An Illinois man is now facing a felony charge in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that killed a Jefferson County woman last November. Authorities say 30-year-old Alyssa Kalbach of High Ridge was struck while walking along westbound Highway 30 near Byrnes Mill on Nov. 16, 2025, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Charging papers identify 64-year-old George Walter Schmidt of Dupo, Illinois, as the person accused of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.
Broken Fender And Quiet Tip Crack The Case
Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators say physical evidence collected near the crash site quickly narrowed their search to a Chevy SUV, and a later tip pointed them to a specific vehicle. According to a probable-cause statement cited by KSDK, troopers recovered a fender well about a mile west of the scene that matched parts from certain Chevrolet models. Local reporting by First Alert 4 says the vehicle that caught investigators' attention had Illinois plates, a missing right fender well and what officers described as hair on the passenger-side hood.
Driver Says He Thought It Was A Deer
Court records reviewed by reporters say Schmidt told investigators he believed he had hit an animal and kept driving. In one line quoted from the court file, he asked, "What else can be in the highway at 5:30 in the morning but a deer," then said he pulled over briefly and went on to work, according to reporting by First Alert 4. Prosecutors say evidence collected after that tip was enough to support a felony charge.
Felony Charge And $10,000 Bond Request
Prosecutors in Jefferson County have charged Schmidt with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and have asked a judge to set bond at $10,000, according to court records. Local reporting says Schmidt appeared in Jefferson County court in mid-May and entered a not-guilty plea; the case will now move through the county criminal process as investigators and attorneys review the evidence. Media accounts say the vehicle identified in the probable-cause paperwork was registered to Schmidt in Illinois.
Leaving The Scene Is A Felony In Missouri
Under Missouri law, a driver who leaves the scene of an accident that results in a death can face a felony charge. The Missouri Revised Statutes, section 577.060, classify leaving the scene as a class D felony when a death results and set out escalating penalties depending on injury, property damage or prior convictions. The statute requires drivers involved in crashes to stop and provide identifying information to others involved or to law enforcement. The state revisor's office publishes the full statute text and penalty classifications.
High Ridge Mourns Nurse And Mother Killed On Highway
Kalbach's death drew an outpouring of grief from family and neighbors when the crash was first reported last November, and a GoFundMe was created to help cover funeral costs, according to coverage at the time. Local reporting in November 2025 captured family members' calls for answers and described Kalbach as a nurse and mother whose loss has reverberated through the High Ridge and wider Jefferson County communities.
