(From the Newton County Prosecuting Attorney's Office)A Racine man was sentenced to 15 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on August 10, 2026, the maximum sentence permitted by law for driving while intoxicated involving the death of another.
Richard Scott Taylor II, 37, was sentenced by Judge Charles Gensisio of the 40th Judicial Circuit, following his June 1 plea admitting to his role in the fatal hit-and-run crash that claimed the life of Sheldonna Wood, a pedestrian, on July 5, 2024.
According to the investigation conducted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Taylor was operating a 2004 Dodge Dakota westbound on Douglas Fir Road in Newton County when he drove off the roadway and struck a pedestrian. The victim died at the scene as a result of injuries sustained in the collision.
After striking the victim, Taylor fled the scene without reporting the crash or rendering aid.
Investigators located Taylor the following morning at a residence in Carterville. During the investigation, Taylor admitted he had been driving the vehicle involved in the crash and had consumed alcohol prior to the collision. A preliminary breath test administered by law enforcement indicated a blood alcohol concentration of .131 percent.
Investigators located Taylor the following morning at a residence in Carterville. During the investigation, Taylor admitted he had been driving the vehicle involved in the crash and had consumed alcohol prior to the collision. A preliminary breath test administered by law enforcement indicated a blood alcohol concentration of .131 percent.
Remains of the victim were located on the vehicle as well as damage consistent with the collision, further connecting Taylor to the fatal crash.
"There is nothing the justice system can impose to undo the pain caused by the defendant’s actions, nor can it restore the life that was lost," said Prosecuting Attorney William Lynch. "But accountability matters. While this conviction and maximum sentence cannot erase the past, it can provide some measure of closure by holding the defendant accountable and affirming that the life lost mattered and the suffering of those left behind is not forgotten."
The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and prosecuted by Sarah Crites and William Lynch of the Newton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
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