Crash report says 2 vehicles hit pedestrian who died, Tesla dragged man’s body for a half mile

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A crash report says a 43-year-old man died in an October crash after he was hit by two vehicles and a Tesla dragged his body for about a half-mile.

A crash occurred 6:40 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 1 in the 2500 block of Paris Road. The report says the victim was Russell Matthew, of Columbia.

The report says Keith Hill, 62, of Columbia, drove his 2010 Volkswagen Jetta southbound when Matthew was “running across the southbound lanes of Paris Road from the curb to the turn lane and back.” Hill’s vehicle hit Matthew and Hill pulled over.

A 2018 Tesla Model S – driven by Travis Thoenen, 52, of Mexico, Missouri – was also heading southbound behind the Volkswagen. The report states Thoenen slowed down his vehicle and ended up driving over Matthew, which led to the vehicle dragging Matthew’s body for about a half-mile. Matthew was pronounced dead after Thoenen stopped his car.

Thoenen allegedly told police that he saw debris in the road “but could not stop in time,” the report says. He allegedly stated that he could “tell something was caught under hit vehicle.”

“Driver Two stated he turned down Vandiver Drive and then onto Wabash. Driver Two stated he turned around and the onto Wabash Dr.,” the report says. “Driver Two stated he put the vehicle into reverse and that pedestrian one’s body came out from under the vehicle.”

The report claims probable contributing circumstances to the crash included Matthew possibly having drugs and was wearing clothing that was not visible to drivers.