For Immediate Release
Dec. 17, 2022
Two defendants in separate fatal DWI crashes in Jackson County were sentenced Friday to 15- and 16-year prison sentences, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.
Colby Byrd, dob: 3/13/1995, was sentenced to 12 years after pleading guilty to DWI -- death of two and 4 years for pleading guilty to DWI -- serious physical injury. The sentences were set to run consecutively for a total of 16 years in prison.
Desire C. Smith, dob: 11/7/1981, was sentenced to 15 years after pleading guilty to DWI Death of a Another Not Passenger.
According to court records related to Byrd's charges, on Feb. 10, 2021, Independence police were dispatched to Little Blue Parkway and Truman Road on a vehicular crash. Officers found a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe had crossed over and struck a Nissan Sentra head-on, killing the driver and a front seat passenger and injuring two backseat passengers. Tests of his blood showed high levels of alcohol.
According to court records related to Smith's charges, the Missouri Highway Patrol were dispatched on June 14, 2019, to Interstate 70, near Adams Dairy Parkway and found the defendant's vehicle and another vehicle involved in the crash. The driver of the other vehicle was deceased. Witnesses told troopers that defendant's vehicle was headed westbound in the eastbound lane when she struck the victim's vehicle.
For more information, contact:
Michael Mansur
Director of Communication
Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office
Jean Peters Baker, Prosecutor
Work : (816) 881-3812
Mobile : (816) 674-3954
www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com
mmansur@jacksongov.org