Car accidents: Cross-over under median cable kills 2, injures 1

When the driver of a vehicle that crosses over the median is killed in a crash, the task of accident investigators can be particularly challenging. Answering questions about the causes of such car accidents are typically complicated by the lack of driver input. One such accident occurred on Interstate 70 in Callaway County on a recent Saturday morning.

According to a report by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a westbound driver crossed the median underneath the cable barrier and entered the lanes of the eastbound traffic. After going airborne and clearing one vehicle, it smashed head-on into another car. The car that crossed the median was operated by a 64-year-old man who died on impact. His passenger, an 81-year-old female was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to her injuries that night.

Only debris hit the car over which the first car flew, and the driver was uninjured. However, the 24-year-old driver of the car that was struck head on suffered serious injuries. He was transported to the hospital and, by Monday afternoon, his condition had improved, and he was reported to be stable.

In such car accidents, the fact that the driver allegedly at fault died is tragic, but that makes no difference to the costs of the injured victim’s medical bills. He is entitled to pursue a personal injury claim against the estate of the cross-over driver in a Missouri civil court. Before the court can consider entering a monetary judgment, negligence will have to be established to motivate the documented claims for losses that may include both financial and emotional damages.

Source: columbiamissourian.com, “UPDATE: Two dead, one injured in accident on I-70 near Kingdom City“, Emma Diltz, Liz Ramos, Feb. 8, 2016