Posted On: March 10, 2010 by Ryan Bradley

Jefferson County, Missouri crash kills Hillsboro senior

Marjorie Harris, 89, was killed Wednesday morning in a Missouri car accident on the corner of Hillsboro House Springs Road and Tishomingo Road.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Harris was a passenger in a 2005 Ford Explorer heading eastbound through the intersection around 11:10 a.m. A 2006 Ford F150 pickup, driven by Charles McDaniel, 23, was heading northbound toward the intersection at the same moment. McDaniel failed to stop at the stop sign, according to the initial crash report, and the pickup struck the SUV in the passenger side.

Harris was taken to St. Anthony's Medical Center where she was pronounced dead by hospital staff. Nobody else involved in the accident suffered serious injury.

Under Missouri law, the at fault driver's liability insurance should pay for the funeral cost and any other accident expenses for the injured party. It seems from the initial crash report that McDaniel violated traffic regulations by running a stop sign, which lead to the accident. An initial crash report alone is not solid enough evidence, however, as it is considered hearsay in court. A full accident reconstruction will be conducted to determine the exact sequence of events and who was truly at fault for this fatal SUV accident.

Accident cases can quickly become complicated, especially if the insurance company tries to lower the amount it is paying out for damages. Those involved in an crash should seek the counsel of an experienced Missouri car accident attorney.