On July 1, 2008, troopers arrested Michael Burgess, 29, of St. Joseph, MO, for leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident (felony) and operating a motor vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner.
The arrest stems from a two-vehicle crash that occurred on June 27, 2008, on U.S. Highway 59, two miles south of St. Joseph. Burgess was traveling southbound on U.S. 59 and struck the rear of another southbound vehicle, then fled from the scene. A 10-year-old boy riding in the 2002 Chrysler Sebring that was struck died as a result of injuries received in the crash.
Troopers from the Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control joined the investigation that led them to Burgess. Troopers found the 2001 Jeep Cherokee abandoned in rural Buchanan County. The investigation is continuing.
The charges for which this individual has been arrested are mere accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.