Man Charged in O’Fallon, Missouri Crash Injuring Six

By Zane T. Cagle | February 28, 2017 | Car Accidents, Featured, Personal Injury

Driver Strikes Two Cars Before Fleeing Scene in St. Charles County

O’Fallon, Missouri: A Wentzville man has been charged with two felony counts of assault in a series of car collisions Friday night resulting in the injury of six people.

The St. Charles County prosecuting attorney’s office filed charges against a 27 year-old Wentzville man driving a pick up truck. Police indicate that the driver was speeding southbound on Bryan when he struck the back of a BMW passenger car. Then, the driver crossed into the opposite lane of traffic and hit another car head-on.

The driver of the BMW and four people in the third vehicle were taken to hospital with injuries, one person was critically injured.

A police officer pursued the Wentzville man for a short time and he was later arrested.

At this time, it is unknown why the driver was speeding and fleeing the scene of two collisions.

What NOT to Do Following a Motor Vehicle Crash:

People involved in car crashes are often confused and wonder how they should proceed. There are some basic mistakes to avoid–here are a few:

• Leave the scene after a crash

  • Never, never, never leave a scene of a crash in which you are involved. A traffic citation for failing to have insurance is never as severe as “fleeing” a scene and facing felony charges. Plus, it is just a terrible thing to do.

• Fail to Call the Police-Fail to Have Incident Report Completed

  • Sometimes the other driver in the crash may suggest that you just “work it out between yourselves” and not call the police. Don’t do this. One, the other driver may deny that it ever happened, after the fact. And/or the other driver may just never return your phone calls, and your options for recourse can disappear.
  • While we would like to believe everyone can be taken at their word, too often there is little follow thro9ugh. When it comes to paying out money for property damage or injuries, it is highly unlikely. Always call the authorities and have an incident report completed.

• Fail to Seek Medical Treatment

  • This is a common mistake! “Toughing it out” is not usually a good solution physically or legally. For you own personal well-being, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible. As well, medical treatment is one of the only ways to actually document your injury.

• Fail to Take Photos or Gather Information

  • Too often, drivers assume police officers take photos of their vehicles for the incident report. However, officers rarely photograph the vehicles or the crash scene unless there is a fatality.
  • If you are physically able to take pictures, then ideally you would take photos of all the vehicles involved at the crash scene. Obviously, this is not always possible such as in high-traffic areas or if injuries are critical.

• Fail to Consult an Attorney- Never assume it will take care of itself

  • Too often I talk with individuals months or even a year(s) after the collision and they have not consulted an attorney. This is a mistake.
  • Frequently, individuals have too many conversations with the other party’s insurance company and send medical bills and records to the adjuster. Often, in an effort to supply information, individuals “overshare” and give insurance companies way too much information including their life history of medical treatment which is not always relevant. Then, the auto insurance company may use that information against the victim in order to reduce the amount of the injury claim.
  • From the beginning, you should involve an experienced car crash attorney to be sure that you don’t commit any of the #fails that commonly happen after car crashes.
  • You only get one opportunity to make your claim correctly, thus consult our attorneys as soon as possible.

Call our attorneys seven days a week, toll free 1.800.685.3302 or locally 314.276-1681

About The Author

Zane T. Cagle

Zane T. Cagle is the founding president and lead trial attorney at The Cagle Law Firm. With a strong dedication to his clients, he has built a reputation for his tenacious representation in personal injury cases, ensuring each client's unique story is heard. Areas of Practice: Personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death. Bar Admissions: Supreme Court of Missouri, Illinois & Kentucky. Superior Court of U.S. Virgin Islands Education: Washington University School of Law. Awards: Super Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40 by The National Trial Lawyers Association, 10 Best in Missouri for Customer Satisfaction.

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