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 September 4, 2019

Man dies in Camdenton one-vehicle accident

LAKE OF THE OZARKS – A Camdenton man has died in a one-vehicle accident last week.

According to the Camdenton Police Department (CPD) on Monday August 26 at approximately 6:30 p.m., city police officers responded to motor vehicle crash in the area of South State Highway 5 expressway and Highway 54.

According to the CPD, a 2004 Dodge van driven by Lucas Shaw, 32, of Camdenton, MO, had been traveling south on State Highway 5 and then exited at the off-ramp at Highway 54 intending to head West.

As the van was traveling on the ramp it apparently veered off the right side of the roadway, continued down into a ravine and impacted the embankment.

Emergency personnel responded to the scene and located the vehicle where they found Shaw unresponsive.

He was later pronounced deceased by the medical examiner.

Another crash in Camdenton the next day left an Ozark, MO man injured.

On August 27 at approximately 9:30 p.m., city officers were dispatched to a motor vehicle crash on West Highway 54 at Whispering Pines Apartments.

Upon arrival at the scene officers observed a 2017 Dodge Ram pickup driven by Lance H. Kemp, 29, of Ozark, MO, sitting off the highway and next to a residence at Whispering Pines.

According to the CPD, the truck had apparently left Highway 54 and traveled through the parking area of Whiskers Bar damaging the entryway of the building.

The vehicle then went airborne, landing near the residence in Whispering Pines.

Due to injuries sustained in the crash, Kemp was transported to Lake Regional Hospital by ambulance.

Investigation is continuing into the cause of the accident.

In other accidents in the lake area last week:

A one-year-old boy received serious injuries after being ran over.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) on Sunday August 25 at 6:45 p.m., a 2006 Lincoln Mark 6 LT, driven by Ronda Ritchie, 59, of Camdenton, MO, had just pulled into a driveway on Dry Hollow Ridge Road in Camden County.

The vehicle then began to back up and the right rear tire traveled over the boy.

He was transported by Life Flight to Mercy Hospital in Springfield with serious injuries.

On the next day a two-vehicle accident resulted in moderate injuries for a woman.

On Monday August 26 at 5:30 p.m., a 2012 GMC Acadia, driven by Gail Nations, 52, of Roach, MO, was stopped at a stop sign waiting to make a left turn on Highway 54 at Rugen Cutoff in Camden County, when a 1988 Ford F-150, driven by Kaelee Cunningham, 23, of Tunas, MO, failed to stop and struck the GMC in the rear, the MSHP said.

Cunningham received moderate injuries and was transported to Lake Regional Hospital. The Acadia received moderate damage while the F-150 was listed as totaled. Both drivers were wearing their safety devices.

Later that same evening (6:55 p.m.) in Miller County, a 1993 Jeep Wrangler, driven by a 17-year-old male from Eldon, MO, was traveling northbound on Route Y 417 feet south of Forgotten Lane, when the Jeep hit a patch of water (due to flooding) and began to hydroplane.

The vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned.

The male driver received minor injuries and was taken by private vehicle to Lake Regional Hospital. He was wearing a safety device. The Jeep received extensive damage.

Last Wednesday (August 28) a motorcycle accident sent a woman to the hospital.

According to the MSHP, at 2:20 p.m. on Route W just south of Marvin Cutoff in Morgan County, a 2015 Harley Davidson, driven by Kenneth Rehagen, 62, of Jefferson City, MO, traveled off the right side of the road and overturned down an embankment, ejecting the driver and a passenger.

The passenger, Theresa Rehagen, 59, also of Jefferson City, MO, received serious injuries and was transported to University Hospital by helicopter.

Kenneth received moderate injuries but refused treatment at the scene. Both were wearing safety devices. The motorcycle sustained extensive damage.

Accidents on the lake and on the roads for the Labor Day holiday weekend were not available at press time.

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