With the filing of criminal charges in connection with last weekends’ traffic fatality in Chillicothe, comes investigative details with the release of a probable cause statement.
In part, the driver of a pickup is accused of inhaling contents of an air duster causing him to pass out. A Livingston County arrest warrant has been issued for 23-year old Shawn Michael Yuille of Trenton. The Saturday evening crash claimed the life of 39-year-old Danette Raredon of Chillicothe, the driver of the car.
Livingston County’s Prosecuting Attorney filed charges against 23-year-old Shawn Michael Yuille accusing him of murder in the second degree and first degree endangering the welfare of a child, resulting in serious physical injuries.
Online court information shows bond has been set at $200,000 cash.
Yuille was injured in the accident and hospitalized at Saint Luke’s in Kansas City. His five-year-old daughter Izzabella was riding in the pickup when the accident happened and was taken for treatment to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.
A front seat passenger in the pickup, Jeremy Osburn, declined medical treatment at the scene. A probable cause statement quotes Osburn regarding circumstances leading up to the crash. The statement was signed by Highway Patrol Corporal John Gilliland.
His report quotes multiple witnesses as saying the pickup was traveling at very high speed, approximately 84 mph, northbound on Washington, which is U.S. Highway 65 at Chillicothe. Witnesses told officers the pickup was in the right lane when it struck the front driver’s door of the Rardon car that had just turned from Calhoun onto Washington.
Corporal Gilliland’s report states the pickup’s speedometer indicated a speed of approximately 84 miles an hour at the time of the electronic shut-off. The posted speed limit for that portion of downtown Chillicothe is 25 miles per hour.
Highway Patrol Sergeant Doug Little quoted Yuille, while at Hedrick Medical Center and awaiting transfer to Kansas City, as reportedly saying the truck was going faster than he wanted it to because the accelerator got stuck and that the truck had been having problems.
Chillicothe Policeman Michael Smith provided a written statement and electronic communication from Jeremy Osburn on factors related to the crash. Among information given was a statement from Osburn indicating Shawn Yuille had inhaled contents of an air duster can, “hit the gas”, and “passed out” while driving at the bridge near 1st Street.
Osburn then reportedly said he grabbed the steering wheel, drove, swerving in and out of traffic until the pickup collided with the car making a right turn. Witnesses were quoted as saying the light signal was red for traffic on Washington and green for traffic on Calhoun.
The next day, Osburn was interviewed by law enforcement officers and confirmed he had bought the air dusters and that Yuille twice inhaled its contents while driving.
As the pickup was traveling too far to the right and toward some buildings, Osburn said he yelled at the driver (Yuille) who was allegedly unresponsive by then. That’s when Osburn said he took the steering wheel and began driving from his passenger seat. He noted the truck accelerated rapidly, swerving in traffic.
On Wednesday, search warrants were executed on both motor vehicles.
The probable cause statement noted imaged data was obtained from the pickup’s power control module—commonly referred to as the “black box.” The data revealed the pickup was traveling at 88 miles an hour with 100 percent throttle and zero braking input at the time of the collision. Evidence inside the pickup determined that the child was not properly restrained in the back seat resulting in her being injured.
Two cans of compressed gas duster were located inside the pickup. The cans were sold in a two pack and the plastic packaging had been opened.
The probable cause statement added the gas pedal assembly was removed and a preliminary test revealed it was functioning properly.
Based on information from witnesses, electronic communications, Osburn’s interview, and evidence found at the scene and in the vehicles, Highway Patrol Corporal Gilliland’s statement concluded with a request for arrest warrants on Shawn Yuille.
