Altamont man assaulted while helping couple on I-35

Being a good Samaritan didn’t work out so well for a kind-hearted Daviess County man.

On May 4, Jason Jones was driving to Kansas City when he stopped to help a young couple with a flat tire near Holt on southbound I-35 around 8:30 a.m. Jason took them to a couple of salvage yards in Liberty to look for a tire, as their spare had a hole in it. The couple, a 19-year old male and a teenage female, was from Illinois.

They had no luck finding a tire, so Jason took the couple back to their vehicle and was trying to think of another plan to help them. The girl sitting behind Jason suddenly picked up a hitch pin and started hitting him in the head. “She hit him over and over, eight times!” says Jason’s wife Linda.

Then the girl then told her companion to choke Jason. The girl continued hitting Jason and the guy started choking him. As he was trying to maintain control of his vehicle, Jason was losing consciousness and the van drifted to the right, onto the shoulder and into the mud at the side of the road.

Jason then gathered himself to escape and jumped out of the van from the driver’s side. The young male followed him and started beating him in the face.

At that point a passerby pulled up to help Jason. The couple attempted to flee in the van, but it was stuck in the mud. At 10:30 a.m., law enforcement responded to a 9-1-1 call about an ongoing assault at mile marker 31.8. The two subjects were taken into custody.

Choyce U. Davis, 19, Calumet, IL, has been charged in Clay County with assault third degree, E felony. Davis remains in Clay County Detention Center in lieu of $25,000 bond. A court date is set for June 2.

The juvenile female has not been identified but may be charged as an adult.

Jason was taken by ambulance to Liberty Hospital. He was released last Wednesday (May 12). He suffered a fractured skull and a brain bleed. Linda says he has a “hellacious” headache and that he’s having trouble with his balance.

“I think they wanted to kill Jason, take his money and his van and escape,” said Linda.

Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Sgt. Bill Lowe said, “It’s pretty remarkable he’s still alive. He took a tremendous beating.”

Jason, 72, has always been one to stop and help anyone with a problem, says his wife. Jason and Linda live south of Altamont in Daviess County. Jason is employed by Honey Creek Farms in Gallatin, and Linda works at the Gallatin Casey’s Store. Jason drives a 15-passenger van and often helps out the Amish by offering them rides.

Choyce Davis