WRIGHT COUNTY, Mo. — The man accused of crashing into a Wright County vehicle, killing a firefighter and seriously injuring another person, has been officially charged.
Kody Lane Skaggs, 21, of Mansfield is charged with two felonies:
- Driving while intoxicated, resulting in the death of another.
- Driving while intoxicated, resulting in physical injury to emergency personnel.
According to court documents, around 12:52 a.m. on April 1, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper was called out to Business 60 south of U.S. Highway 60 to respond to a report of a crash. When they arrived, they found a black GMC Sierra pickup flipped over and a Mansfield Police Department patrol vehicle on its side.
A crash investigation showed that the police vehicle was parked on the east shoulder of Business 60. Skaggs was southbound, crossed the center of the road, ran off the road and struck the police vehicle in the passenger door.
The driver of the patrol vehicle was identified as Officer Michael S. Bryson. He was taken to a hospital to be treated for serious injuries.
Mansfield Firefighter Justin L. Sanders, 31, was a passenger in the patrol vehicle. Sanders died in the crash.
When the trooper spoke to Skaggs, they smelled alcohol coming from him and observed his eyes were bloodshot and glassy. Skaggs’ speech was also slurred.
The trooper asked him what happened, to which Skaggs replied that he did not remember what happened aside from him going home and getting off the exit. When asked if he had been drinking, he said he drank three to four beers. The court documents do not state how high Skaggs’ blood alcohol content was, but a blood sample was taken.
Skaggs is being held on a $50,000 bond. is scheduled to have a bond hearing and preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. on April 10.
