State News July 8, 2024 KTTN News
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the following 2024 July Fourth holiday statistics for the counting period from 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 7, 2024.
2024 July Fourth Holiday Boating Statistics
Troopers worked ten boating crashes, resulting in seven injuries and zero fatalities. Troopers made 11 boating while intoxicated arrests. One person drowned over the holiday weekend. The drowning occurred in Troop D.
In 2023, there were 11 boating crashes, resulting in two injuries and no fatalities. One person drowned during last year’s July Fourth holiday. Troopers made 10 boating while intoxicated arrests over last year’s holiday weekend.
The drowning occurred on Saturday, July 6, 2024. Craig H. Olson, 60, of Shawnee, Kansas, was swimming near a vessel, went under the water, and did not resurface. He was not wearing a life jacket. Cedar County Deputy Coroner Joe Trussel pronounced Olson dead at the scene. The incident occurred at Stockton Lake in the first cove west of the Stockton Dam.
2024 July Fourth Holiday Traffic Statistics
Troopers worked 382 traffic crashes, resulting in 159 injuries and eight fatalities. Troopers also made 147 DWI arrests.
One traffic fatality occurred in the Troop I, Rolla area. Two fatalities occurred in both the Troop C, Weldon Spring, and Troop D, Springfield areas. Three fatalities occurred in the Troop B, Macon area.
During the 2023 counting period, 15 people were killed and 646 injured in Missouri over the holiday in 1,505 traffic crashes. Last year during the counting period, troopers arrested 125 people for driving while intoxicated.
Traffic Fatalities Breakdown
Two people died on Wednesday, July 3, 2024:
- Jared A. Thrapp, 45, of Forsyth, died when a westbound vehicle crossed the centerline, struck the left side of a second vehicle, then struck the front of the vehicle he was driving. All three vehicles traveled off the right side of the eastbound lanes. The crash occurred in Taney County on Highway F, east of Bull Creek. Thrapp, who was wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene by Taney County Coroner Elijah Goodwin. A passenger in Thrapp’s vehicle sustained serious injuries. The driver of the westbound vehicle and the second vehicle were not seriously injured, and all were wearing seatbelts.
- William C. 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 in Monroe County on Cincinnati Road, south of Ariel Lane. Sweet was pronounced dead at the scene by Monroe City EMS. He was not wearing a helmet.
One person died on Thursday, July 4, 2024:
- Teven J. Blackwell, 20, of Troy, died when he lost control of the motorcycle he was driving, struck the side of a parked vehicle, ran off the right side of the roadway, and struck a parked trailer. Blackwell, who was wearing a helmet, was ejected from the vehicle. The crash occurred on Pike County Road 255. Dr. Pugh pronounced Blackwell deceased at Pike County Memorial Hospital.
Four people died on Friday, July 5, 2024:
- Trevor A. Benda, 21, of Kirksville, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck an embankment, and overturned into a pond. The crash occurred on Highway 63, two miles north of LaPlata. Benda, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at University Hospital in Columbia by Dr. Ubinas. The Patrol was assisted by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Adair County Ambulance, and the Kirksville and LaPlata Fire Departments.
- Sheldonna A. Wood, 60, of Joplin, died when she was struck by a vehicle that traveled off the right side of Douglas Fir Road, half a mile south of Joplin, in Newton County. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Newton County Coroner Dale Owen. The driver of the vehicle was not injured.
- Darrell D. Rice, 56, of Montrose, Colorado, died when he was struck by a vehicle on Highway 24, west of Keytesville, in Chariton County. Rice was riding a bicycle west on Highway 24 when he was struck. Rice, who was not wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at Moberly Regional Medical Center by Dr. Lammert. The driver of the vehicle was not injured. An occupant of the vehicle sustained minor injuries. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Chariton County Sheriff’s Office.
- Darrell J. 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, south of Quiet Lane, in St. Louis County. Williams was pronounced dead at Barnes Jewish Hospital by Dr. Montes. It is unknown if he was wearing a seatbelt. The driver of the other vehicle sustained serious injuries. It is unknown if he was wearing a seatbelt.
There were no traffic fatalities reported on Saturday, July 6, 2024.
One person died in a traffic crash on Sunday, July 7, 2024:
- Joseph R. Bialczyk, 20, of Belle, died when the vehicle he was operating failed to negotiate a curve, began to skid, ran off the left side of the roadway, and overturned. The crash occurred on Highway 42, three miles off Highway 28, in Maries County. Bialczyk, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene by Maries County Deputy Coroner Sandbothe. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Maries County Sheriff’s Office.
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