The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the following 2020 July Fourth holiday statistics which showed a big decline for fatalities from a year ago:
•Troopers worked 294 traffic crashes, which included 107 injuries and five fatalities. Troopers also made 139 DWI arrests and 126 drug arrests over the holiday weekend.
•Troopers worked nine boating crashes, which included four injuries and zero fatalities. Troopers made six BWI arrests and 25 drug arrests. There was one drowning over the holiday weekend.
The 2020 July Fourth holiday counting period began at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 2, and ended at 11:59 p.m., Sunday, July 5.
Traffic fatalities occurred in Lee’s Summit (Troop A), Weldon Spring (Troop C), Poplar Bluff, (Troop E) and Jefferson City (Troop F). Troopers worked all five fatal crashes. Troop G, which includes Texas County, had none.
During the 2019 counting period, 15 people were killed and 457 injured statewide in Missouri over the holiday in 1,109 traffic crashes. Troopers arrested 162 people for driving while intoxicated last year.
Over the 2019 July Fourth holiday, there were nine boating crashes, which included four injuries and zero fatalities. Three people drowned during last year’s holiday. Troopers made 13 boating while intoxicated arrests during the 2019 counting period.