When a young person dies in an accident, it often shocks the whole community. Such was the case when a 19-year-old Independence man died from fatal car accident injuries on a recent Sunday afternoon. The driver of another vehicle that was involved in the accident appeared in a Missouri court the following day.

According to preliminary reports, crash investigators determined that the young man was traveling west after exiting Interstate-470. As he entered an intersection, a northbound vehicle apparently crashed into his car, killing him instantly. Witnesses alleged that the northbound vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed and disregarded two red traffic lights before crashing into the other car. The driver of the speeding car suffered ankle injuries that were treated at a hospital.

The media report makes no mention of the presence of alcohol or drugs, but the driver was charged with involuntary manslaughter. Missouri driving records revealed that this driver was cited in 2013 when he was driving on a license that was suspended after a DWI conviction in 2008. In 2014, his driving privileges were restored.

Regardless of the outcome of criminal charges against this driver, the family of the young man who died after suffering fatal car accident injuries may pursue financial relief. Properly documented evidence of negligence on the part of another party will be required when filing a wrongful death claim in a Missouri civil court. However, if a driver is convicted on criminal charges such as vehicular homicide, such a conviction may count in favor of the plaintiffs in a related civil claim of wrongful death.

Source: fox4kc.com, “Man charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection to fatal Lee’s Summit accident“, Stephanie Graflage, Monica Evans, May 5, 2015