Wrongful Death

• Pedestrian Killed in Hit-and-Run Accident - Des Moines, Iowa

  Steve Lombardi | August 09, 2007 11:00 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  July 26, 2007 -- A pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run incident Thursday night in Des Moines, and police have charged the man they believe was driving with drug related vehicular homicide.Police say the victim, 15-year-old James Smith of Des Moines, was hit by a vehicle as it tried to pass another vehicle in the 7000 block of Bloomfield Road at about 9:00 Thursday night. Smith later died at...

• Toledo Iowa Accident Kills Three

  Steve Lombardi | August 09, 2007 10:55 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  August 1, 2007--The Iowa State Patrol is investigating a morning accident that killed three people on Highway 30 near Toledo. The accident happened at 10:15 Wednesday morning, tying up traffic and shutting down Highway 30 for a time.Officials say 37-year-old Shellie Dochterman, of Cedar Rapids, was driving a vehicle headed eastbound on Highway 30 when she overcorrected after dropping onto the...

• Fort Dodge Iowa Hit and Run Results in Death

  Steve Lombardi | August 09, 2007 10:51 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  July 16, 2007--Fort Dodge police are looking for a driver involved in a fatal hit and run accident. Officials say around 2:30 Sunday morning, 19-year-old Cia Thornton of Fort Dodge was crossing the intersection of Southwest 10th Avenue and 12th Street when she was hit by a car. Thornton was taken to the hospital where she died.Police say they seized the vehicle believed to be involved in the...

• Perry Iowa Semi Collision Kills 47 Year Old Passenger

  Steve Lombardi | August 09, 2007 10:35 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  July 20, 2007-- Boone County officials are investigating a fatal accident near Perry. The Boone County Sheriff and Iowa State Patrol say it happened just after 10:00 this morning on a gravel road at an uncontrolled intersection. Officials say 47 year-old Paula Fairchild died after the car she was a passenger in collided with a semi at 335th and G Avenue. Fairchild was airlifted to Methodist. ...

• Truck Accident Kills Des Moines Man

  Steve Lombardi | August 09, 2007 10:11 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  A Des Moines man has died, after being struck by a pickup truck Tuesday night. Des Moines police say 54-year-old Rick Byrkett Senior ran across Euclid Avenue and into the path of a pickup truck.Officials say 24-year-old Tangi Hafenbrack was driving west on Euclid at East 14th Street around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, when Byrkett tried to cross in front of her vehicle. He was hit by the truck and taken...

• Former Head of China's Food and Drug Agency Sentenced to Death

  Steve Lombardi | August 07, 2007 12:01 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  Yan Jianyang, spokeswoman for China's Food and Drug Administration, confirmed that the former head of the Food and Drug Agency, Zheng Xiaoyu, has been executed. Yan says that China is trying to improve the standard of safety for products produced within the country. Some say Xiaoyu's execution was too harsh, but "likely indicates the leadership's determination to confront the country's dire...

• Wrongful Death Case Ends in $45 Million Award For Family

  Steve Lombardi | July 27, 2007 8:11 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  In February 2006, two young girls were killed in a Lakeland, Florida car accident. The family of one of the girls, 9-year old Morgan Bryant, was recently awarded almost $45 million in the wrongful death and personal injury case that they brought to trial. About $40 million of the awarded money was for personal injury; the remaining $5 million for wrongful death. Morgan's mother, Carla Bryant,...

• Lawn Mowing Accidents Cause Death and Brain Injury to Iowans

  Steve Lombardi | July 26, 2007 1:00 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  State records show that 94 Iowans have gone to the hospital in the last three years as a result of accidents involving lawn mowers. Lawn-mower related injuries occur mostly to the hands and feet, but are sometimes more serious and possibly fatal. A 63-year old man died recently from a lawn-mower accident in Runnells. He was mowing down a steep slope when the mower flipped and rolled over...

• Another SUV Roll-Over Leads to Multiple Deaths

  Steve Lombardi | July 24, 2007 12:41 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  On Saturday, June 16, two people were killed in a car crash on Interstate 80. The accident occurred early in the morning near Williamsburg in Iowa county. There were several passengers that were thrown from the car and four were injured. Two people in the car from Chicago, 39-year old Mary Ann Schmitz and 13-year old Jeremy Smith, were killed. The accident remains under investigation, but...

• Amusement Park Ride Leads to Rider's Death

  Steve Lombardi | July 14, 2007 6:00 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  A woman in her 20's was pronounced dead after riding the Mind Scrambler ride at Playland Amusement Park in Rye, New York in Westchester County. The Mind Scrambler is an indoor ride that has cars that travel in a circular path while rotating. Emergency workers responded, but "there wasn't very much anybody could do for her," O'Leary said. The woman, who was in her 20s, was pronounced dead at the...