A Kansas DoorDash driver with a long history of drunk driving arrests was allegedly allowed to stay on the road making deliveries—until he fatally struck a young woman out jogging and then tried to cover it up by claiming he hit a deer, according to a new lawsuit.
William Klingler, 37, is accused of killing 20-year-old jogger Elsa McGrain while driving with a suspended license on November 7, 2025. At the time of the crash, Klingler was allegedly “actively making deliveries” for DoorDash, despite having four DUI arrests in a five-year span.
McGrain, a resident of Lawrence, Kansas, was running along the 1700 block of East 1500 Road near the Lawrence Regional Airport when Klingler allegedly struck her with his Ford F-150 pickup truck. Her body was not discovered until the following morning.
Instead of stopping, investigators say Klingler fled the scene and avoided police for two days before being arrested on November 9. He is now charged with failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in death, driving without a required ignition interlock device, and driving while his license was suspended.
According to a probable cause affidavit from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Klingler later had someone inspect the damage to his truck and told them he believed he had hit a deer. That explanation quickly fell apart.
The person who examined the vehicle reportedly questioned the claim after noticing there was no deer hair on the truck. Investigators say Klingler eventually admitted he was scared and showed the individual what he had actually struck. That person reportedly told Klingler that the victim had been legally walking along the road.
McGrain’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit on February 4, 2026, accusing both Klingler and DoorDash of negligence. The suit claims Klingler was an “unvetted, unauthorized” driver who was unfit to operate a commercial delivery vehicle, but was still able to bypass DoorDash’s background check process.
Court filings allege Klingler had been charged at least four times between 2018 and 2023 for DUI-related offenses, along with other violations including bypassing ignition interlock requirements and drug possession.
“DoorDash knew, or should have known upon reasonable vetting,” the lawsuit states, arguing that the company’s business model allowed dangerous drivers to slip through its screening process while continuing to profit from their labor.
A GoFundMe created for McGrain’s family describes her as a pre-med student at the University of Kansas, a talented soccer player, and an active member of her sorority.
Klingler is currently being held without bond at the Douglas County Detention Center. He is scheduled to appear in court for a status conference on February 17.
Glad the family is suing because they will never get justice through the criminal judicial system…. Lazy prosecutors and defense oriented democrat judges.
I agree