Federal highway safety officials estimate that more than 10 percent of all accidents involve a hit-and-run driver. The U.S. Department of Transportation says that the majority of hit and runs involve property damage.

Columbia, Missouri personal injury lawyers know that hit-and-run accidents can involve serious injury and death. Some drivers may leave the scene of an accident out of fear of the consequences that may result from a crash. But, accident victims who are injured or killed by a hit-run driver obviously cannot avoid the personal consequences of the wreck.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says that a hit-and-run driver fled the scene of a fatal accident after rear-ending a vehicle early Sunday morning on U.S. 50. Four Green Ridge, Missouri residents were in a Mercury on eastbound U.S. 50 shortly before 12:30 a.m.

Troopers sat that the driver of an unknown vehicle slammed into the rear end of the Mercury the four travelers were riding in, forcing the Mercury off the road. The car overturned and struck a tree.

The driver of the vehicle that slammed into the rear of the Mercury fled the scene, according to law enforcement. A 53-year-old man was driving the Mercury when it was forced off the road. He and a 54-year-old female passenger were killed in the tragedy. Two other passengers, each 47-years-old, suffered serious personal injuries in the wreck.

One of the accident victims was taken to a Kansas City area hospital, while the other was transported to a medical center in Independence, Missouri.

Johnson County officials and the State Patrol are investigating the fatal crash.

Source: Sedalia News-Journal, “Two Green Ridge residents killed in hit-and-run,” May 12, 2013