The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.
Published December 5, 2018
No local fatalities in lake area over holiday period
JEFFERSON CITY – The lake area suffered no fatalities on the roads or on the
water and there were no reported accidents in Camden, Miller and Morgan County
investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) during the holiday
counting period.
But throughout the rest of the state, nine people died in traffic crashes during
this year’s Thanksgiving holiday counting period, which ran from 6 p.m.
Wednesday, November 21, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 25.
2018 Thanksgiving Holiday Traffic Statistics
• Crashes – 587
• Injuries – 108
• Fatalities – 9
• DWI – 86
• Drug Arrests - 67
In comparison, during the 2017 Thanksgiving holiday counting period, troopers
investigated 400 traffic crashes, which included 116 injuries.
Statewide, 17 people died and 555 people were injured in 1,364 traffic crashes
over last year’s Thanksgiving holiday. Troopers arrested 127 people for driving
while intoxicated and made 117 drug arrests during the 2017 Thanksgiving holiday
counting period.
Of the nine traffic crash fatalities troopers investigated this Thanksgiving
holiday period, one fatality occurred in each of the following areas: Troop A,
Lee’s Summit area, Troop D, Springfield area; Troop F, Jefferson City area,
Troop G, Willow Springs area, and Troop H, St. Joseph area. Four fatalities
occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring area.
In the lake area, there were no fatalities on the roads or on the water and
there were no reported accidents in Camden, Miller and Morgan County
investigated by the MSHP during the holiday counting period.
According to the MSHP, the following details resulted in the nine fatalities:
Three people died in fatal traffic crashes on Wednesday, November 21.
Jessica M. Kremer, 33, of Pacific, MO, died when an oncoming vehicle crossed
into her lane, striking the front of the vehicle she was driving.
The crash occurred on Missouri Route 66 east of South Fox Creek Road in St.
Louis County.
Kremer was pronounced dead at the scene by a Eureka Fire Protection District EMT.
Both Kremer and the other driver were wearing seat belts. The driver of the
other vehicle sustained serious injuries in the crash.
Larry K. Whittet, 60, of Shawnee, KS, died when the vehicle he was driving and
another vehicle collided.
Whittet’s vehicle began skidding, then traveled off the west side of the
roadway, struck an embankment, and overturned. The other vehicle skidded to a
stop in the roadway before leaving the scene. The crash occurred on Interstate
29 at the 48.8-mile marker in Buchanan County.
Nurse Practitioner Stacy Biller pronounced Whittet dead at Mosaic Life Care.
Whittet was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Buchanan County
Sheriff's Department and Buchanan County EMS also responded to the scene.
Michael L. Allbright, 51, of Fredericktown, MO, died after he entered the path
of a vehicle. Allbright was a pedestrian at the time of the crash. The crash
occurred on westbound Interstate 70 on the off ramp to Missouri Route K in St.
Charles County.
St. Charles County Ambulance personnel pronounced Allbright dead at the scene.
The driver of the vehicle that struck Allbright was not injured; he was wearing
a seat belt at the time of the crash.
No one died in a traffic crash on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22.
Three people died in fatal traffic crashes on Friday, November 23.
Al D. Parson, 48, of Laquey, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled
off the right side of the roadway, down an embankment, and came to rest in some
trees.
The crash occurred on U.S. Highway 63 south of West Plains in Howell County.
Howell County Coroner Tim Cherry pronounced Parson dead at the scene. Parson was
wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
A passenger in Parson's vehicle was not wearing a seat belt; she sustained
serious injuries in the crash. The Howell County Sheriff's Department also
responded to the scene.
Clara I. Silva, 62, of New Franklin, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving
ran off the right side of the roadway, struck a ditch, overturned, and struck a
tree before coming to rest on its top.
The crash occurred on U.S. Highway 40 east of Missouri Highway 5. Coroner Frank
Flaspohler pronounced Silva dead at the scene. Silva was wearing a seat belt at
the time of the crash.
Aaron W. Williams, 48, of Farber, MO, died when the vehicle in which he was a
passenger traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a concrete
barrier. The crash occurred on South Ethyln Road west of Deer Run Lane in
Lincoln County.
Lincoln County EMS pronounced Williams dead at the scene. Williams was not
wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash. The driver of the vehicle was
wearing a seat belt. He sustained serious injuries in the crash. Lincoln County
Sheriff's Department and Lincoln County Fire Department also responded to the
scene.
Three people died in fatal traffic crashes on November 24.
Marsha D. Rupel, 60, of Fair Grove, MO, died when the vehicle in which she was a
passenger was struck head-on by another vehicle. The crash occurred on Missouri
Route E east of Fair Grove, MO, in Greene County.
Greene County Medical Examiner Buddy Pilmore pronounced Rupel dead at the scene.
Rupel was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
The driver of the vehicle in which Rupel was a passenger was not wearing a seat
belt at the time of the crash. He sustained serious injuries. The driver of the
other vehicle was wearing a seat belt and sustained moderate injuries.
Sara L. Shepard, 31, of St. Charles, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving
and another vehicle collided for unknown reasons. Shepard’s vehicle then ran off
the right side of the roadway and struck the guardrail. The other vehicle ran
off the roadway, struck the guardrail, and overturned.
The crash occurred on Missouri Highway 364 east of Jungs Station Road in St.
Charles County. Dr. George Mekhjian at SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital pronounced
Shepard dead. Shepard was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
The driver of the other vehicle was not wearing a seat belt and sustained
moderate injuries. A passenger in the other vehicle was wearing a seat belt and
sustained moderate injuries.
Tahkota T. Christiansen, 18, of Richmond, MO, died when an unknown vehicle
struck the rear of the moped he was operating. Christiansen’s moped then
traveled off the roadway and he was ejected.
The crash occurred on Missouri Highway 10 east of Missouri Route T in Ray
County.
There were no boating crashes, zero boating fatalities, no boating while
intoxicated arrests, and no drownings reported during the 2018 Thanksgiving
holiday counting period.
NOTE: The fatality statistics in this news release could change if late deaths
occur, or if other departments report fatal traffic crashes after this news
release is sent out.
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