A Bolivar teen who was facing two felony charges in the death of an 11-year-old girl because of a traffic crash will serve ten days in jail after making a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Mikaila Koch had been charged with first degree involuntary manslaughter and second degree assault. Prosecutors agreed to allow Koch to plead guilty to a misdemeanor careless and imprudent driving charge. Along with 10 days in jail, Koch will serve 2 years probation and 200 hours of community service.
On May 13, 2019, Koch was driving on Highway 65 behind a vehicle driven by Clorissa Tilden. In the car with Tilden were her children, Izabella and Ash, and the trio were heading to Niangua. Tilden was driving at 58 miles an hour, when Koch rammed the back of her vehicle at 81 miles an hour.
Tilden’s car was knocked off the road and collided with a guardrail near Division Street. Izabella Lightner was impaled when the guardrail sheared and penetrated the car. Court documents say that Koch admitted being distracted by bags in her passenger seat when she collided with Tilden’s vehicle.
Tilden told KOLR-10 before that she didn’t want to see a plea deal where the felonies were dropped.
“I want those felonies to stick, so that it ruins her life just a tiny bit,” Tilden told KOLR-10.