Good Samaritan dies of heart attack after finding teen hit by car

ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WXIX) - A heart attack claimed the life of an Ohio man shortly after he found a mortally wounded teenager on the side of the road and waited at the scene to help first responders.

Authorities with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office say 15-year-old Anderson High School sophomore Eli Jones died after a hit-skip crash early Monday. They are searching for the car involved, a Honda Civic.

Doug Stansell, 56, was driving on Clough Pike near Eight Mile Road in Anderson Township around 1 a.m. Monday, sometime after the crash. His two adult sons were in the car. They were on their way to pick up their sisters from work at a nearby Taco Bell, according to 21-year-old Jon Stansell, one of his sons.

The trio spotted what they initially believed was a garbage can in the street, Jon Stansell told WXIX.

“It was dark,” he said. “I said, ‘Dad, it’s a body.’”

Doug Stansell turned around to check on the person on the side of the road. He and his sons found a mortally wounded Jones, who they noticed was unresponsive, Jon Stansell said.

The family called 911, and together, the father and sons waited until deputies and an ambulance arrived.

As they spoke to first responders at the scene, Jon Stansell says his father was “fine” and acting “normal.”

About 45 minutes after calling 911, Doug Stansell and his sons left to get their sisters from the Taco Bell just six minutes away. Jon Stansell says his father also seemed fine on the drive to the restaurant; though he became very quiet.

“I guess once he parked, he let everything sink in,” Jon Stansell said. “I don’t know if it was too much for him to handle.”

The three were sitting in their Jeep Cherokee in the Taco Bell parking lot, waiting for the sisters to come out when Doug Stansell collapsed in the front seat, Jon Stansell says.

“He was talking to me and then he looked quiet and fainted back and rolled his head toward me,” he said. “He couldn’t talk or breathe.”

Doug Stansell’s 19-year-old son called 911 for his father. He was taken to the hospital, where he died Monday afternoon.

Before his death, his family told WXIX that Doug Stansell suffered the heart attack from the stress and trauma of having seen the wounded teen.

“My dad is one of the most kindest, nicest, big-hearted men you ever could meet. You couldn’t ask for a better father or a better best friend,” Jon Stansell said.

Chrissy Stansell, Doug’s wife, offered prayers for Jones’ family.

“We just want to send condolences to the family,” she said.

A GoFundMe has been set up for the Stansell family to help with funeral and other expenses.

The Honda Civic that hit Jones was last seen turning into a driveway and fleeing the scene east on Clough Pike toward Clermont County, sheriff’s officials say. It is missing the right fender well.

The car’s make and model was identified from car parts they found at the scene.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the sheriff’s Traffic Safety Unit at 513-825-1500.

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