Mokane woman sentenced in fatal car crash case

A Mokane woman will spend 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges she faced in connection with an August 2014 fatal car crash in Callaway County.

Lori Conner, 54, pled guilty Monday before Callaway County Judge Christine Carpenter to one count of second-degree assault and one count of involuntary manslaughter, which was amended from a charge of second-degree murder.

A second count of second-degree assault was dismissed.

According to reports from the Missouri Highway Patrol, Conner was driving south on Missouri Route CC, about 3.2 miles south of Route O, when she crossed the center line.

Justin McDonald, 27, of Mokane was driving north on Route CC at the time and swerved his vehicle into the southbound lane in an effort to avoid hitting Conner. At the same moment, Conner also made an effort to correct herself by pulling back into the southbound lane causing the two vehicles to collide near the center of the road.

McDonald was treated for serious injuries.

His passenger - Chad M. Fleischmann, 27, of New Bloomfield - was pronounced dead at the scene.

Conner was treated for serious injuries.

No one involved was wearing a seat belt.

Witnesses told patrolmen that Conner was driving in an erratic fashion prior to the crash. She was described as speeding, weaving from one side of the road to the other and passing in unsafe locations.

At the time of the accident, Conner was arrested for DWI.

A check of court records found Conner has previously been convicted of DWI. She has also previously pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, third-degree assault and resisting arrest, all occurring in Callaway County.