FOX2 News reported last week that St. Louis County prosecutors are taking a new look into a fatal 2023 crash on the Jefferson Barracks Bridge after evidence emerged in a civil lawsuit that could lead to criminal charges. 

Adam C. Whittington, 28, of Dupo, died July 30, 2023, a day after his car was struck during the early morning hours on I-255 in a construction zone.

The Missouri Highway Patrol said a 2007 Ford Focus driven by Whittington had stopped on the roadway shortly after 5 a.m. due to a previous minor crash when it was rear-ended by a 2016 Jeep Patriot driven by Jennifer L. Jackson, 40, of Arnold, Mo., sending Whittington’s car into a concrete barrier. 

Police said Whittington had bottles of alcohol in his car. They also said marijuana was found in Jackson’s vehicle, and she had failed a field sobriety test. A blood sample later revealed methadone and Xanax in her system. 

Jackson was initially charged with driving while intoxicated.

Attorneys for Whittington’s family filed a subsequent civil lawsuit against Jackson and dug deeper into the crash, FOX2 News reported. Lawyers said data from Jackson’s vehicle and depositions showed she was speeding in a construction zone and never braked before impact. 

Dashcam video presented in court during this civil case showed Jackson’s Jeep drifting between lanes.

Although the civil lawsuit has since been settled, Whittington’s family requested evidence from this case be turned over to the St. Louis County prosecutor’s office.

Possible new criminal charges against Jackson are now pending.