The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

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 January 9, 2019

Lake Ozark man killed in accident over New Year

JEFFERSON CITY – There were no fatalities on the water or on the roads in Camden, Miller or Morgan Counties over the New Year’s counting period but a Lake Ozark man did die in an accident in Columbia, MO, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP).

Jason Harvey, 44, of Lake Ozark, MO, died after he was struck by a vehicle while standing in the right lane of U.S. Highway 63 near Prathersville Road in Columbia, MO on January 1.

The driver of the vehicle that struck Harvey was not injured in the crash. The Columbia Police Department investigated the crash.

There were, however, three accidents during the counting period in the lake area.

The first accident happened on Saturday, December 29 in Morgan County.

According to the MSHP, at 11:57 a.m. at the Route 52 and Route 135 junction, a 2006 Hyundai Sonata, driven by Aishik Chakraborty, 28, of Lawrence, Kansas, was attempting to turn left when it was struck by a 2004 GMC Sierra, driven by David Prater, 62, of Eldon, MO.

The Sonata then traveled off the south side of the road and struck a sign. The GMC skidded off the south side of the road and overturned, struck a roadside fence and a tree before coming to rest.

Chakraborty received moderate injuries and a passenger, Subhradweep Patra, 22, also of Lawrence Kansas, received minor injuries. Both were transported to Lake Regional Hospital by ambulance.

David Prater received minor injuries and refused medical attention. A passenger in his vehicle, Iva Prater, 57, also of Eldon, MO, received moderate injuries and was transported by ambulance to Capitol Region Hospital.

All four were wearing their safety devices.

The second accident occurred in Camden County on December 30 at 6:24 p.m.

The MSHP stated that a 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by Aaron Bell, 22, of Camdenton, MO, attempted to turn on Bumper Hill Road from Highway 54 but was traveling too fast to make the turn.

Bell applied the brakes and the vehicle began to skid and traveled off the left side of the road, then crossed over Bumper Hill Road, traveled off the right side of the road and collided with an embankment.

Bell and a passenger, Dylan Rice, 24, of Buffalo, MO, both received minor injuries and were transported by ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital.

The MSHP said that Rice was wearing his safety device but Bell was not.

The final local accident happened on January 1 at 3:25 a.m. in Morgan County, when a 2003 Chevrolet 1500, driven by Christian Whittle, 21, of Versailles, MO, traveled off of the left side of the road where it then struck a tree and overturned.

The accident occurred on Old Highway 5, east of Victor Road.

Whittle sustained serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital. The MSHP said it was unknown if he was wearing a safety device.

Statewide, eight people died in traffic crashes during the 2019 New Year’s holiday weekend.

Last year, there were seven fatalities.

The 2019 New Year’s counting period ran from 6 p.m., Friday, December 28, 2018, through 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, January 1, 2019.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the following:

2019 New Year’s Holiday Traffic Statistics

Crashes - 352
Injuries - 112
Fatalities - 7
DWI - 127

The remaining fatality was investigated by the Columbia Police Department.

During the 2018 New Year’s counting period, the Patrol investigated 229 traffic crashes, which included 77 injuries and five of the seven fatalities.

Troopers also arrested 129 people for driving while impaired during the 2018 New Year’s holiday. There were no boating crashes. No one drowned over the 2018 New Year’s counting period.

One fatality occurred in each of the Troop A, Lee’s Summit, MO, Troop C, Weldon Spring, MO, Troop F, Jefferson City, MO, Troop G, Willow Springs, MO, Troop H, St. Joseph, MO, and Troop I, Rolla, MO, areas; two of the fatalities occurred in the Troop D, Springfield, MO, area.

One fatality occurred during the counting period on Friday, December 28, 2018.
John R. Egly, 39, of Mountain View, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving ran off the roadway, overturned several times and then came to rest on its top. Egly was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

The crash occurred in Howell County on County Road 2790 west of Mountain View. Howell County Coroner Tim Cherry pronounced Egly dead at the scene.

No traffic fatalities occurred on Saturday, December 29, 2018.

Two fatalities occurred on Sunday, December 30, 2018.
Amanda L. Keathley, 40, of Spickard, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving failed to negotiate a curve, left the roadway, struck a culvert, and overturned.

Keathley was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash and was ejected from the vehicle.

The crash occurred in Ray County on Missouri Highway 13 at Missouri Route FF.

Dr. Luis Robles pronounced Keathley dead at Ray County Memorial Hospital. The Ray County Fire and Emergency Medical Services also responded to the scene of the crash.

Savannah V. Green, 16, of Urbana, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving ran off the roadway and overturned. A passenger in Green’s vehicle sustained moderate injuries.

Neither was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

The crash occurred in Hickory County on County Road 302 northwest of Urbana. Dr. Riley pronounced Green dead at Citizens Memorial Hospital.

Three fatalities occurred on Monday, December 31, 2018.
Jessica M. Vincent, 37, of Nixa, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving failed to negotiate a curve, crossed the center line, and struck another vehicle head-on.

Vincent was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

The driver of the other vehicle was not injured; he was wearing a seat belt.

The crash occurred in Christian County on Missouri Highway 14 west of Nixa. Dr. David Lee pronounced Vincent dead at Cox South Hospital.

Ramya Bharathi Bharathi Mohan, 34, of Eden Prairie, MN, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger traveled off the east side of the roadway into the median and struck an emergency crossover.

The vehicle then became airborne, impacted the ground and overturned multiple times before coming to rest on the roadway.

Bharathi Mohan was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash and was ejected from the vehicle.

Another passenger sustained minor injuries; she was in a child safety seat.

The driver was not injured; he was wearing a seat belt.

The crash occurred in Daviess County on Interstate 35 at the 65.2-mile marker north of Cameron, MO.

Daviess County Coroner David McWilliams pronounced Bharathi Mohan dead at the scene. Daviess County Fire and Daviess County Emergency Medical Services also responded to the scene.

Phillip E. Farrar Jr., 53, of Steelville, MO, was walking eastbound in the westbound lane of Missouri Highway 8 when he was struck by a vehicle.

The driver and a passenger in the vehicle both sustained minor injuries in the crash; both were wearing a seat belt.

The crash occurred in Crawford County on Missouri Highway 8 east of Steelville, MO. Crawford County Coroner Paul Hutson pronounced Farrar dead at the scene.

Two fatalities occurred on Tuesday, January 1, 2019.
Andrew J. Lucas, 27, of Festus, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving crossed the center line and was struck by another vehicle. Both vehicles then traveled off the right side of the roadway.

Lucas was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

The driver of the other vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he sustained moderate injuries.

The crash occurred in Jefferson County on Mapaville Hematite Road north of Missouri Highway P. Emergency Medical Services personnel pronounced Lucas dead at the scene.

(The other New Year’s fatality was Jason Harvey).

Note: The fatality statistics could change if late deaths occur, or if other departments report fatal traffic crashes after this news release was sent to the media.