Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: SUSPECT KEEPS DRIVING WITH YOUNG MOM DEAD ON HIS WINDSHIELD AFTER MOWING HER DOWN
Date: October 10, 2025
Host/Producer: Nancy Grace, iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Main Theme:
Nancy Grace leads a blistering investigation into the death of Kirsten Strang, a devoted single mother mowed down by a repeat traffic offender, Xavier Rigby, who then drove for miles with her dying body stuck to his windshield. The episode dissects the system-wide failures that allowed Rigby behind the wheel after nine prior road-related charges, the lasting trauma to victims’ families, and the broader epidemic of drunk and reckless driving—focusing on the justice system’s responsibility and the limits of “rehabilitation.”

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. The Crime: A Reckless Killing

• Case Recount (06:03–06:20):
  • Narrator reconstructs: Kirsten Strang was riding her E-bike in a Gulfport, Florida bike lane at 10 PM when she was struck from behind by Rigby’s speeding Nissan Altima. Rigby kept driving for eight blocks to a liquor store with Kirsten stuck on his windshield, then left her body in the road without calling for help.
• Lingering Questions (01:39–02:40):
  • Nancy questions why Rigby was allowed to keep driving after nine road-related charges in four years, including a previous hit-and-run.

2. Victim’s Life and Loss

• Character Portrait (01:24–01:39):
  • Kirsten was a sole caregiver whose life revolved around her young son. Friends describe their “fun life” together. Social media is filled with photos of mother and son.
• Personal Impact (39:15–40:25):
  • Both Nancy and her expert guests reflect on the agony families face; emphasis is placed on the void left in the son’s life.

3. Repeat Offender: System Failure or Just One Man?

• Prior Offenses (16:35–17:05):
  • Rigby’s criminal record comprises hit and run, prior DUI (reduced to reckless driving), multiple speeding violations.
  • Punishments included DUI school and watching a video victim impact panel from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
• Systemic Accountability (03:05–03:21, 25:35–25:56):
  • Veteran reporter Serena Fazan and MADD representative Kimberly Cockrell echo Nancy’s anger, focusing on judicial leniency.
  • Quote (Nancy Grace, 03:21):
    “What wackadoodle judge let this guy out? … There’s plenty of blame to pass around here, but can we just focus on the technical legal term, a hole judge that let this guy walk. Nine road related offenses, including leaving the scene of a crash before.”

4. Victim Families Speak: The Trauma is Universal

• Lisa Miller’s Story (08:08–11:27):
  • Lisa Miller, whose daughter Samantha died at her own wedding at the hands of a drunk driver, shares vivid grief and trauma.
  • Quote (Lisa Miller, 09:12):
    “We’re looking through the hallways… Still to this day, going in a hospital with my mom, walk through the hallway, I lose it. Looking for Sam.”
• Support Systems (11:27):
  • Miller highlights survivor groups and grief coaching as ways of coping, and the necessity of amplifying prevention efforts.

5. Legal and Psychological Analysis

• Limits of Rehabilitation (44:51):
  • Fazan reports Rigby fell asleep in his own hearing, questioning the possibility of rehabilitation for such repeat offenders.
• Addiction and Accountability (15:07–16:06):
  • Dr. Bethany Marshall, psychoanalyst, explains:
    • Drunks may function in a “brownout,” dimly aware and indifferent to consequences.
    • "One of the essential features of addiction is lack of insight into the harm it will cause other people.” [32:52]
• Defense Perspective vs. Reality (17:39–20:25, 30:05–30:47):
  • Attorney Joseph Lowe describes how a zealous defender might seek treatment rather than incarceration, blaming addiction.
  • Nancy rebuts persuasively, describing courtroom “charm” and systemic failures in sentencing.

6. Pattern of Drunk Driving Catastrophe

• Victim Blaming and Perpetrator Narcissism (14:09–15:07):
  • Audio of prior perpetrator Jamie Lee Komorowski whining about consequences:

    “I said this could have happened to anyone. Like why me? Like why me of all people, why me? I don’t understand.”

  • Nancy: "Is she crazy?"
• National Trend (41:16–43:23):
  • Nancy details similar grisly cases of drivers carrying dying or dead victims for miles—Shantae Mallard (left a dying man stuck in windshield), Jack Tenelson/Stacy Sanchez, Nestor Flores (drove 38 miles with a body in the car).
• Frequency of Drunk Driving (26:19):
  • Cockrell:
    “According to the FBI, someone drives an average of 80 times drunk before they’re actually stopped.”

7. Medical Analysis: Did Kirsten Suffer?

• Possible Trauma Awareness (37:14–39:15):
  • Medical examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns:
    "She probably had several minutes of survivability where she was sitting in that window on the hood of that car, bleeding out."
    • Nancy reflects on the likely horror—her last thoughts possibly being of her son.

8. Aftermath and Pursuit of Justice

• Where the Case Stands (44:40–44:49):
  • Kirsten’s little boy is now with his grandmother.
  • Rigby is in jail, but his courtroom conduct (falling asleep) suggests a total lack of remorse.
• Community Response (35:05):
  • GoFundMe has been set up to assist with funeral expenses for Kirsten, with the proceeds to her mother, Elaine.

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• “Rot in hell, Rigby.”
  — Nancy Grace (01:39), vehemently expressing frustration over repeat offenders.
• “He cared more about getting more booze than her life. He was mission focused.”
  — Cheryl McCollum (23:55), on Rigby’s actions after the collision.
• “Drunk driving is the same as shooting a gun in a crowd of people… you take the risk every single time you do it.”
  — Cheryl McCollum (40:47)
• “Maybe, like in this case, the judge just lets them go. Trust me, Xavier Rigby is not a former police officer. There was just a slack judge that didn’t care.”
  — Nancy Grace (13:23)
• “According to the FBI, someone drives an average of 80 times drunk before they’re actually stopped.”
  — Kimberly Cockrell (26:19)
• “One of Kirsten’s last posts on Facebook: ‘As long as I’m living, my baby, you’ll be loved, and I’ll love you forever.’”
  — Narrator (35:05)

TIMESTAMPS OF IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• 00:00–01:24: Nancy introduces the case—emphasizes the horror and prior offenses of suspect
• 06:03–06:20: Step-by-step initial crime account
• 08:08–11:27: Lisa Miller’s heartbreaking story of losing her daughter to a drunk driver
• 14:09–15:07: Audio of perpretrator’s narcissistic phone call—“Why me?”
• 16:35–17:05: Recap of Rigby’s laughably lenient prior sentences
• 22:19–22:53: Discussion of community impact in Gulfport, FL
• 23:31–23:55: Suspect found at liquor store moments after abandoning victim
• 25:35–25:56: Rigby’s pattern of offenses detailed, questions raised about why he was still driving
• 26:19: FBI statistics on frequency of drunk driving before apprehension
• 37:14–39:15: Forensic discussion—did the victim suffer, was she aware?
• 44:40–44:49: Where are the child and the suspect now?
• 44:51–45:27: Suspect’s courtroom behavior—falling asleep, lack of remorse

SUMMARY: CONCLUSION AND CALL TO ACTION

This episode lays bare the devastating impact of systemic leniency toward repeat traffic offenders, the preventable tragedy of Kirsten Strang’s death, and the cascading consequences for families left behind. Nancy Grace and her guests fiercely condemn not only the actions of Xavier Rigby, but the culture of complacency in the justice system that enables such tragedies. Listeners are urged to demand accountability, vigilance, and stricter enforcement—to ensure these preventable deaths are not repeated.

If you know anything about this case, contact authorities at 727-582-6200.