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Summary: A St. Louis personal injury lawyer involved in drunk driving and speed racing that resulted in the death of a 73-year-old woman was hit with a first-degree manslaughter charge.
A lawyer has been hit with manslaughter charge after allegedly driving drunk and speed racing, resulting on the death of an innocent person. The St. Louis County grand jury indicted Scott Bailey, 44, on the manslaughter charge. After surrendering himself to police, he posted a $200,000 bail with a cashier’s check.
The other driver in the race, Haven A. Sooter, 39, was also indicted the same day on charges of DWI as a persistent offender and second-degree murder. He was arrested 10 days ago on $250,000 bail.
The men were racing down Lindbergh Boulevard on July 8. They were near the Chaminade College Preparatory School when Sooter’s BMW collided with Kathleen Koutroubis, 73. She was driving an SUV which was then struck by Bailey’s Ford Mustang. She was conscious after the accident but later died of internal injuiries.
Her family’s attorney claims the men were traveling over 110 mph when they hit her car. Bailey’s indictment for first-degree manslaughter noted he was traveling over 100 mph and that his blood-alcohol content was 0.18 percent or more. The legal limit is 0.08 percent.
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Bailey is a personal injury lawyer from St. Louis. The biography on his law firm’s website says he “represents individuals who have suffered a personal injury due to the negligence of another. Scott Bailey has successfully recovered millions of dollars on behalf of his clients for car accidents, slip and falls, workers’ compensation, medical malpractice and legal negligence cases.”
A second indictment for Bailey for a lesser count leaves off the alcohol content. Prosecutors can present both options to a jury. Bailey did not submit a blood-alcohol test after the crash nor did police ask for a search warrant for his blood.
The bail conditions require Bailey to not drive or to drink alcohol. He must wear an ankle monitor that checks for alcohol consumption.
Sooter was charged differently because of his DWI past. He pleaded guilty in 2001 to DWI and a similar charge in 2002.
Do you think the men are getting off easy with the charges? Tell us in the comments below.
To learn more about bad lawyers, read these articles:
- Attorney Charged With Sexual Assault For The Fourth Time
- 9 Lawyers Associated with Child Pornography
- Personal Injury Lawyer Suspended for Stabbing Man in Bar
- Suspended Immigration Lawyer Identified as Suspect in DUI Accident
Photo: flickr.com
