News 4 Exclusive: Driver in deadly MoDOT crash wrecked months before claiming medical emergency

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - News 4 Investigates has uncovered startling new information about the driver who ran through a MoDOT work zone, hitting three workers.

One worker survived with lifelong injuries, two workers died, including one who was nearly six months pregnant with a baby boy.

The crash happened in November 2021 on Telegraph Road near I-255 in South County. Investigators are looking into the crash as possibly being a medical emergency.

News 4 Investigates learned months earlier, that the same driver was in another crash where responding officers deemed it a medical emergency.

“Getting told that my 6-months pregnant daughter died on her knees, doing a job that MoDOT should have protected her, makes me sick,” said Tonya Musskopf. “We want justice, we want answers.”

The crash killed Musskopf’s daughter, 25-year-old Kaitlyn Anderson, who was pregnant with her son Jaxx.

Anderson was on a MoDOT striping crew. The crash also killed 58-year-old James Brooks. Michael Brown survived but will live with lifelong injuries.

“All because someone didn’t slow down and move over,” Musskopf said.

Public records from Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) name the driver as 52-year-old Stanley McFadden, from Hillsboro. He hasn’t been criminally charged in the case.

According to the MSHP crash reconstruction report, McFadden, “May have been suffering from a medical condition,” and told investigators, “I do not remember the crash.”

“You still gotta take care of yourself, you still gotta protect, it’s still a weapon you’re driving,” Musskopf added.

Musskopf and Kaitlyn’s boyfriend Austin Jarvis question if McFadden should have been on the road.

“That’s all I want to hear from him, the honest truth of how he had that happen,” said Jarvis, who is the father of Jaxx.

This isn’t the first time McFadden’s health was an issue behind the wheel.

News 4 Investigates found Arnold police records, showing three months before the deadly MoDOT crash, McFadden wrecked his car. According to the police report, McFadden was “swerving between lanes” and “drove off” the road.

The responding officer noted it was a “medical emergency.” McFadden did not take an ambulance to the hospital. He didn’t get a ticket and because of that, the crash doesn’t show up on his Missouri driver record.

“If his background checks out to be what it is, then he should have been treating himself correctly,” Jarvis added.

Under Missouri law, there’s no required health check for someone to get back behind the wheel after a crash caused by a medical emergency. The state can only step in if a peace officer, physician, or family member reports someone as “incompetent or unqualified” to drive.

McFadden no longer has a license. Recent reporting by News 4 Investigates led the Missouri Department of Revenue to revoke his license, something the state can do if a driver kills a MoDOT employee in a work zone.

News 4 Investigates reached out to Arnold police and asked if officers were ever concerned about McFadden getting back on the road and if there was any follow-up to make sure he was safe to drive. The police department has not yet responded.

The case is now being reviewed by the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s office. During an interview with News 4, Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell explained his office needs time to complete the needed work.

“We have to make certain that we get it right,” Bell said. “Our law enforcement partners are doing everything they can to give us the case as far as with respect to their investigation.”

The crash report is more than 100 pages long and includes dozens of pictures. MSHP claims they sent those records to the prosecutor’s office in February.

“Because it’s an ongoing investigation, I can’t get too detailed but I will say there are reports, experts and things of that nature,” Bell said.

Bell’s office tells News 4 Investigates they are reviewing the crash report from Arnold police. At this time, prosecutors say they don’t have a timeline for when they will make a final charging decision.

“If there are no charges, I can tell you I am not giving up. I will go to the next step whatever I can do,” Tonya Musskopf said.

On that tragic day last November, multiple people called 911 to report the driver well before the crash.

Two calls came in from Telegraph near Erb Road, almost 3 miles away from the MoDOT work zone.

“He’s driving really erratically, I mean like the worst I’ve ever seen,” one caller told the 911 operator.

Musskopf says hearing those 911 calls reminds her of why she’s pushing for change and wondering if warning signs were missed.

“Someone has to be responsible,” Musskopf said. “Until I take my last breath, I’m not giving up.”

While the driver’s license is currently revoked, he could get it back.

Under Missouri law when the state revokes someone’s license, the driver can appeal and get a hearing to fight it, or they can take and pass the written and driving part of the license test.

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