An Edgar Springs man faces felony charges after allegedly fatally striking a Dent County man with a vehicle and leaving the scene, according to documents filed in circuit court.
William L. Robbins, born in 1985, is charged in a Dec. 19 warrant with counts of leaving the scene of an accident — accident resulting in death and tampering with physical evidence in felony prosecution. His bond was set at $250,000.
A crash report by Troop I of the Missouri State Highway Patrol states David E. Davis, 83, was declared deceased at 6:15 p.m. Dec. 7 by Dent County Coroner Ben Pursifull upon being found lying face down on Highway 32 in Dent County. Davis was hit by a motor vehicle three miles east of Salem and the driver who hit him left the scene, the patrol said.
A probable cause statement confirms the cause of death for Davis was determined to be resulting from injuries received upon being hit by a motor vehicle to his right side. It states Davis lived across the highway from where he was found. His wife told investigators who’d crossed the road to get the mail.
The statement says inspection of the vehicle debris recovered from the scene identified the suspect’s vehicle as a 2008-2012 Ford Escape. Investigation by officers obtained information indicating Robbins was the driver who hit Davis and left the scene. Robbins, who was on probation, was allegedly operating a 2011 Ford Escape he’d borrowed from his mother.
According to the patrol report, Robbins had a passenger with him when the tragedy occurred. The car was later found by officers partially disassembled. Authorities said it was an attempt to conceal that the car had been involved.