KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The family of a man who was struck and killed after stopping to help victims involved in a previous crash last November has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver who hit the man.
Early in the morning on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, several juveniles in a stolen Chevrolet SUV crashed their car on eastbound Interstate 70 near Lee’s Summit Road.
The civil lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Jackson County Circuit Court, says Robert Piper, his wife Traci and daughter Kaitlyn saw the crash and pulled off on the side of the interstate to see if they could provide assistance.
LINK | Read the lawsuit
Robert Piper went to see if he could help the occupants of the crashed SUV. After Piper got out of his car, he was struck by another motorist, identified in the lawsuit as Dr. Michael Monaco, a Kansas City Chiefs team physician who was returning home after the team had returned from playing a game in Germany.
The lawsuit estimates that Monaco struck Piper about three minutes after the Chevrolet SUV crashed.
Piper died at the scene from his injuries. One of the juveniles involved in the original crash also died.
It's not clear if that juvenile's death was caused by the original crash or after it was struck by Monaco's Ford F-150.
Independence police investigated the crash. A spokesperson told KSHB 41 that police submitted their case to the Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney's Office for review. A spokesperson from the prosecutor's office said they are still reviewing the case.
Ralph Monaco, Michael's brother-in-law, is listed as the attorney representing Michael.
“It's devastating. Mike's emotionally distraught over it," Ralph Monaco told KSHB 41 I-Team's Cameron Taylor. "Total sympathies go out to the Pipers. It’s just a horrible event.”
KSHB 41 has reached out to the Kansas City Chiefs for comment and will update this story if one is received.
The lawsuit alleges Monaco’s negligence lead to Piper’s death and that he should have been able to avoid striking Piper as other motorists had been able to do.
The lawsuit also cites Monaco’s speed of 71 miles per hour — the speed limit in the area is 65 miles per hour — and failure to attempt to avoid the crash until it was too late, as causes to Piper’s death.
The lawsuit also alleges negligence per se, also citing Monaco’s speed, “failing to keep a careful lookout” and that he failed “to use the highest degree of care” in attempting to avoid the crash.
KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig spoke to Traci Piper days after Robert died.
“I’m just in disbelief, I just can’t believe it,” Traci Piper said in November. "He liked everything I liked, we were best friends."
"He was so good to everyone. But not only do good, he just was good. The best human being I've ever met,” she said.
Traci describes Robert as a loving father and husband, an Andy Cohen enthusiast and even a Tik Tok maker, thanks to her.
"He'd do everything with me. Even Tik Toks!" Traci said.
The family is represented by attorney Michael C. Rader and Austin W. Green of the Bartimus, Frickleton, Robertson and Rader law firm.
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