Nursing Community Rallies as Ohio RN Suffers Severe Injuries in Suspected DUI Collision
- An Ohio nurse was severely injured in a head-on collision.
- The driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol with a history of four previous DUIs, as well as a history of deportation in 2019. He is in the country undocumented and does not have insurance to help cover her expenses.
- The nurse has a GoFundMe to help with her medical care.
An Ohio nurse is facing a long road after she was hit head-on by a driver thought to be under the influence of alcohol.
The crash occurred when 27-year-old Johen Perez-Ventura allegedly crossed the center lanes of Route 747 in Liberty Township, Ohio, on November 20, 2025, while thought to be driving under the influence. Perez-Ventura struck RN Courtney Steinmetz head-on, causing multiple injuries.
While Perez-Ventura denied he was driving, investigators found an open container of alcohol in his vehicle at the crash scene, according to reports from WLWT.
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The Extent of Her Injuries
Emma-le Rybolt, Courtney Steinmetz's cousin and best friend, answered the phone that day when she saw Courtney was calling, only to hear chilling words from her family member.
"She said, 'I'm hurt, it's really bad,'" Rybolt recalled to the news outlet.
Steinmetz sustained multiple severe injuries that have left her hospitalized and bedridden. Her injuries include:
- A spine injury with potential long-term complications
- A fractured sternum
- A broken right wrist (her dominant hand)
- A broken left ankle that requires surgery
- A shattered L2 vertebrae (a piece of her spine chipped off into her spinal cord, requiring her not to move for 24 hours and a very serious surgery)
Sheriff Richard Jones noted that her spine injuries could affect her for the rest of her life. As of early December 2025, Steinmetz faces a lengthy recovery process requiring additional surgeries.
A Nurse Who Gives to Others
Steinmetz is known as a cheerful and positive nurse, and her friends have reported that even the horrific accident has not dulled her smile.
"She never says a bad word about anybody in any type of way, shape, or form," said Emma-le Rybolt, Steinmetz's cousin and best friend. This positive attitude continues even through Steinmetz's painful recovery.
Despite her severe injuries, Rybolt reports that her cousin continues to "count her blessings" multiple times daily, demonstrating the resilience often seen among nursing professionals.
The Driver
As Steinmetz recovers, a legal look is turning to Perez-Ventura's history, who claimed he was not driving at the time of the accident. During his court appearance, he claimed through an interpreter that he wasn't driving because he was on probation for a prior offense.
However, evidence at the scene contradicted this claim. He is said to have four prior DUI arrests (two in 2023 and two in 2024) with releases after each incident, and is an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, previously deported in 2019 after being caught trying to cross the Texas border.
Perez-Ventura did not have auto insurance at the time of the crash, leaving Steinmetz without coverage from the at-fault driver.
At the moment, the driver is facing multiple charges, including aggravated vehicular assault, driving without a license, and obstruction of justice.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist Steinmetz with mounting medical expenses, lost wages, and insurance deductibles—financial challenges made more difficult because the at-fault driver lacked insurance coverage.
"If you know Court, then you already know that she is the kindest, most compassionate and caring person you could possibly meet," the GoFundMe reads. "Truly a give you her last dollar, shirt off her back, drop what she’s doing and come to you, put her own needs aside to meet yours where you are type of girl. She’s never met a stranger and is always the light of every room she walks in and this will impact so much of her quality of life going forward.
"Through it all, she has thanked every medical professional and emergency staff to help her and she still yet, hopes the opposing driver is doing okay despite the pain this has caused."
Emma's last update on Courtney also shared that she is being discharged from the hospital, so anyone wanting to help her and her boyfriend Jordan with meals can donate to a meal train for the couple.
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