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Local man charged with involuntary manslaughter following Sun. wreck

Tuesday, May 19, 2009
By NOREEN HYSLOP Managing Editor

A 37-year-old Dexter man is in Stoddard County Jail in lieu of a $150,000 cash only bond, facing four felonies resulting from a fatal accident that occurred late Sunday afternoon. (See related story above)

Michael D. Norman is charged with the Class C felony of involuntary manslaughter in the first degree, the Class C felony of assault in the second degree, the Class C felony of endangering the welfare of a child and the Class D felony of driving while intoxicated, according to an arrest warrant issued Monday from the Circuit Court of Stoddard County.

According to the complaint formally filed through the office of Stoddard County's Prosecuting Attorney Briney Welborn, Norman, found to be under the influence of alcohol, was operating a motor vehicle (a three-wheel all terrain vehicle) in a negligent manner, causing the death of Ronald P. Craver, 41, of Bernie. Norman's seven-year-old son was riding as a passenger on the Craver motorcycle at the time of the wreck.

Norman, according to the complaint, was operating the ATV in the wrong lane of travel along a stretch of Z Highway, seven miles east of Bernie, and slowed to turn when Craver, driving the motorcycle, struck him from behind. Craver was pronounced dead at the scene and Norman's young son was injured and taken to a Cape hospital by ambulance.

Welborn states in the complaint that Norman is a prior offender, having pled guilty or to have been found guilty of more than one felony offenses in the past. Those charges, according to Welborn, include the Class C felony of assault in the second degree, the Class C felony of possession of a controlled substance, and two charges of DWI.

The complaint further states that the ATV driven by Norman had no working rear lamps, no orange flag or orange triangle and that Norman "knowingly acted in a manner that created a substantial risk to the life, body and health" of seven-year-old Dalton M. Norman.

According to the Highway Patrol, the investigating officer at the scene of the accident suspected that alcohol was involved on the part of Michael Norman. Following the administration of several field sobriety tests, with the results confirming intoxication, Norman was taken into custody. A subsequent blood test revealed his blood-alcohol content to be at .101 percent.

Norman remains in the Stoddard County Jail.

Comments

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I'll say it again...Don't drink and drive. Two beers will get you a expensive ticket, more than that and you too can have your name in the paper for killing someone. I would prosecute for homicide based on "depraved indifference", I know he didn't MEAN to have a wreck, but he was also drunk enough that he didn't care. Depraved indifference. Two felonies, that means the death could be looked at( by the law) as captial murder.

-- Posted by bobby wayne on Tue, May 19, 2009, at 12:54 PM

Ronnie Craver was my brother whom I loved with my heart and soul. He was the best of the best and he didnt deserve to lose his life because of a drunk driver. He left behind a wife and two little girls. I didnt only lose my brother I lost my best friend,he will be missed. Also Ronnie was not drinking. NO matter anyones opinion he was not drinking!!

-- Posted by ronnie62 on Wed, May 20, 2009, at 11:45 AM

Ronnie was a hard working man like everyone else just trying to make a living for his family and they where just all out having a good day BBQ and riding his new dirt bike, but little Dalton says he tried to stop but the brakes didn't work. So maybe they went out. Who knows but the ones who where there, but I know that Mike would never ever would of hurt his family or his in laws family, he is hurt by this also, he also has a wife and kids that are suffering the loss of Ronnie and him being in jail. Ronnie will be greatly missed by all who loved him and with all of our support his kids will always know he loved them, and we can keep him in their hearts with story's about him. God bless to the Craver Family from Me and My Family.

-- Posted by prjohnson2000 on Wed, May 20, 2009, at 3:17 PM

It's a sad story, with no good outcome that I can see. My best wishes to all the family members.

-- Posted by bobby wayne on Wed, May 20, 2009, at 5:11 PM

His breaks worked just fine, My dad and uncles both rode his Motorcycle not "Dirtbike". A careless drunk killed my uncle end of story.

-- Posted by ronnie62 on Wed, May 20, 2009, at 7:52 PM

Ronnie was a good guy he'd give you the shirt off his back for you and the sad thing is people always run their mouths not knowing the truth about the story how it really went down only one who really knows who could tell is not here to tell may god be with him as he rest high on that mountain.He will be missed very much and will always be apart of my life he was a good freind and a good husband and father. He was married about 12 or 13 years before having a family and now his two little girls and the older daughter he raised as his own will miss out on alot of their daddy's love,along with his wife.It's still hard to take in that this has happened and he's gone.My heart breaks for his family and lots of prayers are in my thoughts.I pray that if this was a stuipd mistake on mike's part that he has to relive this on a daily bases and haunts him for the rest of his life.My thoughts go out to his mother as for she looses another child and his brothers that i know.just keep him forever in your hearts and he'll always just be a memory away that can never be taken away from any of us.I WILL MISS YOU MY FREIND(RONNIE)Now Go Rest High On That Mountain and be our gaurding Angel

-- Posted by froglover on Wed, May 20, 2009, at 11:34 PM

Well I know that you want to blame someone for the accident for your brother but it was just a sad accident I dont understand how you can blame Mike for a accident but since I know most of Ronnie's family I see that you need to blame someone. I hope god shows you it isnt right to judge Mike only god can do that.

-- Posted by prjohnson2000 on Thu, May 21, 2009, at 12:16 AM

You ppl need to stop.if this death just happened dont you think that everybodys in mourning.as an outsider it seems to me that country boyz were being country boyz and a ACCIDENT occured!!accident.....meaning just that.do you think that he meant to kill this guy.cause if a motorcycle rear ended me then i would think that it would of hurt me as well.and thats whats wrong with these prosecutors some bodys always got to be at fault.some ones got to go to prison.and you see the guys got a record that means even if he would of been the one to die it would of been his fault.and some of you want him to do life?come on he has to live with this every day for the rest of his life..im not saying noone has the right to be mad,cause by all means you do.but this is just going to create more problems,two wrongs dont make a right....god bless both families,my prayers are with you..

-- Posted by chubrock on Thu, May 21, 2009, at 2:36 AM

My Sympathy goes out to both familie's, i know everyone like's to have fun, i used to drink & drive also, but i quit, i couldn't live with myself if i'd ever hurt anyone, it was just a very bad accident not ment to happen, God Bless Both Families

-- Posted by aquilla on Thu, May 21, 2009, at 5:18 AM

I have known Ann all of my life and I just want her to know she and her children are in my prayers. May God rest you Ronnie and please give Ann some comfort.

A long ago friend,

Tracy

-- Posted by sweet on Thu, May 21, 2009, at 1:09 PM

Well I don't know the entire set of events but, the guy rear ended him so I would say it would make more sense that the deceased was at fault. If I rearend a car 9 times out of 10 it would be my fault, either following too closely or just plain not paying attention. I know the guy was drunk and I don't have any tolerance for alcohol or drinking and drinving, but, I just don't understand how it was the drunk guys fault he got hit from behind.

-- Posted by MikeM68 on Thu, May 21, 2009, at 9:35 PM

Even though I have heart felt sympathy for the family, I have to agree with MM68. Any other time a person is rear ended it is the person in the rear that is at fault. Not the person that was hit.

-- Posted by sweet on Sat, May 23, 2009, at 9:14 AM

How would he be at fault if the dude pulled out right in front of him? I don't see how you get that..get your facts straight before you blame..accidents happen why can't we all just leave it at that?

-- Posted by ronnie62 on Sat, May 23, 2009, at 7:02 PM

My fault I can't say he pulled out in front of him...but normally the person who is drunk will usually be at fault..just my input not blaming.

-- Posted by ronnie62 on Sat, May 23, 2009, at 7:06 PM

True that if you are in a car and you get rearended then that person is at fault i have been rearended and they was ticketed and had to pay for damages they where told they where driving to close.So I believe that is how it should be with this accident also they just want to hang Mike stoddard county is good at that I am so glad I moved away from there they railroad people to make money.

-- Posted by prjohnson2000 on Mon, May 25, 2009, at 10:39 AM

I rode a motorcycle for several years, I had alot of near misses, from people pulling out in front of me, or just didn't care.

The man on the atv, was at fault, if he didn't have tailights, headlights, signal lights, and alegal license on the atv, and proper insurance.

He was on the road illegal. wheather he was intoxicated or not, if he wasn't legal according, to state law, he was wrong.

-- Posted by general65 on Tue, May 26, 2009, at 3:17 PM

While traveling on a road, the vehicle in front of you does not have brake lights. Who is at fault if you hit them?

-- Posted by gramma49 on Tue, May 26, 2009, at 5:06 PM

Well I want all to know that Ronnie wasn't drinking.Him like Mike was on the wrong side of the road but they was watching the traffic being safe they had rode all day since 9am and it was a bad accident that will take a long time to get over, my love for Ronnie and Mike will always be with them, and with my sister in laws I love Ann and Christy and my nieces and nephew very much if I could change what happened I would God will be with this family during this trying times ahead.

Love You All Always Your Sister in law Paula

-- Posted by prjohnson2000 on Tue, Jun 2, 2009, at 7:36 PM

How do you know he was driving on the wrong side of the road were you there? I am sick and tired of everybody thinking they knew what happened. Nobody knew Ronnie the way I did ,he was the best brother,friend ,and father anyone could have asked for he had many good friends and i think mike should get what he deserves ,I am not as forgiving .My brother is gone let him rest in peace.

-- Posted by ronnie62 on Mon, Jun 8, 2009, at 2:22 PM