The probable cause statement says Lance T. Lee, 49, DeKalb, Illinois, hit Destiny P. Chambers, 8, at 6:55 a.m. and never stopped until he reached Strafford.
At first, Lee told the Highway Patrol he thought he hit a deer on I-44, but changed his story, admitted being on Newman Road and said he thought he hit a mailbox. Lee said he told his employer that he hit a deer because he could have been charged with hitting a mailbox.
The probable cause statement is printed below:
On September 27, 2018, at 0701 hours, I was advised by Troop D Radio of a one-vehicle
fatality crash involving a pedestrian. The crash occurred in Jasper County, east of
Joplin, on Newman Road at Sunny Crest Lane. I arrived on scene at 0735 hours.
The crash occurred as a 2017 Freightliner tractor trailer driven by Lance T. Lee, date
of birth September 25, 1969, was traveling eastbound on Newman Road. The pedestrian,
D. C., date of birth July 17, 2010, was running northbound from her residence along
Sunny Crest Lane.
D. C. ran into the path of Lee’s vehicle and was struck by the front of
the vehicle in the eastbound lane of Newman Road. Lee’s vehicle did not travel off the
roadway and did not strike any other object at the scene. Lee did not stop and continued
east, leaving the scene of the crash.
D. C. was transported by ground ambulance and
pronounced dead at Freeman West Hospital by Dr. Boulware at 0727 hours.
Lee and the vehicle he was driving at the time of the crash were located at YRC
Freight in Strafford, Missouri. Sections of broken bumper from the crash scene were
transported to Lee’s location. The bumper sections matched the damage to Lee’s vehicle.
Pink fibers located at the scene with D. C's. clothing were also found on the vehicle with
blood and skin.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Michael Bracker read Lee his Miranda
warning at 1119 hours. During an interview conducted by Sergeant Bracker, Lee first
stated he struck a deer on Interstate 44 near the 46 mile marker. Lee then admitted to
being at the crash scene on Newman Road.
Lee stated he saw the school bus stopped on
Sunny Slope Lane and thought he struck a mailbox as he passed the school bus. Lee
stated he told his company he struck a deer because hitting a mailbox is a chargeable
accident and he would have lost time.
Lee was taken to the Jasper County Jail, according to the probable cause statement.
Destiny Chambers obituary
Lee was taken to the Jasper County Jail, according to the probable cause statement.
Destiny Chambers obituary
16 comments:
Will the Joplin be conducting a safety review on this incident as well?
My question is: Why was the girl having to make a crossing on Newman, where traffic does not stop, in the first place to board the bus? I feel as though if the bus were on Newman with its safety equipment on and flashing that this may not have happened.
Lied and not being charged for her death. Hit and run
Wow just tragic
I agree with anonymous 100%!!
Was this person driving the truck a yrc or a Holland driver?? And why did he leave?? Damn all he had to do was stop.and how did he not see her??
I have the same question!
I agree, why wasn’t the bus on Newman road instead of a side road? But I do not know the bus route; regardless this is a devastating incident!
the bus was facing n she rann from the east reguardless the bus should of been in a safer lication where children can get on bus safely , the lights were on ,the truck should of stopped to look for children before preceding on, as a former bus driver when u have a route with roads like this and no assistant is totally un called for there should of been a bus monitor as for the driver acvording to the police the sdun was not up yet it was dusk , the truck driver should of had better precautions
now a little girl is gone & the parents suffer
What difference does it make if he were on a damn phone or not? You have babbled about this on at least two stories. Obviously he was distracted. Either that or he is a monster who purposefully hit a child. Good lord, a phone... who cares if there was a phone?
I would suspect that the girl crossed where she wasn’t supposed to cross.
Bus driver, truck driver and parents all share some blame and lack of responsibility here. Very sad. Poor bus routing. Truck driver inattentive and left the scene. Parents not with the child as she attempted to board thethe bus. Where were they? All 3 can equally be blamed for their part of this sad event.
Elaine, maybe consider the young girls family before saying something like this. I think she payed with her life..
Easy to point a finger.
Not saying this happened, but check his cell phone and laptop. Distracted driving is the new drunk driving, especially among trucks, and it needs to be taken just as seriously.
Everyone was so quick to blame the school and bus diver. After the investigation it was learned she missed the bus. She tried to cross the road and catch it at the next stop. The sun rising from the east was directly in the truck divers line of sight. He should have stopped. He didn’t and was charged with leaving the scene of an accident. People are too quick to judge.
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