"Intentional crashes" lead to death of pregnant mom and toddler
Pregnant woman, 2-year-old son dead as stranger deliberately drives into them, police say
The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody immediately following the two pedestrian related crashes. He has been identified as William David Phillips, 33, of Jefferson City.
Phillips was transported to the Jefferson County Justice Center where he has been charged with first degree murder for the death of the unborn child. His current charges are 3 counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted first degree murder.
Police say this was an ‘intentional act of violence toward randomly chosen pedestrians.’ Investigators have determined that Phillips did not know the victims.
Phillips was traveling west on East Main St. where he swerved and intentionally struck a pedestrian. He then traveled less than a mile where again swerved and intentionally struck the next two victims at the Russell Ave. and West Main St. intersection.
Phillips reportedly told officers “a voice told him that he needed to go kill the meth addicts so he began driving very fast. He said the voice told him the baby stroller had meth in it, so he intentionally drove into it.”