Kansas City Woman Facing Manslaughter Charges After Wrong-way Truck Accident

A 32-year-old woman from Kansas City has been charged with manslaughter following a wrong-way accident that claimed the life of the passenger in her vehicle.

The incident occurred on February 14th at around 11:45pm. According to court records, the woman entered eastbound Interstate 70 from U.S. Highway 40, driving the wrong way and using the exit ramp. Soon after entering the I-70, her vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a semi-truck. The passenger in the woman’s vehicle, a 35-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses have reported that the woman had been drinking earlier that evening, at a nearby club. Blood tests showed a high blood alcohol concentration and the presence of cocaine. Jackson County prosecutors have charged the driver with the class B felony of first-degree involuntary manslaughter and the misdemeanor of driving with a revoked license.

One-Third of Traffic Fatalities Involve Drunk Drivers

The dangers of drunk and drugged driving are well-known and documented. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics, about one-third of all traffic fatalities involve a driver with an illegal blood alcohol concentration of .08% or greater. Alcohol and drugs can impair judgment, motor skills and reaction time. They place everyone on the road at risk, including any passengers in the drunk or drugged driver’s vehicle.

That was the fate of the passenger of this driver’s vehicle. He lost his life because she drove the wrong way onto the interstate and collided with a semi-truck, the most formidable vehicles on Missouri roadways. Head-on collisions are often the most serious of traffic accidents because the force of impact is equivalent to the combined force of both vehicles. Add to that the fact that the collision involved one of the largest and heaviest vehicles, and you have the perfect recipe for disaster.

Victims and families of victims of accidents involving drunk drivers can experience peace of mind in knowing that accountable parties have been held responsible for their actions. This may include seeing the person convicted in criminal court for violating driving while intoxicated (DWI) laws or for more serious offenses like involuntary manslaughter. Victims can also seek justice in civil court with the help of a Kansas City car accident lawyer.

Civil Lawsuits Stemming from Drunk Driving Accidents

Civil lawsuits can be brought against drivers or other parties whose negligence or even intentional misconduct have caused injury or loss of life. These are covered under personal injury law, which applies to physical and/or emotional injuries resulting from another’s action or inaction. Many auto accident cases involve negligence, which is a failure to act with proper caution or care, and when gross negligence or intentional wrongdoing is involved, an injured party may be able to seek not only compensatory damages but punitive damages as well.

These “damages” include money paid to a victim or the family of a victim to rebuild his or her life to as similar a situation as it was before the accident occurred. A victim of a drunk driving accident may be able to seek damages for medical bills, ongoing medical care, physical therapy, lost earnings, loss of future earnings, property damage, loss of enjoyment of life, pain, suffering and emotional trauma. The type and amount of damages will vary depending on the case.

If you are interested in learning more about drunk driving accidents and what you can do if you have been injured or lost a loved one in such an incident, please do not hesitate to call Wendt Law Firm P.C. As a personal injury law firm, we represent the injured and wronged. We protect our clients’ rights and fight to help them face better and brighter futures. Call today for a free consultation.