Throughout Kansas City, Missouri, business people, families and other travelers rush on the roads to get from where they are to where they want to be. Some take less care than they should to respect others on the roads, which makes truck accidents and car accidents common. Those accidents can result in loss of life, injuries, damage to vehicles and other property, and the need for those involved to pursue legal action with the help of their attorneys.

One recent accident drew particular attention because it resulted in the deaths of two very young people, a 16-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy. It sparked outrage from many who read and watched the media reports about it, and there have been calls for an expedited investigation. However, the Kansas City Police Department’s supervisor of accident investigation says that investigating accidents, including those that involve fatalities, is not a quick process. Indeed, he said, it can often take two months or more as investigators take their time to gather information, analyze it and come to conclusions. Once they do, they make decisions about criminal charges.

Still, many facts about the accident that claimed two lives have been made public. The children killed were passengers in separate vehicles when the accident happened on the exit ramp that connects northbound Interstate 435 to the 23rd Street Trafficway. It is believed that the cause of the crash was a driver of a black Dodge pickup who didn’t slow down when approaching a red light and, resultingly, crashed into the back of a Toyota SUV.

According to a witness, the Dodge pickup had been weaving in and out of Interstate 435 traffic just prior to getting on the exit ramp. Its driver was taken in for questioning. He consented to being tested for drugs and alcohol in order to determine whether or not he was driving under the influence. He was released, but the investigation continues, and the legal aspects of the accident may still be pursued.

Source: The Kansas City Star, “When it comes to fatal crashes, the pain is immediate. Here’s why finding the truth is not,” Robert A. Cronkleton, Sep. 26, 2017