A 43-year-old Missouri man has been charged with murder in the second degree in connection with an Aug. 24 accident in Crawford County that claimed the life of a motorcyclist. The Washington resident also faces felony counts of driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest. He is being held at the Crawford County Jail, and his bond has been set at $250,000.
According to media reports, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper pulled the man’s pickup truck over for exceeding the posted speed limit on Highway H at approximately 6 p.m. The deputy claims that the man fled the scene when he was asked to exit his vehicle. During the ensuing pursuit, the man’s pickup truck allegedly crossed the center line and struck an oncoming motorcycle head-on. The motorcycle’s 25-year-old male rider was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
The pickup truck driver was taken into custody and transported to a hospital in Sullivan with what were described as minor injuries. A records check is said to reveal that the accident took place just two months after the man was booked for being in possession of a stolen vehicle and domestic battery in Peoria County. The two felony counts were subsequently reduced to misdemeanors according to reports.
Experienced criminal defense attorneys would likely advise their clients to resist the urge to flee from police no matter how grim their situations seem. Attempts to elude law enforcement are largely unsuccessful and will usually lead to additional, and potentially more serious, charges being filed. This case shows how individuals who cause motor vehicle accidents after fleeing traffic stops may be charged with violent crimes. Attempts to evade arrest might also make it more difficult for attorneys to mount a defense or negotiate a favorable plea agreement.
Source: Fox 2 St. Louis, Family devastated after father-to-be killed in crash in Crawford Crash, Michelle Madaras, Aug. 26, 2019
