A street racing incident on a well-traveled road turned deadly, and now two men are being charged with manslaughter.
The crash happened Friday night just after 9. Frontenac police say 73-year-old Kay Koutroubis, a grandmother of five, was driving her Toyota SUV southbound on Lindbergh Boulevard when she was hit by the two men racing.
The horrific scene unfolded right in front of Kreis’ Steakhouse, right during the Friday night dinner rush. Employees say restaurant patrons and staff witnessed the crash, and some went outside to help.
Koutroubis had been driving home from a close friend’s house. She was excited. Later this week, she was supposed to go to Florida, to spend time with her grandchildren. But fate had different plans.
The drivers who struck her SUV were allegedly intoxicated and racing each other. Thirty-nine year-old Haven Sooter, driving a BMW, allegedly rammed into her. Police said her SUV spun out, then was hit again, this time by the other racer, 44-year-old Scott Bailey(pictured above), driving a Mustang.
Sooter's picture was not available because he was taken to the hospital following the crash.
Koutroubis was taken to the hospital, complaining of stomach pain. After two days of fighting for her life, police say she died Sunday from internal trauma injuries.
It’s a devastating loss for those who were close to her. She’s survived by family including two children and five grandchildren. She sang in the choir at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.
Parish Priest Doug Papulis says she was one of the sweetest people he’d ever known.
“She was a very kind and loving person who never had a bad thing to say about anyone," he said. "In fact, if with a group of people and someone would begin some gossip, she would clear her throat and change the subject. She was that kind of a person. A very faithful person.”
Koutroubis’s passing is surreal for her friend Irene Schildroth, who was with her the day before the fatal crash.
“I had to look in our church book to make sure it was the same Kay I knew," she said. "I am heartbroken that we lost her.”
On Wednesday, Koutroubis will be laid to rest. Her priest hopes her loved ones can take solace in knowing where she’s headed.
“Her life is a reminder how important it is not to take life for granted," he said. "To be the best faithful, loving and kind person you can be, because you leave your house every day, you go somewhere and you take it for granted you’re going to come back, and then something like this happens.”
Both drivers are now charged with DWI and Involuntary Manslaughter.
