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 May 10, 2023

Colorado man injured when car rolls over

LAKE OF THE OZARKS – A Colorado man received serious injuries in a one-vehicle accident last week.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) last Wednesday at 6:15 p.m., a 2003 Ford F250, driven by Aaron Sauer, 41, of Bayfield, CO, was “traveling at a high rate of speed” southbound on Ivy Bend Road near Proctor Road in Morgan County when the vehicle went off the right side of the road, overcorrected, went off the left side of the road and overturned several times.

Sauer suffered serious injuries and was transported by MU Air to University Hospital. He was not wearing a seat belt. The vehicle was totaled in the accident.

A woman escaped with minor injuries despite going airborne in an accident on Sunday April 30.

Shelley Hammond, 61, of Versailles, MO, was traveling west on Route 21 east of Ring Wood Road in Morgan County at 1:05 a.m. in a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe when the vehicle went off the right side of the road, hit a culvert and became airborne.

The vehicle then hit the ground and rolled over.

Hammond received minor injuries and was taken to Capitol Region Hospital. She was wearing a seat belt. The vehicle was totaled in the crash.

A rear-end collision sent a Camdenton man to the hospital with minor injuries on Monday May 1.

At 4:15 p.m., a 2005 GMC Savannah, driven by Casey Thomas, 24, of Lebanon, MO, was westbound on Highway 54 east of Cross Creek Road when he stopped for traffic congestion.

According to the MSHP, at that time a 2021 Freightliner, driven by Skip Myers, 66, also of Lebanon, MO, came up from behind and hit the Savannah in the back end.

Thomas had minor injuries and was taken by Ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, MO. He was wearing a seat belt as was Myers.

The Savannah was totaled and the Freightliner had moderate damage.

A single-vehicle accident sent an Iowa man to the hospital last Wednesday.

At 11:35 a.m. on Carrol Cut Thru north of Wagon Trail in Camden County, Truett Partin, 18, of Edwards, MO, was driving a 2007 Ford Mustang south when the car failed to negotiate a curve and went off the right side of the road hitting a ditch.

A passenger in the Mustang, Brian Schmelzer, 64, of Davenport, IA., suffered moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital. The MSHP said neither the driver nor the passenger was wearing their seat belts.

The car had extensive damage.

Later that same day another one-vehicle accident sent another person to the hospital.

A 1999 Toyota Avalon was being driven by Kelli Engelhardt, 43, of Versailles, MO, west on Indigo Road east of Highway 5 in Morgan County at 3:53 p.m. when the vehicle lost traction and slid off the right side of the road and hit a tree.

A passenger in the vehicle, Susan Stewart, 66, also of Versailles, MO, received minor injuries and was taken to Lake Regional Hospital by ambulance. She was wearing her seat belt but Engelhardt was not. The vehicle had minor damage.

At 5:20 p.m. that day a two-vehicle accident at Old Route 5 and Harvest Road in Camden County sent two to the hospital.

The MSHP reported that a 2017 Toyota Corolla, driven by Margaret McCasland, 58, of Ellisville, MO, was traveling west when she pulled into the path of a 2000 Ford Ranger, being driven by Ajax Marlatt, 18, of Camdenton, MO.

After the impact, the Ranger went off the right side of the road, hit a stop sign and overturned.

Marlatt had moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital. He was wearing a seat belt.

McCasland suffered minor injuries and was also taken to Lake Regional Hospital. She too was wearing a seat belt. The Toyota was totaled and the Ranger had extensive damage.

Another two-vehicle accident sent two more to the hospital last Friday.

According to the MSHP, at 7:10 a.m. at 11999 Highway 7 in Camden County, a 2022 Kia Sorrento, driven by Francine Manning, 26, of Climax Springs, MO, was crossing Highway 7 from a private drive when she was hit by a 2011 Toyota Venza, being driven by Diangela Duncan, 54, also of Climax Springs, MO.

Manning and Duncan received minor injuries and were taken to Lake Regional Hospital. Duncan was wearing a seat belt but Manning was not, according to the report. Both vehicles had extensive damage.