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 June 5, 2019

One death on lake over holiday period

LAKE OF THE OZARKS – There was one fatality on the lake over the Memorial Day holiday period and none on the roads in the lake area, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The fatality is being referred to as a “Boating Fatality” and not a “drowning.” The MSHP says there were no drownings statewide during the counting period, which ran from 6 p.m., Friday, May 24, through 11:59 p.m., Monday, May 27, 2019.

The “Boating Fatality” occurred on May 27 at 4:45 p.m. at the one-mile mark of the Glaize Arm.

According to the MSHP, William A. Gordon-Price, 27, of Overland Park, KS, died after he went swimming off his Sweetwater Pontoon vessel. He went under and did not resurface.

Camden County Medical Examiner Dee Ballard pronounced Gordon-Price dead at the scene. Gordon-Price was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident.

The Patrol’s Dive Team, Osage Beach Fire Protection District, Mid-County Protection District, Lake Ozark Fire Protection District and the Osage Beach Police Department assisted at the scene.

There was only one accident recorded by the MSHP on the roads in the three-county area over the holiday period.

That accident happened on May 26 at 10:23 a.m. on Brookhaven Lane when a 2013 golf cart, driven by a 14-year-old female, from New Market, IA, lost control on a curve and rolled on its side.

The driver received serious injuries and was flown to Columbia by Staff for Life. A 13-year-old passenger in the vehicle, from Clarinda, IA, received minor injuries and was taken by private vehicle to Lake Regional Hospital.

Statewide, seven people died in traffic crashes over the 2019 Memorial Day weekend.

The MSHP investigated 298 traffic crashes with 106 injuries. Troopers made 95 driving while intoxicated arrests and 93 drug arrests.

In comparison, in 2018, 16 people were killed in traffic crashes over the three-day weekend. They also investigated 294 traffic crashes, which included 124 injuries.

Troopers also arrested 121 people for driving while intoxicated and made 102 drug arrests over the 2018 Memorial Day weekend.

Over the 2019 Memorial Day period, marine operations troopers arrested nine boaters for boating while intoxicated and made 27 drug arrests.

Troopers have investigated all seven traffic crash fatalities this year.

Five fatalities occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring, MO, area, and one each occurred in the Troop G, Willow Springs, and Troop I, Rolla, areas.

One traffic fatality occurred on Friday, May 24, 2019, during the counting period.

According to the MSHP, Clarence E. McPherson, 67, of Virginia Beach, VA, died when he was struck by a vehicle. McPherson was in the roadway at the time of the crash, which occurred in St. Louis County south of Interstate 70 on Natural Bridge Road.

Dr. Bokiej pronounced McPherson dead at SSM Health DePaul Hospital.

The driver of the vehicle that struck McPherson was not injured in the incident; he was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

Berkeley, MO, Police Department assisted at the scene.

Two people died in traffic crashes on Saturday, May 25, 2019.
Maria I. Stone, 59, of Lebanon, MO, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger struck another vehicle head on.

The other vehicle was turning onto Missouri Highway 32 from Red Oak and entered the path of the vehicle carrying Stone.

The crash occurred on Missouri Highway 21 east of Lebanon.

Dr. Eric Funk pronounced Stone dead at Cox North Hospital in Springfield, MO.

The driver and two additional passengers sustained minor injuries; another passenger sustained serious injuries in the crash. Stone and all other people in that vehicle were wearing seat belts.

The driver of the second vehicle was not wearing a seat belt; she sustained moderate injuries.

Robert M. Stump, 49, of Lake St. Louis, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. He was not wearing a seat belt.

The crash occurred in St. Charles County on Missouri Highway 94 west of Howell Road. St. Charles County EMS personnel pronounced Stump dead at the scene.

A passenger in Stump’s vehicle was wearing a seat belt; she sustained minor injuries.
St. Charles County Police Department assisted at the scene.

Two people died in traffic crashes on Sunday, May 26, 2019.
Delphine D. Stegall, 43, of St. Louis, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving was struck in the rear.

Stegall’s vehicle had experienced a flat tire and she was attempting to pull over to the right shoulder at the time her vehicle was struck. Stegall was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.

The crash occurred in St. Louis County on Interstate 270 at Missouri Highway 367.

Christian EMS Paramedic Perry Schneider pronounced Stegall dead at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he sustained serious injuries in the crash.

Colton Ogden, 14, of Licking, MO, died when the ATV he was operating left the roadway and went through a fence. Ogden was ejected and struck a tree; he was not wearing a helmet.

The crash occurred in Texas County on Pigeon Creek Road northeast of Licking, MO. Dr. Zereik pronounced Ogden dead at Texas County Memorial Hospital.

Two people died in traffic crashes on Memorial Day, May 27, 2019.
Charles M. Wilcox, 60, of Ballwin, MO, died when he attempted to make a right turn and entered the path of another vehicle.

The other vehicle struck the right side of Wilcox’s vehicle. Wilcox was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in St. Louis County on Missouri Highway 100 at Pond Road.

Dr. Tzau pronounced Wilcox dead at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. The driver of the other vehicle was wearing a seat belt; she sustained moderate injuries in the crash.

The remaining fatality is under investigation. There is no further information available.

NOTE: The fatality statistics could change if late deaths occur, other departments report crashes or incidents, a fatality is determined to be a drowning, or if a fatality is determined to be caused by a medical condition.