bouquet placed by friends marks where an 18-year-old Crown Point woman was fatally injured after being ejected from a pickup truck that crashed Saturday afternoon off U.S. 12 at Waverly Road in Porter.

The dead woman was identified as Saelor Guistolisi, 18, of Crown Point, a recent high school graduate. She suffered a fatal head injury after being thrown from the vehicle, the Porter County Coroner’s office and the investigation found.

The Porter County Prosecutor’s office Monday morning filed multiple felony charges against the driver of that pickup truck, Austin Emery Thornton, 18, of Crown Point.

He is scheduled for an initial hearing at 9 a.m. Tuesday before Porter Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Buitendorp.

Thornton faces a Level 4 felony charge of operating while intoxicated; Level 5 felonies of reckless homicide, criminal recklessness and driving while suspended causing death; and Level 6 felonies of driving while suspended causing bodily injury and reckless driving.

There were also four misdemeanor charges dealing with driving while intoxicated, driving with a suspended license and a minor consuming alcohol.

The probable cause statement outlined what happened:

Thornton was driving west on U.S. 12 and had been passed by a smaller, dark gray car.

It appeared that the pickup’s driver became enraged as he, in turn, accelerated and passed the small car in a no-passing zone and “then was recklessly accelerating around the bend when he hit the shoulder and dirt and lost control,” said a woman who was traveling behind and saw the crash.

The pickup crossed the eastbound lane and then turned the other way near the southeast corner of Waverly Road and U.S. 12, stated a male driver who was also a witness. He placed a call to 911.

Porter Fire Chief Jay Craig Jr., upon arriving at the scene, administered CPR and used a mechanical device to perform chest compressions on Guistolisi. She was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

When Porter Police Officer Matthew Reynolds first approached Thornton, he noticed the odor of alcohol on the pickup driver’s breath.

Thornton refused to take a chemical test, so he was taken to the Porter Police Department until a search warrant could be obtained for his blood.

A Porter Police officer, who is certified to draw blood, drew Thornton’s blood at the station. Thornton was subsequently taken to the Franciscan Hospital Emergency Room in Chesterton, where a second draw there found a blood alcohol content of 0.063%.

The legal limit in Indiana is 0.08%, but that level is 0.0% for those under age 21.

In addition to having his license suspended, Thornton had a case involving felony criminal confinement charges from a Jan. 20 incident pending in Lake Superior Court, according to online court records.

Guistolisi was riding in the backseat of the pickup truck. A second passenger in the front seat complained of head pain, according to the charges, but was not otherwise injured. Thornton was not injured in the wreck.

Meanwhile, Guistolisi’s friends and family have organized a GoFundMe fundraiser to help raise money to defray funeral expenses. More than $13,300 had been raised by early Monday afternoon. The GoFundMe page states:

“Saelor Guistolisi was an amazing, beautiful and an extraordinary young woman. She had a fiery personality and a smile that would stop you in your tracks. She lit up every room she walked into and would do anything for anyone.”

“She had just graduated high school and had big dreams for her future. Tragically Saelor passed away June 21st in a drunk driving incident. Her family would appreciate any help concerning any funeral costs during this extremely difficult time.”

Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.