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Insets, left to right: William Klingler, Elsa McGrain (Douglas County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The area in Kansas where William Klingler allegedly killed Elsa McGrain in a hit-and-run crash while driving for DoorDash (WDAF/YouTube).
A Kansas-based DoorDash driver, with a history of four DUIs over five years, was allowed to continue making deliveries, leading to a tragic incident where he fatally struck a woman jogging and driving with a suspended license, as claimed in a lawsuit. The driver allegedly tried to disguise the incident by claiming he had hit a deer.
The driver, William Klingler, 37, described as an “unvetted, unauthorized DoorDash driver,” managed to bypass the company’s background check process, according to a legal petition filed by the parents of the victim, Elsa McGrain.
On November 7, 2025, Klingler was reportedly delivering orders when he struck McGrain, 20, from Lawrence, as she jogged along East 1500 Road, near the Lawrence Regional Airport. Her body was not found until the following day.
After the incident, Klingler allegedly fled in his Ford F-150, eluding authorities for two days before his capture on November 9, 2025. He faces charges including failing to stop at an accident scene resulting in death, operating a vehicle without an ignition interlock device, and driving with a suspended license.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office detailed in a probable cause affidavit that Klingler had someone examine the damage to his vehicle, claiming it was due to hitting a deer. The person inspecting the truck doubted this explanation, noting the absence of deer hair on the vehicle.
Klingler “expressed that he was scared” before he eventually showed the person “what was hit,” the affidavit adds. The individual “explained to Mr. Klingler that was the legal way to walk in the road,” according to police investigators.
McGrain’s parents filed their lawsuit against Klingler and DoorDash on Feb. 4, 2026, and claimed that his “dangerous” history of DUI arrests should have been discovered by DoorDash before they hired him. He was charged at least four times between 2018 and 2023, the legal petition points out.
“DoorDash actually knew, or should have known upon a reasonable vetting, facts showing defendant Klingler’s unfitness to operate a commercial delivery vehicle, including but not limited to his having a suspended driver’s license and his numerous previous convictions for crimes such as driving under the influence, bypassing ignition interlock device requirements, drug possession, and various traffic safety infractions,” the petition says. “DoorDash’s conduct created and profited from a business model that foreseeably allowed dangerous individuals to circumvent its background check process.”
A GoFundMe launched for McGrain’s family describes her as a “pre-med student” at the University of Kansas who was a “talented soccer player” and a “devoted member of her sorority.”
Klingler is currently being held without bond at the Douglas County Detention Center. He is due to appear in court for a status conference on Feb. 17.