KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
—
New details emerged Wednesday about how police in Lawrence made an arrest in a deadly hit-and-run crash in November that killed a 20-year-old University of Kansas student.
A Douglas County District Court judge Wednesday released the affidavit filed by Lawrence police in support of charges against 36-year-old Lawrence resident William Ray Klingler.
Around 6:07 p.m., on Thursday, Nov. 6, Elsa McGrain was out for a run heading southbound in the 1700 block of E 1500 Road when police allege she was struck by the driver of a pickup truck. McGrain’s body was found on the side of the road more than nine hours later by a passerby.
RELATED | 'Live like Elsa': KU student's parents share message after daughter's death in hit-and-run crash
As Lawrence police launched their investigation, they obtained surveillance video from a retailer in the area. The footage captured McGrain running south in the area where she was found as well as a white vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed heading north.
McGrain and the vehicle both disappear behind an obstruction. The surveillance video reveals that only the vehicle is seen coming from out behind the obstruction.
Detectives recovered three pieces of debris at the scene that appeared to come from a vehicle. They located part numbers of the debris and cross-referenced the numbers with a local car dealership. The dealer told police the parts were either from a 2004 to 2008 model year Ford F-150 passenger side headlight assembly or a 2008 to 2010 model year Ford F-250 headlight assembly. One of the pieces of debris has a manufacturing time stamp of 9:41:24 and 14.03.2008.
With information about a potential make and model of the vehicle that might have struck McGrain, Lawrence police turned to city traffic camera footage and license plate readers to search for a white Ford F-150 in the area at the time of the incident.
Police discovered a white 2008 Ford F-150 in the area roughly 10 minutes before the surveillance video footage was captured. A review of license plate data provided detectives a license plate that showed the Ford registered to Klingler.
An off-duty Lawrence police officer spotted Klingler’s F-150 on Sunday, Nov. 9, and provided his location to allow Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies to make an arrest on an outstanding warrant.
Klingler was transported to the Douglas County Law Enforcement Center where detectives conducted an interview of Klingler.
Several paragraphs of the affidavit immediately following the start of the interview are redacted.
On Nov. 10, police received a search warrant to process Klingler’s F-150. During processing, a technician located green fibers lodged in the damaged passenger-side headlight assembly. Police say the color of the fibers are consistent with the color of green shirt McGrain was wearing on the night she was struck.
Klingler faces charges of felony leaving the scene of an accident, circumventing an ignition interlock device, driving while suspended and having no proof of motor vehicle insurance.
If convicted, the DA's office said Klingler could be sentenced to 38-172 months in prison for the leaving the scene of a fatal accident felony charge.
"My office will hold fully accountable those who endanger their fellow citizens and make our roadways unsafe," Douglas County District Attorney Dakota Loomis said when announcing charges last month. "I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Elsa McGrain as they mourn her tragic and senseless loss."
Klingler has four prior driving under the influence (DUI) charges and three DUI convictions, according to the Kansas District Court portal.
Klingler pleaded guilty to three DUI charges from incidents in 2019, 2018 and 2017. All three offenses took place in Douglas County.
In 2024, Klingler was charged with a fourth DUI. Additional charges against Klingler from the alleged incident that occurred in April 2024 include possession of methamphetamine, driving a vehicle without an ignition interlock device, and transporting an open container, according to the Kansas District Court portal.
An arrest warrant was issued on Sept. 18, 2024, and Klingler posted bond on Nov. 21, 2024. A condition of Klingler's bond is that he cannot consume drugs or alcohol.
On Sept. 18, 2025, Klingler did not accept a plea deal.
Klingler has a history of pleading guilty to multiple charges of tampering with an ignition interlock device and operating a car without a required ignition interlock device, per the Kansas District Court portal.
Ignition interlock devices are breathalyzers connected to a car's ignition.
In October 2018, Klingler was charged with driving while his license was either canceled, suspended or revoked. He pleaded guilty in February 2019. This offense followed his DUI offense that took place in June 2018.
The June 2018 DUI charge was not filed until March 2019, according to the Kansas District Court portal. Klingler pleaded guilty in September 2020.
—
