Greta Cross, Springfield News-Leader
Updated ·3 min read
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported one drowning and eight traffic fatalities over the 4th of July weekend.
The drowning occurred Saturday, July 6 at Stockton Lake in the first cove west of Stockton Dam. Craig Olson, 60, of Shawnee, Kansas was swimming near a vessel, went under water and did not resurface, according to a MSHP report. He was not wearing a life jacket and was pronounced dead on the scene.
The eight traffic fatalities occurred near the Rolla, Weldon Spring, Springfield and Macon areas.
Two people died Wednesday, July 3. Jared Thrapp, 45, of Forsyth died when the driver of a westbound vehicle crossed the centerline and struck a second vehicle, which then struck him. The crash occurred on Highway F, just east of Bull Creek in Taney County. Thrapp was wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the westbound vehicle was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured. The driver of the second vehicle was wearing a seatbelt and sustained minor injuries. Two passengers in the second vehicle also sustained minor injuries and a third passenger sustained moderate injuries. All passengers were wearing seatbelts.
William Sweet, 48, of Monroe City died when the ATV he was driving traveled off the left side of the road and struck a tree. The crash occurred on Cincinnati Road in Monroe County. Sweet was not wearing a helmet and was pronounced dead on the scene.
One person died Thursday, July 4. Teven Blackwell, 20, of Troy died when he lost control of his motorcycle and struck the side of a parked vehicle, ran off the side of the road and struck a parked trailer. Blackwell was ejected from the motorcycle. The crash occurred on Pike County Road 255, east of Pike County Road 256. He was wearing a helmet and was pronounced dead at the Pike County Memorial Hospital.
Four people died Friday, July 5. Trevor Benda, 21, of Kirksville died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the roadway, struck an embankment and overturned into a pond. The crash occurred on U.S. 63. Benda was not wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the University Hospital in Columbia.
Sheldonna Wood, 60, of Joplin died when she was struck by a vehicle that traveled off the right side of the road of Douglas Fir Road. She was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the vehicle was no injured.
Darrell Rice, 56, of Montrose, Colorado, died when he was struck by a vehicle while riding a bicycle on U.S. Highway 24, west of Keytesville. Rice was not wearing a helmet and was pronounced dead at the Moberly Regional Medical Center. The driver of the vehicle was not injured. An occupant of the vehicle sustained minor injures.
Darrell Williams, 35, of St. Louis died when the front of the vehicle he was driving was struck by a southbound vehicle that crossed the center of the road. The crash occurred on Bellefontaine Road in St. Louis County. It is unknown if Williams was wearing a seatbelt. He was pronounced dead at Barnes Jewish Hospital. The driver of the other vehicle sustained serious injuries. It is unknown if the other driver was wearing a seatbelt.
One person died on Sunday, July 7. Joseph Bialczyk, 20, of Belle died when the vehicle he was operating failed to negotiate a curve, began to skid, ran off the roadway and overturned. The crash occurred on Missouri 42 in Maries County. Bialczyk was not wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead on the scene.
In total, MSHP troopers reported to 382 traffic crashes, which included 159 injuries, according to a MSHP report. Troopers also made 147 DWI arrests.
MSHP troopers reported to 10 boating crashes, which included seven injured. Troopers also made 11 boating while intoxicated arrests.
The MSHP set the 4th of July weekend as between Wednesday, July 3 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, July 7 at 11:59 p.m.
In 2023, the MSHP reported zero boating fatalities, one drowning and 15 traffic fatalities over the 4th of July weekend.
Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. She has more than five years of journalism experience covering everything from Ozarks history to Springfield’s LGBTQIA+ community. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@news-leader.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Highway Patrol reports 1 drowning, 8 traffic fatalities over weekend
