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Suit filed against suspected drunken driver accused of killing mother and son

November 19th, 2007 by Paul Passanante

NEWS RELEASE

November 16, 2007

Lawsuit filed against suspected drunken driver accused of killing mother and son

St. Louis – A wrongful death and personal injury lawsuit arising out of an alleged drunken-driving accident that killed Jean Olsen, 45, and her son Tobias, 17, was filed in Cole County Circuit Court today against Larry Welch.

On Sunday, Nov. 4, around 11:25 a.m. , Eric Olsen, 41, was driving with his family on Highway C in Cole County, Mo. His wife, Jean, sat in the front passenger seat. The Olsens’ daughter Johanna, 14, and her brother Tobias sat in the back seat. Larry Welch, 55, driving east on Highway C, allegedly crossed the center line and crashed into the Olsens’ westbound vehicle. Jean and Tobias Olsen died in the accident. Eric and Johanna Olsen were seriously injured.

According to the Missouri Highway Patrol’s statement of probable cause, there was a strong odor of intoxicants inside Welch’s car, and when Welch walked back to the patrol car he swayed, his eyes were bloodshot, and his speech was slurred. Breath analysis indicated that Welch’s blood alcohol content was 0.08, meeting the legal standard for driving under the influence.

Cole County Prosecutor Mark Richardson has charged Welch with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of Jean and Tobias Welch and two counts of second-degree assault for the injuries to Eric and Johanna Welch.

St. Louis-based lawyers Paul J. Passanante and Dawn M. Mefford of Simon۰Passanante, P.C. filed the wrongful death and personal injury lawsuit on behalf of Eric and Johanna Olsen. They seek actual and punitive damages against Welch, as well as damages for loss of consortium.

“It is a great honor to represent the survivors of this wonderful family,” said Passanante. “Mr. Welch recklessly ruined their lives, and justice demands that he face the consequences.”

St. Louis-based Simon۰Passanante, P.C. handles catastrophic injury, mass tort, class action, intellectual property and commercial litigation cases nationwide. For more information, contact Paul J. Passanante at 314-241-2929 or e-mail Ppassanante@simonpassanante.com.

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Media Contact: Geri L. Dreiling
Legal Media Matters 314.520.3897
legalmediamatters@sbcglobal.net

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