ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- A 40-year-old man has been charged in the deaths of two children following a February crash between his car and a horse-drawn buggy with four kids inside.

The suspect, Jason Hoover, is charged with four counts of Causing Death When Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated as Level 4 Felonies and two counts of Causing Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated as Level 5 Felonies.

On Feb. 20, deputies with the Elkhart County Sheriff's Office responded to a crash on S.R. 4 in Goshen between a Dodge Ram a horse-drawn buggy with four children inside.

Two of the children died from their injuries in the crash. One of the two surviving children's right leg received an open fracture, whereas the other was treated for a concussion.

The officers spoke with Hoover who allegedly explained that he had passed another horse-drawn buggy before crashing into this one on the designated "buggy lane" when he could not get his steering under control. He also explained how he'd been having issues with the Ram's steering for weeks.

Hoover allegedly submitted to a chemical test, which found the presence of methamphetamine at roughly 366 nanograms per milliliter in his blood.

Hoover's initial hearing is scheduled for Thursday.