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Jury awards Russellville family millions

Published: Friday, November 14, 2008 1:52 PM CST
A Cole County Jury has awarded a Russellville family multi-millon dollar verdicts against a Russellville man who is serving prison time for killing and injuring members of their family in a drunk driving crash.

In a civil trial Thursday, jurors awarded Eric and Johanna Olsen $10 million in punitive damages and more than $1.8 million for other damages being sought against Larry Welch.

The jury was selected Wednesday.

The suit cited a Missouri Highway Patrol report that said Welch was intoxicated when he crossed the center line of Route C, west of Route U in western Cole County Nov. 4, 2007, and collided with the Olsen vehicle.

Jean Olsen and Tobias Olsen were killed in the wreck.

In August, Welch pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of seconddegree assault and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.




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ndnlvngcherokee wrote on Nov 20, 2008 9:45 AM:

" I think we so need to get tough on the alcohol laws in this state. My sisters X is going to get to go for sentencing on Dec 8 this is not the first time he was introuble for DUI and without a license. The most he will get (sit down) is 2 yrs. The judge did say that this time he will get jail time. Just so everyone understands this man has had many many tickets, lost his license in ILL and MO, and still goes to work gets a paycheck and is drunk by 9am and the most he will get is 2yrs that makes me sick...scares me to think he can get behind a wheel and hit someone and kill them "

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shinymcshine wrote on Nov 18, 2008 5:05 PM:

" I've always been a firm believer that if the first offense is treated seriously enough, the chances of a second offense will greatly reduce. Typically, first offenses are treated as little more than a glorified speeding ticket.
Hammer offenders the first time through and you'll not see nearly as many of them coming through for round two. "

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Boscoe wrote on Nov 18, 2008 3:58 PM:

" What about the repeat offenders who just get a year or two of unsupervised probation?

I say mandatory prison time and a stiff fine, doubling everytime they repeat the offense. "

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hmarie775 wrote on Nov 18, 2008 2:15 PM:

" it cut off my ending...

Drunk drivers should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, both criminal and civil. I think there should be harsher penalties for first time offenders, drive drunk, automatically lose your license for a year. Maybe people would take it more seriously then. "

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hmarie775 wrote on Nov 18, 2008 2:14 PM:

" to opinion only: Reading your posts made me cry, as a mother I cannot imagine your grief and pain, even though it has been years. I'm so sorry for your loss and continued struggles. I agree I have no sympathy for drunk drivers, there is no excuse other than irresponsibility and selfishness, no care or respect for society or themselves. "

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shinymcshine wrote on Nov 17, 2008 7:01 PM:

" bohica wrote on Nov 17, 2008 5:25 PM:

" Ok, I did not say he should go free!
Maybe this will change his life for the good maybe not.

He had multiple chances to "change his life for the good" and he chose not to. At this point, I couldn't care less what he does, as long as it involves TIME.
The best thing he can do is die a miserable wretch as an example of what happens to those that simply won't learn.
Him in prison is a good thing. He proved he couldn't be trusted to be on the outside. "

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bohica wrote on Nov 17, 2008 5:25 PM:

" Ok, I did not say he should go free!
Maybe this will change his life for the good maybe not. I'm sure you all would feel I should be in prison right now, instead of trying to do my best and help others now. Thank you for your judgment of me. No, I haven't taken anyone's life or had anything like this happen to me. I beleive a civil suit was in order. But I don't think we should be trashing someome for a horrible choice they made. I know for a fact how that feels. "

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opiniononly wrote on Nov 17, 2008 12:39 PM:

" I know what the olsons are going through. Bless them and I know they will have the courage over the years to fight the demons. No reason for either of them dad or daughter to feel bad for Larry's sentence and loss this again is a victory for them- they are not stupid they know that wife, mom, son, brother are gone forever in body but they will ALWAYS keep them in their hearts, souls and forever have beautiful memory's of both loved ones no longer here. There will be no more new great memories those unfortunately ceased when Welch CHOSE to drivie yet again under the influence except this time killing 2 and seriously injuring the 2 surviving family members. "

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opiniononly wrote on Nov 17, 2008 11:44 AM:

" Loosing a loved one is a reoccuring nightmare that leaves physical and emotional scars and there are always more emotional scars to come. I explain the best I can to my 5yr old son about his brother that should be here with him showing him the ropes like brothers do. Its never ending with Dylan asking can I go play with Christopher for just 5 minutes because "he would really like me mommy" and me explaining going to heaven means you don't come back or him wanting to go see Christopher"for just a minute mom" I say again when you go you stay but when its our time we will see Christopher. Instead we go to the cemetary and Dylan talks to christopher there. "

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opiniononly wrote on Nov 17, 2008 11:16 AM:

" The only reason I did not pursue a civil trial was because he is worthless and penniless. I was unable to work for 2 yrs due to my daughters injuries so instead sued my insurance company because he was an uninsured driver who was driving illegally in the first place. I received a minimul amount to get us through and now am paying for psychiatrist, counselor and medication for both me and my daughter due to her finally just now beginning to face and remember what took place 9 years ago! She is in the process of remembering and re-living the crash and I am going to learn things that I never knew because I was not in the car or at the scene. "

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opiniononly wrote on Nov 17, 2008 11:08 AM:

" bohica wrote on Nov 16, 2008 12:16 PM:
"Revenge is not your's saith the Lord
The money won't change what happened. "
A civil suit is NOT revenge. Its a part of the legal system put in place for victims. No the money won't bring the loved ones back however it is yet another victory for the family and Larry deserves all the punishment he has received and then some! I lost my son and serious injuries to my daughter due to yet another driving under the influence he only received 120 days shock/5 yrs probation. Was arrested again 72 hrs after being off probation for another serious felony (#3) and once again 5 yrs probation on 10.30.08! "

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lumpsinthesandbox wrote on Nov 16, 2008 7:35 PM:

" bohica - until these jokers meet their maker and his judgement; they are subjec to the laws of this society. He made the decision to drink and drive - so why should he keep his freedom or his money?
You put a drunk behind the wheel and that vehicle becomes a deadly weapon. The drunk doesn't care who he wipes out. So we, as a sober driving society, don't really care how sorry he is afterwards.
That could have been my babies he killed - or yours. "

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bohica wrote on Nov 16, 2008 12:16 PM:

" "Revenge is not your's saith the Lord"
The money won't change what happened. "

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shinymcshine wrote on Nov 15, 2008 3:46 PM:

" They ALWAYS do! "

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Boscoe wrote on Nov 15, 2008 1:51 PM:

" The Lawyers made out well on this case. "

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shinymcshine wrote on Nov 15, 2008 11:38 AM:

" Larry was financially loaded. Insurance will only pay policy limits but that doesn't mean that's all that's available. The Olson's will now OWN Larry's estate. Most people don't carry enough insurance to cover a suit like this. I'm sure his company was more than ready to pony up their policy limits. They knew they'd pay it, but not a dime more. Larry gets to pick up the difference.
Larry will now die in prison, pennyless....Appropriate, I'd say. "

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nospinzone wrote on Nov 15, 2008 3:42 AM:

" moky fellow you don't know that civil suits like this come from the insurance
companies , this one particularly car insurance co, why do you think our premiums go up , ? Doctors malpractice insurance in med cases, car insurance in car accident civil suits, homeowners when people get hurt on your property, etc etc etc come on
you knew that . "

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Ja50np wrote on Nov 15, 2008 12:51 AM:

" Why are you fascinated with killing people thnkr? Are you aware that an offender can not receive the death penalty for this type of offense?

Right, Mo, where does these millions come from? "

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Mo Ky Fellow wrote on Nov 14, 2008 9:31 PM:

" Does he have anything? Jury awards mean nothing if there is nothing there to collect. "

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thnkr wrote on Nov 14, 2008 3:54 PM:

" A small price to pay. Should have gotten the death penalty rather than prison time and settlements. Years of good 'lawyering' have gotten him off with slaps on the wrist for previous incidents, and now two people are dead. Hope the presiding judges over previous cases sleep well at night. "

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