Two people were killed and two injured in fatal traffic accidents
By Steve Chapman timesreporter71@gmail.com
Two people died in two separate collisions, one of which also left two seriously injured, according to accident reports filed by the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP).
The first fatal wreck occurred on Wednesday, August 16 at 10:49 PM on eastbound I-44 in Halltown. According to the accident report, Henry O. Sanchez Rodriguez, 30, of Springfield, is driving his 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer on the freeway when it goes off the road, hits a cable arrester, rejoins the road and a 2023 Dodge 3500 pickup truck. Driven by Harkavenco Buffalo, 31, of Inman, South Carolina . Buffalo’s car swerved to the right side of the road, while Rodriguez’s car was disabled and back in the lane. Rodriguez’s car crashed from behind a 2016 Cadillac CT6 driven by Ronald L. Rogers, 82, of Springfield. Rogers’ car then veered off the right side of the road and came to rest on the right shoulder, while Rodriguez’s car came to rest in the freeway traffic lane.
Lawrence County Coroner Scott Lakin pronounced Rodriguez, who was already seriously injured in the first crash, dead at 11:58 p.m. and taken to the Lakin Funeral Home in Pierce City; It was not known if he was wearing a safety device at the time of the accident. His death was the 86th traffic accident fatality for MSHP’s D Troops in 2023. Rogers and his passenger, Gertrude L. Rogers, 86, of Springfield, both wearing safety devices, to Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Buffalo, who was also wearing a safety device, was not injured. The three vehicles were completely damaged and were towed from the scene.
In the second fatal wreck, a Golden man died in a crash on Route J in Golden on Saturday, August 19 at 1:30 p.m. According to the accident report, David A. O’Kane, 56, was traveling north when his 2002 GMC Sierra blew off the right side of the road, overcorrected, then back on the road and then veered off the left side of the road and hit a tree, knocking him out. O’Kane, who was not wearing a safety device, was pronounced dead at 2:45 p.m. by Gary Swearingen, the Barry County Coroner and taken to Fawn Funeral Home. His car was completely damaged and was towed from the scene.
Eighteen people were injured in 11 other traffic accidents that occurred between Sunday 30 July and Monday 21 August. One crash, which was being investigated by the Monet Police Department, occurred Sunday, July 30, on MO 37 outside a YMCA in Monet at 2:27 p.m. According to the crash report, the collision occurred when a young man driving a red 2004 Chevy Silverado collided. In the path of a gray 2004 Buick Lucerne driven by Bruce McAlexander, 76, of Monet.
According to the report, the juvenile, who was wearing a safety device, was unharmed. However, McAlexander suffered “obvious” injuries, while his two passengers, Janet McAlexander, 83, of Monette and Ruth Jones, 70, of Mount Vernon, sustained “crippling” injuries. The report stated that neither McAlexander nor his passengers were wearing safety devices at the time of the accident. Both vehicles were completely damaged and were towed from the scene.
The remaining accidents were investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. In the first accident investigated, a Purdy woman was injured when her car ran off the road on Wednesday, August 2 at 6:10 PM on MO 76, three miles south of Wheaton. According to the accident report, Brittany E. Lauderdale, 37, was driving a 2011 Ford F150 southbound when it veered off the left side of the road and hit a fence and power pole, reversing to the right side of the lane and coming to rest in a ditch.
Lauderdale, who was not wearing a safety device at the time of the crash, sustained minor injuries and was taken to Mercy Hospital in Cassville. Her car was completely damaged and she was towed from the scene of the accident.
In the second crash, a Verona woman was moderately injured when her car reversed on MO 39, one mile north of Shell Knob, on Thursday, August 3. According to the accident report, Patricia De Burke, 67, was driving a 2022 Mitsubishi North on the highway at 3:35 p.m. While turning to the right, her car collided from behind with a 1997 Toyota Camry driven by Thomas J. Shell Knob North.
Burke, who was wearing a safety device at the time of the crash, was taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Aurora; Belalak, who was not wearing a safety device, was not injured.
Burke’s car sustained moderate damage in the accident, and Bilalak’s car sustained major damage. They were pulled from the scene of the accident.
In the third incident, a Washburn man was critically injured on Friday, August 4 at 11:50 a.m. when his motorcycle struck a vehicle that pulled out in front of him. According to the MSHP report, Michael J. Taylor, 40, was riding his 2009 Kawasaki Ninja south on Second Street in Washburn when the 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser, driven by Benny A. Bingham, 70, of Washburn, in his car. The lane where Bingham was trying to turn left onto a private road. Taylor, who was wearing a safety device, was taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Rogers, Ark.; His motorcycle was completely damaged and he was removed from the scene of the accident by a private party. Bingham, who was not wearing a safety device, was not injured. Her car sustained minor damage and was removed from the scene.
A Joplin woman was injured in the fourth accident when her car left the road in the early morning hours of Tuesday, August 8. According to the accident report, Megan A. Timson, 39, was driving a 2006 Toyota Tacoma east on I-44 at 3:30 a.m. when her car ran off the road and flipped about a mile east of Stotts. Tyson, who was wearing a safety device at the time of the accident, was seriously injured and was taken by ambulance to Mercy Joplin. The car was severely damaged and was towed from the scene.
The fifth incident occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday, August 12, at 4:54 a.m. Alejandra Castro-Lopez, 33, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was driving her 2014 Honda Accord eastbound on I-44 when her car exploded. The road is about a mile east of Stotts. After leaving the road, her car collided with barrier cables, causing moderate damage to the car. She was later pulled from the scene. Lopez, who was wearing a safety device, sustained minor injuries and was taken by EMS to Mercy Hospital in Aurora.
Two adults and two children were injured in the sixth accident, which occurred on the M86 motorway, two miles west of Eagle Rock, on Saturday 12 August at 11pm. According to the accident report, Lloyd Calberloh, 27, of Pea Ridge, Ark. was driving a 2015 Buick Regal westbound when it crashed into a fallen tree that was blocking the road. Calberloh suffered minor injuries, as did the passengers on board: Morgan A. Portman, 24, of Bentonville, Arkansas, a 12-year-old girl from Claiborne, Texas, and a nine-year-old girl, also from Claiborne. All four were wearing safety gear at the time of the accident and were taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Cassville.
The vehicle was completely damaged and was towed from the scene.
A woman was injured in the seventh accident when two cars collided at 1090 Farm Road, about a half-mile north of Purdy, at 7:15 p.m. on Sunday, August 13. According to the accident report, Samantha Conklin, 34, of Aurora was driving a 2019 Audi Q7 towards the south on the road, while Kelsey McCauley, 28, of Cassville, was driving a 2011 Ford Explorer due north. The two cars met on the narrow road and crashed into each other. McCauley was slightly injured, while Conklin was unharmed. Both drivers were wearing safety devices at the time of the accident. Both vehicles sustained moderate damage and were towed from the scene.
In the eighth incident, a Mount Vernon man sustained moderate injuries when his motorcycle ran off the road at Lawrence 2185, five miles west of Marionville on Thursday, August 17 at 7:23 a.m. According to the accident report, Jason S. Lacey, 51, was heading west When his 2005 Honda VTX 1300 veered off the right side of the road, then came back and flipped. Then the motorcycle slid to the right side of the road again. Lacey, who was wearing a safety device, was taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Springfield. The motorcycle sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene.
A Red Oak, Iowa woman was seriously injured in the ninth crash when her car left the road on Interstate 39, five miles north of Shell Knob, Thursday, Aug. 17 at 2:45 p.m. According to the accident report, Christine Kant M. Hughes, 53, She is driving south when her 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee runs off the road and crashes into a tree. Hughes, who was wearing a safety device, was taken to Mercy Hospital in Springfield by Mercy EMS. The vehicle was completely damaged and was towed from the scene.
Two people were seriously injured in the tenth crash on U.S. Route 60, three miles east of Monet on Thursday, August 17 at 5:40 p.m. According to the accident report, the collision occurred when Michael E. Scott, 21, of Aurora, was driving his Ford Focus 2018 In the path of a 1997 Ford Expedition driven south by Mary E. Vargas, 19, of Wentworth. Scott was taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Springfield, while Vargas was taken to Cox South Hospital, also in Springfield. Both drivers were wearing safety devices at the time of the accident. Both vehicles sustained severe damage and were towed from the scene.
The latest incident occurred on Monday, August 21 at MO 37, two miles south of Wentworth at 6:10 p.m. According to the accident report, Daniel J. Copeland, 80, of Wentworth, was driving a 2003 Ford F350 southbound when he was driving. He failed to pass a curve on the highway and ran off the road. He managed to get back on the road but was hit by a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Jeffrey T. Hatfield, 36, of Wentworth North. Copeland sustained minor injuries in the collision and was taken by ambulance to Freeman West Hospital. It was not known if he was wearing a safety device at the time of the accident. Hatfield, who was wearing a safety device, was not injured.
Copeland’s car sustained complete damage while Hatfield’s car sustained moderate damage. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.
