The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports nine people died during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday counting period. None were in Troop G.
Three of the fatalities occurred in both the Troop A, Lee’s Summit, and Troop C, Weldon Spring, areas. There were two fatalities occurred in the Troop D, Springfield, area and one fatality in the Troop H, St. Joseph, area.
One fatality traffic crash occurred Nov. 25 when Anthony V. Ferrari, 52, of Peculiar, died when the vehicle he was driving northbound struck the left front of a southbound John Deere combine which was wider than its lane. Ferrari’s vehicle came to rest in the ditch; the combine came to rest in the roadway. The crash occurred in Cass County on Peculiar Drive east of 237th Street. It is unknown whether or not Ferrari was wearing a seat belt.
Two fatal traffic crashes occurred on Thanksgiving Day.
Derek W. Gillilan, 27, of Higginsville, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the roadway, struck an embankment, and overturned several times. The vehicle came to rest in a field. The crash occurred in Lafayette County. Gillilan was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.
Lonnie E. Foster, 53, of Nixa, died when the vehicle he was driving ran off the roadway and overturned. The crash occurred in Christian County on U.S. 160 in Highlandville. Foster was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.
Three people died in fatal traffic crashes on Friday, Nov. 27.
Pamela J. Foster, 63, of Liberty, died when the driver of the vehicle in which she was a passenger traveled over a bridge and lost control. The vehicle traveled over the guardrail on the southbound side of the roadway and struck a second guardrail on the west side of southbound Interstate 35 before traveling back across the southbound lanes and coming to rest in the median. The crash occurred in Clinton County at the 37-mile marker on Interstate 35 south of Lathrop. Foster was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.
David E. Rice, 67, of Silex, died when another vehicle crossed the center line and struck the vehicle Rice was driving head-on. The crash occurred in Lincoln County on Highway E. Rice was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
Jeanette R. Bunn, 42, of Lowndes, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger struck the rear of another vehicle, then traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. The other vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. The crash occurred in St. Francois County. Bunn was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
One person died on Saturday, Nov. 28.
Thomas C. Hartley, 29, of Clinton, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the roadway and overturned coming to rest on its wheels. Hartley was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Cass County.
Two people died on Sunday, Nov. 29.
Vincenzo A. Keith, 16, of Nixa, died when the vehicle in which he was a passenger ran off the roadway, off the side of a bridge, and overturned in the water. The crash occurred in Dallas County on Rocksdale Road south of Buffalo, MO. Keith was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
Taylor R. Dunn, 17, of Silex,, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger failed to stop at a stop sign, traveled into the path of a second vehicle, and was struck. The crash occurred in Lincoln County. Dunn was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
There was one boating crash, zero boating fatalities, no boating while intoxicated arrests, and no drownings reported during the 2015 Thanksgiving holiday counting period.