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: Missouri Injury Law Blog

Defendant Admits Guilt for Wrongful Death of Jefferson County Girl as a Result of his Reckless Driving

By Benjamin J. Sansone, Esq.

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A few years ago we posted a Missouri wrongful death article about a teenage girl that was needlessly killed as a result of a reckless driver that ran off the road in Jefferson County Missouri. See Jefferson County Wrongful Death Car Accident

The St Louis law firm of Sansone / Lauber represents the family of the victim, and Jefferson county personal injury lawyer, Ben Sansone, has recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the at fault driver, Dustin Ray, under Missouri's wrongful death statute naming the minor son and the mother of the victim as Plaintiffs. Missouri Wrongful death Statute about Parties that Can Sue - 537.080

Dustin Ray recently plead guilty to manslaughter charges brought against him as a result of his reckless conduct. Jefferson County Man Pleas Guilty to Manslaughter after Car Crash Resulting in Missouri Wrongful Death of Teenage Girl

The Jefferson county car accident that caused the death of the victim occurred in 2008, however, the wrongful death car collision civil action was not filed in Jefferson County until recently as we decided to wait until the driver plead guilty to the criminal charges. (Jefferson County Wrongful Death Auto Accident Lawsuit) We wanted to avoid the situation where a pending wrongful death lawsuit may have hardened the defendant's negotiating position on the criminal case and potentially forced him to trial on the manslaughter charges, where he could have gotten lucky and been acquitted. The burden of proof in a criminal case is much higher than a civil case, and it only takes one reluctant juror.

By waiting and not pressuring the defendant he has now plead guilty to the charge of manslaughter and cannot deny legal liability in the civil trial, as he as already admitted fault by pleading guilty. See Missouri injury lawyer article about Plea of Guilty and Admissibility into Evidence to Prove Fault.

Full post as published by Missouri Injury Law Blog on March 11, 2011 (boomark / email).