The Missouri Highway Patrol responded to a hit-and-run crash late yesterday afternoon near Washington Missouri.  Witnesses report that a tractor-trailer crossed the center line of the road and clipped the leg of 55 year-old Edward Woelm of St. Louis Missouri.  The contact caused Woelm to lose control of his motorcycle and be thrown off.  There was little property damage to the motorcycle, but Woelm sustained life-threatening personal injuries and was taken by helicopter to Barnes Hospital for emergency treatment.  The driver of the tractor-trailer continued driving northbound on Route 21 without stopping or contacting authorities.  The Missouri Highway Patrol continues its investigation of this incident.

A hit-and-run motorcycle crash is a felony in the State of Missouri, and additional charges may be brought by prosecutors when the victim sustains personal injury.  Not only will the driver of this tractor-trailer be facing criminal charges once he/she is located, there will be harsh civil remedies at the disposal of Mr. Woelm and his family.  Those charges include negligence, negligence per se, and punitive damages for aggravating circumstances.  In the event the driver of the tractor-trailer is never located, Mr. Woelm may be able to make a claim under his own policy of insurance depending on the circumstances of the evidence gathered at the scene.

Victims of a hit and run accident should contact an experienced Missouri personal injury attorney who can aggressively seek out the driver who feld the scene and bring him to justice.  Evidence gathered from the accident scene, interviewing witnesses, and researching avaliable shipping manifests is critical in looking into what truck driver/trucking company could have caused this tragic accident to take place with any accountability.