An 18-year-old man from Crown Point, Indiana, has been charged with multiple felonies, including OWI causing death, in connection with a crash that killed an 18-year-old female passenger on Saturday afternoon in Porter. Austin Thornton, the driver of the pickup truck, was arrested after the vehicle rolled over at the intersection of U.S. Highway 12 and Waverly Road. The passenger, Saelor Guistolisi, was ejected from the truck and later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital due to blunt force trauma to the head. Guistolisi, also from Crown Point, had recently graduated from high school. A GoFundMe page organized by her family and friends describes her as “an amazing, beautiful and extraordinary young woman” with “a fiery personality and a smile that would stop you in your tracks.” Thornton faces four felony charges: OWI causing death (Level 5), aggressive driving resulting in death (Level 5), driving while suspended resulting in death (Level 5), and driving while suspended resulting in bodily injury (Level 6). He also faces multiple misdemeanor charges. According to authorities, alcohol consumption and reckless driving are believed to be contributing factors in the crash. A witness reported that Thornton became enraged after being passed by another vehicle on U.S. Highway 12, accelerated to pass the vehicle in a no-passing zone, and lost control while speeding around a bend. A blood test later revealed Thornton’s blood alcohol content was 0.063%, below the legal limit for adults in Indiana but above the zero-tolerance limit for those under 21. The investigation continues, with police emphasizing the dangers of impaired and reckless driving.
