Mission Hills personal injury attorney Peter E. Goss has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges and a misdemeanor stemming from a fatal wreck in which he allegedly drove the wrong way on a Missouri highway while intoxicated.
On July 9 in Johnson County, Missouri, District Court, Goss entered pleas of not guilty to driving while intoxicated and causing the death of another person who was not a passenger in his car, a class B felony; involuntary manslaughter, a class C felony; and driving in the wrong direction, a class A misdemeanor, according to court records.
The pleas come after Goss was charged on June 24 for allegedly causing a fatal wreck near Lone Jack last September that killed Lee’s Summit resident Kevin Wilson. After he was charged, Goss posted 10% of a set $50,000 bond.
Goss entered the pleas during his initial court appearance in Johnson County, Missouri, court, accompanied by his attorney, James Hobbs. Judge Kaitlyn Alexandra Roach is the presiding judge.
A request for comment from Hobbs by the Johnson County Post was not returned.
Goss allegedly caused a deadly wrong-way crash
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, Goss was driving the wrong way on U.S. Highway 50 near Highway Z, when his Chevrolet Suburban collided with a Subaru Legacy driven by Wilson, age 65.
Goss suffered serious injuries and was taken to Research Medical Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, according to the Highway Patrol’s online crash report at the time.
In December 2024, Goss reached a roughly $2 million settlement with Wilson’s two children. A Missouri judge finalized the settlement in early January.
Goss was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated
In a probable cause statement accompanying the complaint, Missouri Highway Patrol Trooper B. S. Lautenschlager indicated that a trooper who contacted Goss at the scene had collected a preliminary breath test to screen for intoxicants.
A “partial sample of his breath,” showed a blood alcohol content of 0.16% — twice the legal limit of 0.08% in Missouri, according to the probable cause statement. Partial breath samples are not admissible in court in some states.
Less than two months after the wreck, Goss was back at work taking cases and representing clients at the firm he founded. Court records from last month showed he was still taking cases.
Despite his arrest and a previous history of disciplinary action from both the Kansas and Missouri supreme courts, Goss remains active in Kansas courts and is still in good standing with the Missouri Bar Association.
What’s next
Goss is scheduled to return to Johnson County, Missouri, court for a preliminary hearing at 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 13.
