NEWS RELEASE
For further information please contact: Capt. J. Tim Hull
Q7082 (573) 526-6115
July 7, 2008
EMPHASIS: Ten Deaths During July Fourth Weekend

Ten people died in traffic crashes during the 2008 July Fourth holiday’s 78-hour counting period. The counting period began at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 2008 and ended at 11:59 p.m., Sunday, July 6, 2008. The Missouri State Highway Patrol worked 266 crashes in which nine people died and 158 were injured. The Platte County Sheriff’s Department investigated one fatality. Troopers arrested 195 people for driving while intoxicated during this year’s holiday weekend. During last year’s 30-hour counting period, two people died and 230 were injured in 426 traffic crashes statewide. Troopers made 50 driving while intoxicated arrests during the 2007 counting period.

Of the nine fatalities investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, four occurred in the Troop D, Springfield area, and one fatality occurred in each of the following: Troop C, St. Louis area, Troop F, Jefferson City area, Troop G, Willow Springs area, Troop H, St. Joseph area, and Troop I, Rolla area.

One fatality occurred on Thursday, July 3, 2008. Vincent T. Ward, 39, of Eldon, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving crossed the centerline, he overcorrected, causing the vehicle to run off the right side of the road before it returned to the roadway and overturned several times. He was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. A passenger in the vehicle was wearing a seat belt and sustained minor injuries. Miller County Coroner Rick Callahan pronounced Vincent Ward dead at the scene. The crash occurred on Route CC at Northridge Drive in Miller County.

One fatality occurred on Independence Day, July 4, 2008. Scott N. Kramer, 45, of Willow Springs, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving crested a hill at a high rate of speed and ran off the road. Kramer overcorrected, and the vehicle overturned and came to rest on its wheels in the ditch. Kramer was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. A passenger in the vehicle was wearing a seat belt and sustained moderate injuries. Ozark County Coroner Ron Mahan pronounced Kramer dead at the scene. The crash occurred on Missouri Route P, one mile south of U.S. Highway 160, 2.5 miles southwest of Theodosia.


There were three fatalities on Saturday, July 5, 2008. Forrest W. Wood, 81, of Lebanon, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving crossed the road into the path of a westbound vehicle. Wood was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Deputy Coroner Paul McMilian pronounced Wood dead at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was wearing a seat belt and was not injured. The crash occurred in LaClede County on Ember Drive one mile south of Lebanon.

Matthew E. Leer, 27, of Nevada, MO, died when he was attempting to “hood surf” and fell off the vehicle. The crash occurred in Vernon County, at Alma Street and Barry Street in Nevada. Dr. Barnes at Nevada Regional Hospital pronounced Leer dead. The driver of the vehicle was not injured.

The Platte County Sheriff’s Department investigated one fatality. No additional information is available.

There were five fatalities on Sunday, July 6, 2008. Paul A. Gerner, 33, of Washington, MO, died when he tried to avoid striking a deer with his motorcycle. He dropped the motorcycle on the pavement and struck his head. The motorcycle then traveled off the roadway and Gerner was ejected. Both vehicle and driver came to rest on the right side of the roadway. EMS J. Kovach with Medic 15 pronounced Gerner deceased at the scene. The crash occurred in St. Charles County on Route DD just north of Missouri Highway 94.

Clinton S. Starmer, 19, of Bethany, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving travelled off the east side of the road. He overcorrected to the left, the vehicle went across and off the west side of the road where it struck an embankment and overturned several times, coming to rest on its wheels in a fence. Starmer was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. The crash occurred in Harrison County on Missouri Route BB five miles west of Southwest of Bethany. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, Bethany Fire and Rescue, and NTA Ambulance were also on the scene.

Daniel D. Toler, 48, of Liberal, MO; Marya L. Toler, 50, of Liberal, MO; and Jesse M. Neal, 32, of Joplin, MO, died in a traffic crash on Missouri Highway 43 southeast of Liberal in Barton County. The crash occurred when the vehicle Neal was driving crossed the centerline and struck the Toler vehicle head-on. Barton County Coroner Tucker Joustra pronounced all three dead at the scene. A passenger in the Toler vehicle sustained serious injuries. All three occupants of the Toler vehicle were wearing a seat belt; Neal was not.

NOTE: Fatality statistics may change due to late deaths.
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