Woman found guilty in deadly I-229 wrong-way crash

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-PressNOW) — A St. Joseph woman charged in a fatal wrong-way crash on Interstate 229 last year has been found guilty of second-degree manslaughter.

An emotional trial ended Friday with Circuit Judge Dan Kellogg convicting Katherine Deweese of 2nd degree involuntary manslaughter in the wrong-way crash that killed St. Joseph motorcyclist Ryan Coffman last May.

Second degree involuntary manslaughter — a class E felony — is punishable by up to 4 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. Sentencing for Deweese has been scheduled for April.

Chandra Roberts, Coffman’s older sister, said she and many family members were pleased with the verdict, bringing a level of closure for the family 10-months after the fatal crash occurred.

“Absolutely. I didn’t want her entire life to be ruined by this, because I do understand it was a really crappy situation for both parties involved. But actions have consequences,” Roberts said. “We’re not done.”

Deweese was charged in August three months after the deadly crash occurred in the early morning hours of May 17, 2024.

Prosecutors had sought a first-degree manslaughter charge for Deweese in the case. Kellogg opted not to find her guilty of the more severe charge.

“The court does not find that the actions were a substantial and unjustifiable risk of causing death in this case. The court does, however, find that Ms. DeWeese is guilty of involuntary manslaughter in second degree that she was in fact criminally negligent,” Kellogg said.

On the morning of the crash, Deweese was driving Downtown — between 4:30 and 5 a.m. — when prosecutors say she drove the wrong way up the Interstate 229 6A exit ramp that leads to Edmond and South Third streets, passing multiple “Do Not Enter” signs and causing the fatal head-on collision with Coffman.

Coffman, who was heading Downtown to volunteer for a shift at Sunshine Electric Display, was ejected from his motorcycle and into the windshield of Deweese’s Honda CRV, suffering life-threatening injuries in the process. Coffman was transported to Mosaic Life Care and pronounced dead that afternoon as a result of blunt force trauma.

“At no point, at no time ever did he have any chance to avoid this wreck,” Coleman said.

Over the course of the 8-hour trial on Friday, assistant prosecuting attorney Oakley Coleman laid out the state’s case against Deweese, claiming she recklessly drove up the ramp while distracted by a heated dispute with boyfriend and passenger Eric Richey.

The defense did not argue that Deweese accidentally went up the ramp, but disputed that she “recklessly” did so causing the death of another person, maintaining that she did not see the signs at the time of the crash, called 911 and cooperated with officers at the scene.

Deweese testified that she did not enter the ramp westbound from Edmond Street — a claim the prosecution disputed — but rather from North Third Street, making the red “Do Not Enter” signs perpendicular to her and not clearly visible. However, the signs also include two black “One Way” signs on top of the red surface that face drivers coming from north and south.

Richey and Deweese both took the stand during the trial. The two each testified that they had been drinking the night before while staying at Deweese’s apartment on North Third Street, just four blocks from the site of the crash. Deweese, a registered nurse for 13 years, has lived in the area for approximately three years.

While on the stand, Richey testified that he consumed a vodka-juice cocktail on the morning of the accident because of his anxiousness with flying. Deweese was driving that morning to drop Richey off at the airport for his son’s birthday.

A preliminary breath test administered on Deweese at the scene indicated a presence of alcohol below the legal limit at 0.065%, leading police to request a blood draw at the Law Enforcement Center. The subsequent test showed Deweese’s reporting limit of ethanol was well below the limit at 0.010%.

Deweese was never arrested or issued a citation by St. Joseph Police, she was later charged on Aug. 20.

Stay with News-Press NOW as we continue to update this story.