Search fatalities

Alex Finley

Age : 9

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 07/13/2022

Location : U.S. Highway 160 and Northview Road

City : Nixa

County : Christian

State : Missouri

Agency : Christian County Sheriff's Office; Nixa Police Department

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR CHASE: Bystander killed during a pursuit initiated after a Christian County Sheriff's Office deputy observed a Dodge Charger being driven erratically near Missouri Route J and 17th Street in Ozark. The deputy attempted a traffic stop, but 16-year-old driver Zachary Fargo continued away. Deputies pursued the Charger toward Nixa at speeds reaching approximately 100 mph.
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NARRATIVE:
On 07/13/2022, 9-year-old Alex Finley of Nixa was killed when a Dodge Charger fleeing Christian County sheriff's deputies struck the minivan in which he was riding at U.S. Highway 160 and Northview Road in Nixa.
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The incident began when a Christian County sheriff's deputy observed the Charger being driven erratically near Route J and 17th Street in Ozark and attempted a traffic stop. The driver, later identified as 16-year-old Zachary Fargo, continued away and deputies pursued him.
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The pursuit continued from Ozark toward Nixa at extremely high speed. Nixa police officers were notified and attempted to deploy spike strips as the Charger entered their jurisdiction. Fargo avoided the spike strips and continued toward U.S. Highway 160.
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At approximately 8:52 p.m., Fargo entered the intersection of U.S. Highway 160 and Northview Road against a red light and struck the Finley family's minivan.
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Alex Finley was pronounced dead at the scene. His mother, Ashley Finley, suffered serious injuries, and his 12-year-old sister was also injured. Both were transported to hospitals.
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Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators subsequently recovered data from the Charger's event-data recorder showing that the vehicle was traveling approximately 117 mph at the time of the collision.
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Fargo was subsequently charged with second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree assault and resisting arrest by fleeing.
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Alex's parents later filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Christian County Sheriff's Office challenging the decision to continue the high-speed pursuit. The lawsuit was settled in January 2025 for $500,000. The Sheriff's Office denied liability as part of the settlement.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Christian County Sheriff's Office did not publicly identify the deputy who initiated and continued the pursuit in the sources located. Nixa police officers assisted during the pursuit by attempting to deploy spike strips.
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SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.ky3.com/2022/07/14/boy-killed-4-others-hurt-crash-nixa-mo/
https://www.ky3.com/2022/07/16/christian-co-sheriff-explains-pursuit-policies-decision-continue-chase-that-ended-with-deadly-crash/
https://www.ky3.com/2023/03/02/christian-county-prosecutor-charges-teenager-with-murder-accused-deadly-high-speed-crash/