McKay Harris, 17, had been the only survivor of the crash that took place 1:20 a.m. July 4 on Route V, three miles south of Joplin.
According to the Patrol report, a 1995 Isuzu Rodeo driven by Harris, crossed the center line and struck a 2015 Hyundai Elantra driven by Ronni J. Ducommun, 32, Wenzville, head on.
Ducommun, a nurse at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Peters, and her passenger, Janet M. Ducommun, 67, Neosho, a substitute teacher in the Neosho R-5 School District, were pronounced dead on the scene, as was the passenger in McKay's vehicle, Alex M. Ashlin, 18, Neosho, who would have been a senior at East Newton High School this year.
Online Highway Patrol reports show Harris was cited for driving while intoxicated, careless and imprudent driving, no insurance, displaying the plates of another, minor in possession, and for not wearing a seat belt.
Joplin Municipal Court records indicate Harris had been stopped on May 1 and June 22 by the Joplin Police Department and charged with driving without a license.
Thanks for your article dehumanizing a son, father, brother & friend to alot of people! Glad you got all the fact about Mckay!!
ReplyDeleteNice that you stand behind him anonymously. The facts were stated. HE was the driver that KILLED 3 innocent people.
DeleteLooks to me like it was all facts. It's a sad situation all the way around. But just because he was a friend and family member to people doesn't mean he didn't do anything wrong.
DeleteHe took three innocent lives his judgment awaits.
ReplyDeleteLord forbit this be an article souly about the fact that another life was lost.
ReplyDeleteANYONE that knew McKay knew what an amazing kid he was. He would give the shirt off his own back if he had to. He was the life of the party. He has a daughter, a family, friends.
No, the other 3 people didnt deserve to lose their life either, but that doesnt mean he deserved to lose his. He made a bad choice, a choice HUNDREDS of people make all the time and it had the worst kind of consequence.
He is one hell of a person. He will be missed and is loved by more people than anyone could imagine.
How about an article that tells what a wonderful kid he was? Facts about him and his life?
Ya sounds like a great guy..driving drunk without a license..he really cared for others and their well being. It is yes a very tragic accident but don't sit there say and this kid was amazing. Ronni was amazing. She truly would give her life and did everything she could for her patients. She went above and beyond and made the world a better place. Because of this kids selfish inconsiderate act he took 3 lives and his own. What a stand up kid.
DeleteHow about lets write an article about the people that lost their life. How about we write an article about Ronni and her mother and the lives they touched. Lets talk about how these people actually made a huge positive difference in people's life's. Clearly the kid had no repesct for the law or anyone. No license, driving a car with the wrong plates ( was it stolen),drinking and driving. He had been pulled pver multiple times for not having a license. So clearly he didnt care about anyone but himself. I don't feel bad for him I feel bad for his family that has to live with what he did for the rest of their lives.
DeleteHe made some very stupid choices. That had the ultimate sacrifice but that doesnt mean he was a terrible person. Bet if it was your kid, you wouldnt talk ill on her.
DeleteThat article about what a good kid, dad, etc... can be added to his obit. This is a NEWS blog. Its stating the news based on facts.
Delete12:57, I don't think the facts dehumanized him at all. In fact, I think they show that this young man was very troubled and needed help getting himself straightened out after making many bad choices.
ReplyDeleteThose facts were dealing with the accident, but I'm sure they weren't everything there is to this young man who is now gone.
Prayers for all families and friends.
He didnt dehumanize anyone. McKay had been on this road for a long time. So you have no reason to blame a journalist for something McKay decided to do.
ReplyDeleteA long time? He was 17 with no license? Please define a long time!
DeleteActually the article doesnt dehumanize a son, father, brother and friend at all. What it does do is state the truth about him. How he got behind the wheel of a car with a license plate which belonged to another vehicle, a minor in possession, and was drunk while driving the vehicle WHICH struck another vehicle killing the people inside it. AND it also states that this wasnt the first driving offense that he has had. Did it ever occur to you that the innocent people that he happened to kill WHILE driving drunk were a wife, sister, grandmother, mother, teacher, nurse and friend to many...or did those facts happen to slip your selective memory??? So no, the article doesn't dehumanize the very person responsible for destroying the lives of so many people...what it left out was the fact that if he was a responsible person he would not have been behind the wheel of the car drunk that night and none of this would have happened in the first place! So please ...do not even TRY to defend a drunk driver...especially one who has senselessly killed 3 other people!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to all involved. This young man caused a very horrible accident, my prayers are with the Ducommun family and I am also praying for the family of this young man.
ReplyDeleteThank you Randy.
ReplyDeleteIts the truth. He killed them. My condolences to his family...including the families of the lives he so selfishly took from this earth.
ReplyDeleteHow about the adult that purchased the alcohol that this BOY not yet a MAN drank? That person took the lives of four people! Yes he had the choice to drink, but the individual that provided the substance should be charged
ReplyDeleteSo many people have so many horrible things to say. All you are doing is hurting those who are left behind- regardless of what you may think of the driver's family for his life being in the shape it is, he still had innocents in his life that loved him. He had an infant daughter and friends and loved ones of the other victims are suffering under these negative words as well. The 2 boys were kids and their friends are kids that now need support and understanding and guidance on how to constructively deal with this tragedy. A group of youngsters holding their own drunken "memorial" at the river at 1 a.m. to honor their friends was probably not the best idea. Throw in a grown man showing up and beating the crap out of some of the kids just added to "humanity" that this whole incident has brought out in people. I am the parent of a child who lost their friend all too soon. She is angry at the driver, but needs support right now, not more negativity feeding into her grief. I guess this goes back to if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Your angry and hurtful words are not helping those left behind.
ReplyDeletePraying for all involved. Anger comes especially during times like this. God needed his soldiers to come home so please just cherish the memories had with those who are now gone. My heart breaks for all.
ReplyDeleteWow some people are saying some pretty cruel things. I understand three innocent people died but there is no reason to talk ill on the deceased. Everyone makes mistakes some worse than others but that's not the point. And to the person who said his judgement awaits him doesn't really sound like a Godly person because if you had any knowledge about the Lord himself you would know that nobody can pass judgement on anyone except for our creater. So there for your sinning as we speak. So don't be so nasty with your words.
ReplyDeleteIts a tragedy for all. The one responsible was human, and like EVERYONE on the planet made bad, very bad choices, and the repercussions are devastating. We all make terrible choices that have hurt others at some point in our lives. In my opinion, unless youre super human and have never made a bad choice? Please have respect for all the families involved, and stop talking smack-PLEASE allow ALL INVOLVED TO MOURN THEIR LOSSES, THE deceased to RIP .
ReplyDeletePraying for all the family's
ReplyDeleteI'm very sorry for the loss that EVERYONE involved is enduring right now. It's a horrible, horrible tragedy for all. I suggest to those that are grieving not to continue going down this rabbit hole with these judgemental people. Itscnot our place to judge ANYONE! The ppl that are don't deserve your attention, so I ask that you please not add fuel to the fire. Simply ignore their ignorance. Again, very sorry for EVERYONE'S loss.
ReplyDelete