Columbia police say no crime committed in deadly I-70 crash

The Columbia Police Department released details of its investigation into a deadly October crash on Interstate 70.

On Oct. 26, Ennis Marquis Patrick, 36, was killed when he was riding a bicycle on I-70 near the Lake of the Woods exit.

The CPD Traffic Unit’s report says there was a delay in officers discovering Patrick’s remains, however, there was no criminal offense committed. The report also states there was “no reason” to initially believe the accident involved a person. Instead, officers believed the crash was a vehicle versus a deer.

Investigators say Patrick was in the road when he was struck by a semi-truck. The driver of the truck called law enforcement, reporting he had hit something in the roadway, but did not stop at the scene.

According to the the findings of the investigation, there is no probable cause to believe the driver committed a crime by hitting Patrick.

The first officer dispatched to the area saw a scene that was consistent with a deer being struck by a vehicle, according to the report. The call originated from the Missouri State Highway Patrol for a report of a dead deer.

A second officer who drove through the area also reported the scene was consistent with a vehicle versus deer accident and there was no traffic hazard to drivers.

The report states that numerous officers and other drivers traveled through that section of I-70 and all reported a scene that was similar to a car hitting an animal.

Around 12:45 p.m., a sergeant with the Columbia Police Department responded to the area to follow up on a report of a driver seeing bloody clothing on I-70. When the sergeant reached the scene, it was determined the remains were human.

According to the police department, if an officer determines the accident is a vehicle versus an animal and that there is no hazard to drivers, then no additional action is needed. The officers are “not expected or required” to inspect items on or next to a heavily-traveled road.