Woman charged in deadly hit and run crash

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Kansas City woman was charged Monday with speeding away after she hit and killed a man with her pickup truck, authorities said. Jackson County prosecutors said June Strawn was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the Sept. 29 accident that killed 70-year-old Charles E. Gates of Kansas City. Strawn, 45, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident.

Witnesses told police a pickup truck didn't brake and appeared to speed up after striking Gates, according to police documents. When stopped a short time later, Strawn told police she thought someone had thrown food at her truck so she continued without stopping.

Strawn, who failed a drug test, said she had smoked about half a gram of meth before the crash.