KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jackson County prosecutors charged a Lenexa man in the Feb. 3 hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian crossing a downtown street in Kansas City, Missouri.
Tyler Macias is charged in Jackson County Court with involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.
A court document stated Michael Babbitt, 42, was walking west to east in the crosswalk on the north side of East 12th Street and Grand Avenue just after 8 p.m. on Feb. 3.
A nearby surveillance camera captured video of Babbitt with white plastic grocery bags in both of his hands.
Babbitt was near the northbound lanes of Grand Boulevard when the traffic light changed to red for traffic going north and south on the busy street.
The video captured a gold, four-door sedan travel through the intersection, hit Babbitt and speed away, per the court document.
Minutes later, a 911 caller told police there was a gold, four-door vehicle with damage parked and abandoned near West 9th and Jefferson streets.
The day after the fatal crash, Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department detectives with the Traffic Investigations Section learned Macias told his wife he had been attacked and his car was stolen in KCMO.
His wife told Lenexa police, who came to the couple's house. Macias came home with blood all over him and a cut on his lip, according to the court document.
He was not helpful with Lenexa officers and told them he did not need their help.
Macias contacted a KCMO detective Feb. 5 and said he wanted to make a statement.
He told detectives he suffers from bad dreams and drives around KCMO listening to classical music to clear his head, according to the court document.
Macias said he was just south of 12th and Grand when he saw a vehicle behind him he thought might cause a problem.
He sped away and said he had the green light when he hit Babbitt.
Another camera captured Macias hit another car at Pershing Road and Main Street.
Macias was driving on a suspended/revoked driver's license from California.
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