“We’re so lost”: Three months after fatal I-229 wrong-way crash, family seeking answers

By Cameron Montemayor

More than three months have passed since 33-year-old St. Joseph native Ryan Coffman was killed by a wrong-way driver as he exited Interstate 229 on his motorcycle. 

As time continues to pass with little to no updates given to Coffman’s family on potential charges or if a resolution is in sight, grieving family members like his sister and mother are now left wondering if the person responsible for hitting him will face justice or not. 

The immense weight of the situation coupled with the shock of Ryan’s death has been hard to describe.  

“It’s like pressing pause on your life and it’s just on pause, like you’re going through the motions of everyday life, you know, getting up, showering and eating and going to work,” said Chandra Roberts, Coffman’s sister. “But you’re a zombie. And I it feels like this cloud is looming over our heads of what’s going to happen. Is there going to be a resolution?

On the morning of May 17, 2024, Coffman was heading north on I-229 for work at Sunshine Electronic Display when he left the interstate via the Edmond Street exit ramp around 5 a.m. Coffman wasn’t scheduled to work but decided picked up the extra shift on his day off. 

According to St. Joseph police, Coffman was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle when he was struck head on midway through the exit ramp by a Honda CRV going in the wrong direction. Coffman was transported to Mosaic Life Care and later pronounced dead, a result of blunt force trauma to the head. 

“My brother was a good human being,” Roberts said. “He was a taxpayer in Buchanan County all of his adult life. He bought his house in the south end nine years ago.”

The driver of the Honda CRV, who has not been identified, remained at the scene and was not arrested. Police said at the a time of the incident that there was nothing at the scene that indicated the driver had to be in custody as they would have to await results from a blood test of the driver and the event data recorder before deciding to pursue specific charges. 

From the early onset and the months that followed, Roberts said the family patiently waited, hoping something would materialize or at the least, a call every so often about updates. 

“There was only one time that the sergeant called my mom where she didn’t have to call him,” she said. “What made me mad was on July 8, my mom called the sergeant and asked if there was any updates, and he said we got toxicology back on July 5.”

Roberts couldn’t help but wonder when their family would have received a call about the news. The only update they’ve heard since then was the case was forwarded to the Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on July 23.  

Since then, it’s been silent. For the last two weeks she’s been messaging and asking for some kind of update unsuccessfully. She’s had contact with a victim’s advocate but has no greater insight into what’s going on. 

“We don’t know what to do. We’re so lost because we we really put our faith in the police department and the prosecuting attorney’s office,” Roberts said. “And nobody will let me know anything. We don’t know anything. We know about as much about this case as we did two months ago.”

The family has been able to view the police report. They will not discuss specific details publicly at this time with the case not over/still open.

However, she said was stunned by some of the things she read in the report that make them seriously question if everything was done correctly. 

“What should have been an open and shut case, clearly an open and shut case has turned into kind of a cluster unnecessarily,” she said. “I went through it with a fine tooth comb and there’s a couple of things in there that I was like, ‘Wow, did that really happen?'”

By herself, Roberts has also been able to learn the identify of the person who hit her brother, choosing not to disclose her name.  

“I don’t think she’s an evil person. I do think that she made a mistake. But actions have consequences. And I do expect the consequences to be appropriate,” Roberts said. “What would you do if this was your brother … would you fight to the end of the earth for them? Or would you just give up?” 

Roberts launched a Facebook page titled “Just for Ryan Coffman,” on July 30 to bring Coffman’s friends and family together for updates and information on upcoming memorial events. The page has nearly 400 members already. 

The family has already held two memorial rides in his honor, with family members now wearing a special t-shirt designed by an artist who specializes in race car apparel, one of Ryan’s favorite sports. One word, “always” is stitched by itself on the front. 

“That was Ryan’s response every single time that we got together for a dinner for holidays … by the end of the night we’d say ‘love you, be safe,’ and he would always say ‘always,'” she said. 

On Aug. 10, another head-on crash occurred between two vehicles at the same location, sending one person so the hospital with moderate injuries. The incident brought back a wave of memories from the crash.

Roberts has called for flashing lights to be added to the signs to better alert drivers they’re going the wrong direction, especially in low-light situations.