Nevada woman killed in one-car crash

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Nevada Daily Mail

A man has been charged with multiple counts following a fatality accident on Route E, five miles east of Milo. The accident occurred at 5:30 p.m., Saturday.

A passenger in the crash, Whitney D. York, 26, Nevada, was fatally injured in the one-car crash. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Vernon County Deputy Coroner Thomas Heiber, according to a report filed by the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Arrested was the driver of the vehicle, Gary W. Drake, following a foot pursuit by deputies of the Vernon County Sheriff's Office.

Drake, 33, of Nevada, has been charged with manslaughter, felony DWI/chronic offender, felony leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, felony driving while revoked, and careless and imprudent driving.

According to a press release from the Sheriff's Office, a male subject fled on foot from the accident on E Highway and ran into some nearby woods. Responding deputies set up a perimeter and waited for additional units and the department's K-9 to arrive.

Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher said off-duty deputies were called out to assist with the search for the subject.

"Within a short time we had seven members of the Sheriff's Office and our K-9 on scene. We located the subject over a mile from the incident locations in a field," said Mosher.

According to the press release, medical personnel were requested to respond to a location where they waited for the deputies to bring the suspect to the nearest road for medical treatment.

Sheriff Mosher said his office handled the search and capture of the suspect, but the accident is being investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

According to the MHP report, Drake, driving a 1997 Pontiac Bonneville, was wearing his safety device. Also, according to the report filed by the Patrol, York was not.

Drake's vehicle was traveling eastbound when it travelled off the left side of the roadway, struck a driveway, became airborne, struck a utility pole, a tree and then overturned, ejecting the passenger, stated the report.

Sgt. Martin T. Polodna of Troop D of the Missouri Highway Patrol investigated the accident, assisted by Troopers Torbeck, Knight and Crockett, and Cpl. Walker, the Vernon County Sheriff's Office, the Nevada Fire Department and the Milo Fire Department.

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Why oh why do we continue to accept no consequences of these people? The better question is why is this person sitting at home on bond while this young girl was tossed like a rag doll and left there alone dead while he ran? Where is the logic in that? What an epic failure in the system. RIP Whitney, so sorry that your young life was cut so short as a result of a REPEAT DWI OFFENDER!

-- Posted by soooconfused on Tue, Sep 30, 2014, at 8:56 AM
amen

-- Posted by Big Paulie on Tue, Sep 30, 2014, at 10:03 AM
This guy needs to be locked up and have the key thrown away. Seriously, a "Chronic Offender" he wont ever learn that alchohol and vehicles dont mix. That poor young lady.

-- Posted by underthepaw on Tue, Sep 30, 2014, at 10:46 AM
Was she forced to go with him she knew if his past

-- Posted by kcman on Tue, Sep 30, 2014, at 8:49 PM
She paid the ultimate price for that choice. How dare you victimize that worthless piece if crap! He left her laying in the ditch like a piece of garbage! He will rot in hell one way or the other. Karma's not very nice!

-- Posted by soooconfused on Tue, Sep 30, 2014, at 8:56 PM
There are no charges of kidnapping. She DID make the choice to be in the car with him, knowing he had been drinking. Not that she deserved to die at all, but she did make a choice. I do believe he should be in jail and not be able to bond out, but I pray the trial will come swiftly along with his punishment.

-- Posted by BORN&RAISEDNEVADAMO on Thu, Oct 2, 2014, at 8:45 AM
It was a mistake for Whitney to be in that car on Sat. She paid for it with her life. None of us will ever know what was happening inside that car b4 the crash. We buried her yesterday. Please let her rest in peace.

-- Posted by Shes my niece... on Thu, Oct 2, 2014, at 3:38 PM

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