A violent wreck east of Gerald, Missouri, early Sunday morning left five people injured and a man dead. The 25-year-old who was pronounced dead at the scene was driving a car that police say had been reported stolen after the crash occurred, but before details about the wreck had been released.

A Gerald Police officer says that he saw what law enforcement now says was a stolen Grand Am racing east. The officer reportedly moved in position to attempt a traffic stop, but says that the Grand Am began to move faster.

The car traveled through to near the east end of town when the patrolman says he saw what looked like an explosion. The apparent blast announced a head-on crash that ripped the Grand Am and a Pontiac G6 into pieces.

Emergency responders were called to the scene. The man who police say was driving a stolen car had been thrown 50 or more feet from the wreck car. He did not survive. A passenger in the Grand Am was able to get free from the wreckage, but was taken to an area hospital with undisclosed injuries.

Meanwhile, several people were in the G6 when the Grand Am crossed over the centerline, slamming head on into the G6. Two accident victims were trapped inside. Emergency crews had to extricate the two Eldon, Missouri residents from the crumpled car.

An infant was strapped in one backseat, with an adult in the other backseat. The 5-month-old child apparently was well-protected by the infant seat, but suffered minor injuries from broken glass, according to authorities. The adult passenger seated in back also suffered minor personal injuries.

Emergency crews worked hard to rescue the two accident victims trapped in the front of the mangled G6. Two pumping trucks from the fire department protected landing areas for two separate helicopters that were dispatched to the scene for transport. It took roughly 50 minutes to free both trapped victims before they could be transported to the hospital.

In nearly any kind of serious accident, the facts can be difficult to piece together. But, the legal issues can also grow complex when many moving parts are implicated in a wreck. Alleged criminal offenses may not necessarily bar a civil action or claim for an innocent accident victim, but the existence of allegations can complicate the matter. Victims of a crash may wish to speak with legal counsel after a wreck to learn what remedy may be available, especially when the legal issues are complex.

Source: Gasconade County Republican, “Updated Sunday head-on collision kills one man, injures five,” July 19, 2013