A High Ridge man who told investigators he was attempting to get through a “portal” to contact God before a fatal crash last year has pleaded guilty to first-degree involuntary manslaughter, according to court records.
Huggy Smiles Kindness, 37, on Oct. 30 pleaded guilty to the class C felony charge, which carries a penalty of three to 10 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5 in Jefferson County court, court documents show.
Jefferson County assistant prosecuting attorney Courtney Goodwin is prosecuting the case.
Kindness ran a red light and hit a car driven by Jaden E. Martinson, 20, of Dittmer on Feb. 14 on Hwy. 30 at Hwy. B in Cedar Hill. Martinson died on Feb. 16.
According to the case’s probable-cause statement, Kindness was driving an eastbound 2021 Acura ILX on Hwy. 30 at Hwy. B in Cedar Hill when he allegedly ran a red light and struck the right side of a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, driven by Martinson, at about 2:25 p.m. Feb. 14. Martinson was turning left from Hwy. 30 onto Hwy. B.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the event data recorder in the Acura showed the car was traveling at least 108 mph in a 60-mph zone at the time of the accident. A Sunset Hills Police officer also told a state trooper that Kindness had fled from a traffic stop earlier in day, according to the report.
Kindness was moderately injured, and both drivers were taken by Big River Ambulance to Mercy Hospital South in south St. Louis County, the report said.
A state trooper interviewed Kindness at the hospital following the accident. Kindness told the trooper he had been “flying,” was attempting to get through a “portal” and to contact God and that he had been in contact with a fighter pilot who was above him, according to the report.
He also admitted to driving through a red light on the highway, but he claimed he did not hit anyone, the report said.
A preliminary breath test showed Kindness had a blood-alcohol content level of zero. However, he failed field sobriety tests at the hospital, according to the report.
A urine sample Kindness provided at the hospital tested positive for benzodiazepine, a sedative commonly used to treat anxiety, and cannabinoid, commonly known as marijuana, the report said.
In October 2022, Kindness’ name was legally changed from Eric Lindsey Matthew, court records show.