A Lenexa man will spend 11 years in prison for a fatal hit-and-run death that occurred in Kansas City earlier this year.
On Sept. 8 in Jackson County, Missouri, District Court, Tyler Macias, 33, was handed down sentences for involuntary manslaughter in the second degree, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death after he struck and killed Michael G. Babbitt, an attorney from Chicago, with his car on Feb. 3.
Macias received four years in prison for involuntary manslaughter in the second degree and seven years for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. Both will be served at the Missouri Department of Corrections. The charges will run concurrently.
Judge Bryan E. Round handed down the punishments.
Macias hit the victim with his vehicle
At 8 p.m. on Feb. 3, Kansas City, Missouri, police responded to a report of an injury-related crash involving a pedestrian at 11th Street and Grand Boulevard.
Surveillance footage obtained by police showed Michael G. Babbitt, the victim, was walking toward the Grand Boulevard crosswalk, carrying two bags of groceries, as the traffic signal had turned red for north and south traffic, according to court records.
As Babbitt was using the crosswalk, he was struck by a gold, four-door Toyota sedan traveling at a high rate of speed, according to court records. The driver did not stop to check on him, according to court records.
Babbitt was later transported to an area hospital where he died as a result of his injuries from the crash.
Macias drove home from the scene of the crime
After police arrived at the crime scene, they performed a search of the area, where they discovered the Toyota abandoned near 9th and Jefferson Sstreets with damage consistent with the crash and two grocery bags in the vehicle.
On Feb. 4, detectives with the Traffic Investigations Section of the Kansas City Police Department got in contact with the registered owner of the car, who said they sold it to Macias.
From there, officers with the Lenexa Police Department were able to speak with Macias’ wife, who told them he arrived home with blood all over him and said he was attacked and his car had been stolen. On the same day, they also spoke with Macias who gave similar answers to them about being attacked and carjacked, but couldn’t tell them where it happened.
On Feb. 5, Macias called Lenexa Police to tell them to come over so he could make a statement to them. He told them he was driving to clear his head when he started speeding to avoid a vehicle behind that “may cause a problem,” according to court records. He told police that he remembered seeing Babbitt at the crosswalk, but claimed he had a green light when he struck him. After the crash, he said he got scared and drove to a dog park he frequented, where he abandoned his vehicle and found a ride back to his residence.
Prior to the crash, city cameras captured Macias driving the Toyota in a “careless and imprudent manner,” running red lights, as well as striking a vehicle from behind. He was charged on Feb. 8.
The victim was an attorney from Chicago
Babbitt was attorney and partner at Willkie Chicago, as well as a husband and father of three children, according to his law firm.
In his career as an attorney, he was known for his intelligence in law, as well as his accomplishments as a lawyer, his obituary stated.
“Mike had an unparalleled legal mind and an uncanny ability to navigate the complexities of patent, trademark, and copyright law,” it stated. “Mike also had the rare ability to communicate complex technology to anyone with simplicity and a measure of humor. He was often sought after by many of the most prestigious companies and organizations to serve as their legal counsel.”
Babbitt was in Kansas City for a trial when the crash occurred, a friend wrote on social media. He is missed, they added.
“To me, Mike was a law school friend with an easy and quick smile that was always there to help anyone out. He was absolutely one of the good guys,” they wrote. “I’ve tried to make some sense of this one, but so far I just can’t. It just seems cruel and utterly unnecessary.”
A request for comment from the Johnson County Post to Willkie Chicago was not returned.
Other Johnson County crime news: Lenexa woman charged with murder in shooting death of teen in KCMO
