Hazelwood Man Convicted in Fatal 2014 Road Rage Crash

A St. Louis County jury has found a Hazelwood man guilty in a road rage and alcohol-fueled crash that killed a St. Peters man in 2014.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that jurors found 25-year-old Kirk Mueller guilty of second-degree involuntary manslaughter in the death of 26-year-old Derek Cliffe.

Prosecutor Alan Key asked the jury to find Mueller guilty of a first-degree offense, which would've required the jury to find recklessness and a "conscious disregard" of the risk.

Defense lawyer Paul D'Agrosa told jurors that Mueller was above the legal drinking limit, but that Cliffe suddenly braked and turned into Mueller's path, causing the crash.

Judge Tom DePriest Jr. ordered Mueller to immediately be taken into custody. He'll sentence Mueller on July 22. The jurors' recommended punishment is a year in county jail and a fine.