FOX 2 photographer run over after community threatens to tow cars

HILLSDALE, Mo. – A Hillsdale employee was recently arrested after a FOX 2 photojournalist was run over with the village’s top leader in the passenger seat.

The incident occurred in August when Fox Files investigators were investigating the village’s threat to tow several cars for code violations.

Following our colleague’s injury, FOX 2 made the editorial decision not to air footage from that day until police had a chance to investigate.

As journalists, we never try to tell the story, but what happened is best told chronologically: from how the Fox files ended up in Hillsdale to how the photographer was hospitalized.

Orange stickers

Donisha Rayner woke up on August 11th to a glowing sticker on her car.

“Every car on the block had an orange sticker,” Rayner said.

The Hillsdale community threatened to tow her car and several other vehicles within 24 hours for various reasons.

Rayner’s car had a tow warning because it didn’t have a valid local permit sticker.

“They did this a few months ago. They told everyone they were going to tow their cars,” Rayner said.

“If you don’t have this or that, if someone visits you and they don’t get a village badge, they will tow the car.”

Rayner had recently seen Fox Files investigations into municipalities towing cars for code violations. She believed the Village of Hillsdale had crossed the line, so she called FOX 2 for help.

“They’re trying to find ways to get money, and this is one way,” Rayner said.

Rayner’s vehicle isn’t the only one that bore the sticker.

Shavon Kirkman said her mother’s truck had a tow warning posted on it because there was no village permit sticker on the windshield.

“Your car will be towed in 24 hours,” Kirkman said. “We come out of the house and see a sticker. My mother is visiting right now, this isn’t even my car.”

Looking for answers

The Fox files went to Village Hall and wanted answers for Kirkman and Rayner.

The doors were locked for lunch, but Hillsdale Police Chief John Bernsen came around the corner and said vehicles could receive a tow alert 24 hours a day for a variety of reasons.

“Expired temporary signs, no village sticker, expired signs, fake signs, fake signs, you name it,” Bernsen said.

Bernsen said he didn’t know how many vehicles received the sticker or how many cars were towed.

“I don’t know it. We’ve been doing this for a long time, for years,” Bernsen said.

But what would the boss’s boss say about towing cars? The Fox Files saw Dorothy Moore’s vehicle parked in front of Village Hall. Moore is the mayor, or her official title: chair of the board of trustees.

      Mitch McCoy: Is the mayor here?

      Boss Bernsen: She’s with her – what do you call it? Your store.

      Mitch McCoy: But she parks her car here?

      Boss Bernsen: She was here but went back to her shop.

Then the conversation ended and the chief went back to the community center.

Moor at the community center

The Fox Files heard Moore, the boss’ boss and supposedly at the corner store, asking him why FOX 2 was there.

The Fox Files knocked on the back door and asked the mayor for an interview, but no response.

After waiting about an hour, waiting for the community center to reopen, the Fox Files walked through the main entrance and asked Moore for an interview. After all, several cars could be towed within 24 hours.

While speaking with the village clerk and police chief, Moore walked out the back door.

“There she is,” said FOX 2 photojournalist Wade Smith.

Moore got into the public works truck while the Fox Files tried to ask questions.

      Mitch McCoy: “Mayor, mayor. Why are you avoiding us? People want to know what’s going on with these tickets. Mayor? Why are you avoiding us?”

Moore slid into the passenger seat of the truck while a Hillsdale employee got behind the wheel.

When questions were asked, the village worker turned on the truck and drove off.

Photographer run over

Smith was run over by the trailer attached to the truck and the camera hit the ground. An accident report obtained by Fox Files claims Moore told the Hillsdale employee to drive away.

An ambulance took Smith to the hospital for emergency surgery.

According to the accident report, Smith had serious leg injuries and the Hillsdale worker saw the photographer lying on the ground in the rearview mirror, but told police he didn’t know the FOX 2 employee had been hit.

“After being contacted by police, Driver 1 [Hillsdale employee] and inmate 1 [Moore] “I returned to the scene of the accident to voluntarily provide written statements,” the accident report states.

Velda City Police were assigned to investigate the incident because it involved a Hillsdale employee.

The Velda City police chief confirmed that the driver, a Hillsdale employee, was arrested earlier this week, but he was released pending a prosecutorial review to determine whether charges will be filed.

It is FOX 2’s policy not to name anyone until charges are filed, so we have not identified the Hillsdale employee.

Our colleague is at home recovering.