NEWS RELEASE
For further information please contact:
Capt. Christian T. Ricks
Q1051
(573) 526-6115
January 3, 2005
EMPHASIS: Nine Fatalities Over New Year’s Holiday
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports nine people died during the New Year’s holiday counting period from 6 p.m. December 31, 2004 to 11:59 p.m. January 2, 2005. During this year’s 54-hour counting period, the Patrol investigated 166 traffic crashes, which included 77 injuries and eight of the fatalities. The Sedalia Police Department investigated one fatality. Troopers also arrested 121 people for driving while intoxicated. Last year, during a 102-hour counting period, the Patrol investigated 329 traffic crashes, which included 138 injuries. There were 12 fatalities over the 2003 New Year’s holiday. Troopers arrested 147 people for driving while intoxicated last year.
Of the fatality crashes occurring over the holiday, the Patrol investigated eight. There were two fatalities each in the Troop C, St. Louis area; Troop D, Springfield area; and Troop I, Rolla area. One fatality occurred in both the Troop F, Jefferson City area, and the Troop H, St. Joseph area.
One person died on December 31, 2004. Julia E. Moss, 18, of St. Louis, MO, died when she failed to negotiate a curve and ran off the right side of the road. Her vehicle struck the ground, overturned, then struck a concrete structure. Neither Moss nor a passenger in her vehicle was wearing a seat belt. The passenger sustained serious injuries and was ejected from the vehicle. The crash occurred in St. Louis County on Interstate 44 at Laclede Station Road. Medical Examiner James McCrady pronounced Moss dead.
Four people died on January 1, 2005. Michael S. Bergman, 21, of Cole Camp, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the road, and collided with a highway sign post, and a large tree. Bergman was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred on 16th Street in Sedalia, MO. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Sedalia Police Department investigated the crash.
Tina M. Simpson, 46, of Marshfield, MO, died after being struck by a 1996 International tractor-trailer. Simpson was lying in the roadway at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Greene County on Interstate 44 east of Strafford, MO. Investigator David Brown of the Greene County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene.
Robert J. Troyer, 34, of Osawatomie, KS, died when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving. The vehicle traveled off the road and struck a ditch, overturning several times. Neither Troyer nor a passenger was wearing a seat belt; both were ejected. The passenger sustained moderate injuries. The crash occurred in Lawrence County on County Road 1230 north of Marionville, MO. Lawrence County Coroner Scott Lakin pronounced Troyer dead at the scene.
Kimberly J. Nichols, 31, of Centralia, died when the vehicle she was driving ran off the road, she overcorrected, drove off the opposite side of the road, and overturned. Neither Nichols and nor her two passengers were wearing seat belts; all were ejected. The two passengers sustained serious injuries. The crash occurred in Boone County on Missouri Highway 22, one-half mile east of Missouri Highway 151 south. Dr. Hollister pronounced Nichols dead at the University Medical Center.
Four people died on January 2, 2005. Kena J. Andrews, 49, of Amarillo, Texas, died when the 2003 Freightliner tractor-trailer in which she was a passenger traveled off the road and struck a culvert. Andrews was thrown from the sleeper berth into the cab. The driver of the vehicle was wearing a seat belt and sustained minor injuries. The crash occurred in Daviess County on Interstate 35 north of Cameron, MO. Daviess County Coroner David McWilliams pronounced Andrews dead at the scene.
Kathleen J. Jinkerson, 40, of High Ridge, MO, died when the driver of the vehicle lost control on wet pavement. The vehicle traveled off the road, and struck a tree on the passenger side. Jinkerson was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The driver sustained serious injuries in the crash. It is unknown whether or not he was wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Franklin County on Interstate 44 west of U.S. Highway 50.
Nathan R. Fromberg, 18, and Blake A. Ellis, 27, both of Centralia, IL, died when another vehicle hydroplaned on wet pavement and spun out of control in front of the vehicle in which they were passengers. The vehicle Fromberg and Ellis were in struck the first vehicle on the driver’s side. The driver and two passengers of the vehicle that was struck sustained serious injuries. The driver and a third passenger in Fromberg’s and Ellis’ vehicle sustained serious injuries. Only the driver of the hydroplaning vehicle was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Pulaski County on Interstate 44 in St. Robert, MO. Deputy Coroner Mike McCart pronounced both fatalities at the scene of the crash.