A Douglas County inmate died last Thursday afternoon in a multi-vehicle crash on U.S. 63 between Cabool and Houston.
Stephen L. Thompson, 61, of Dora, was pronounced dead at the scene of the wreck at 2:22 p.m. by Texas County Coroner Tom Whittaker.
Thompson was in the back seat of a Douglas County Sheriff’s Dept. patrol car, and was being returned to Douglas County from Farmington where he had undergone an evaluation. Sheriff Chris Degase confirmed this week that Thompson was seat-belted.
The 2008 Dodge Charger patrol car was driven by Steven W. Zehner, 29, Mansfield. Degase said Zehner is a part-time deputy for Douglas County.
The southbound patrol car collided with a trailer that came loose from a northbound pickup and crossed the roadway. The patrol car also impacted a guardrail.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that a 1998 Dodge pickup driven by Gary Miller, 65, of Cabool, was traveling north on Highway 63, five miles north of Cabool. A trailer being towed by the pickup crossed the centerline and struck a southbound 2007 International truck driven by James G. Wise, 47, of Louisburg, and a 2006 Chevrolet Colorado driven by Karen F. Winegar, 62, of Pocatello, Idaho, also traveling south on U.S. 63.
The trailer then separated from the pickup and crossed the roadway, hitting the patrol car.
Deputy Zehner was taken to Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston by Texas County Ambulance where he was treated for moderate injuries and released.
No one else was injured in that wreck that occurred at 1:50 p.m.
Five minutes later, however, as Miller was returning to the scene of the fatal crash in which he lost the trailer he was towing, he ran off the roadway onto the right shoulder and struck two parked cars, a 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Michael S. Fuge, 23, of Mansfield, and a 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier, driven by Jessica S. Crawford, 21, of Harrisburg, Ark.
Fuge was taken by ambulance to Texas County Memorial with minor injuries and Miller was taken to the same facility by ambulance with moderate injuries.
The two crashes were investigated by Tpr. Dale Pounds and Sgt. George Falterman, along with Cpl. Scott Nelson, Sgt. John Wheeler, Tpr. Curtis Hubbs, CVO John Hudson. The crash was also investigated by the Troop G Major Crash Team, Sgt. Brian Gruben and Cpl. Scott Richardson.
A motorcycle driver sustained moderate injuries last Friday in Ozark County when the machine he was operating collided with a Freightliner UPS delivery truck on Route JJ, one mile north of Thornfield.
The Highway Patrol reported that William E. Kelley, 50, of Theodosia, lost control of his 2007 Honda Shadow motorcycle and slid into the path of the truck, driven by Robert K. Voss, 50, of Pontiac.
Kelley was transported by Ozark County Ambulance to Cox South Hospital, Springfield. The wreck, which occurred at 6:10 p.m., was investigated by Cpl. Jim Britt.
Two Ava residents were hospitalized Saturday following a one-vehicle wreck on Highway 5 south of Mansfield in Douglas County.
The Highway Patrol said Derek D. Watkins, 17, was driving a 1989 GMC Jimmy south on Highway 5 when he ran off the right side of the roadway. The vehicle struck a dirt embankment, overturned and came to rest on its top in a ditch.
The driver was taken to Cox South Hospital by Cox Ambulance with moderate injuries.
A passenger, Norma F. Jones, 67, also sustained moderate injuries and was taken to Cox South by St. John’s Ambulance.
Two people were taken to the hospital by ambulance Tuesday night following a wreck in the Vera Cruz area east of Ava, at about 10 p.m.
The Highway Patrol said Kara D. Robertson was eastbound on CR AB223, 12 miles east of Ava, when she lost control of the 1988 Dodge truck she was driving, traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck and embankment and overturned.
Injured and taken to Cox Hospital by Cox Ambulance were Tela J. Davis, 27, Ava, moderate injuries, and Jessica Doisher, 13, Ava, minor injuries.
Cpl. Britt reported that excessive speed contributed to the crash.
