At approximately 7:15 a.m. on a recent Tuesday, a tragedy occurred on a Missouri roadway. Two vehicles were involved in the crash, which happened near Southwest City on Mo-43. The head-on collision ended tragically.
Investigators say a 21-year-old woman from Carthage was behind the wheel of a Honda Pilot when her car veered over the traffic lane and entered the oncoming lane. Her vehicle hit head-on into a Chevy Malibu that was traveling northbound at the time. The impact of the collision had disastrous results. It was the first roadway fatality of 2024 in the Troop 4 region. Reportedly, both drivers were wearing safety devices before the crash.
Felony DWI charges filed after collision
The 47-year-old man driving the Chevy was killed. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman was arrested and charged with drunk driving, then released so that she could obtain medical treatment for minor injuries. Any criminal charges filed following a motor vehicle collision are separate from civil claims that may be brought against a driver.
Holding a drunk driver accountable
In cases where a Missouri collision is determined to have been preventable except for the irresponsible choice by someone to drink and drive, state law allows a recovering victim to seek financial recovery for damages. In cases like this one, where fatal injuries have occurred, an immediate family member may act on behalf of the decedent, who would have been eligible to file a claim had he or she survived.