MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL
A Division Of The
Department of Public Safety
Public Information and Education Division - PO Box 568 - Jefferson City, MO 65102

NEWS RELEASE

For further information please contact: Capt. J. Tim Hull
Q1212014-1 (573) 526-6115

December 1, 2014
Emphasis: 15 Fatalities Over 2014 Thanksgiving Holiday

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports 15 people died during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday counting period--from 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 26, 2014, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 30, 2014. Troopers investigated 319 traffic crashes, which included 109 injuries. In addition, troopers arrested 92 people for driving while intoxicated. The Highway Patrol investigated all 15 fatalities. [During the 2013 Thanksgiving holiday, troopers investigated 299 traffic crashes, which included 140 injuries. There were 11 fatalities statewide over the 2013 Thanksgiving weekend. Troopers arrested 139 people for driving while intoxicated that same weekend in 2013.]

Nine of the fatalities occurred in the Troop D, Springfield area; three fatalities occurred in the
Troop C, Weldon Spring area; one fatality occurred in each of the Troop A, Lee’s Summit, Troop E, Poplar Bluff, and Troop I, Rolla, areas.

Five fatalities occurred on Wednesday, November 26, 2014. Deanna K. Davidson, 24, of East Prairie, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving ran off the roadway, struck a ditch, and overturned. A passenger in Davidson’s vehicle sustained minor injuries in the crash. Neither Davidson nor her passenger were wearing seat belts. Mississippi County Coroner Terry Parker pronounced Davidson dead at the scene. The crash occurred in Mississippi County on Route B south of Country Road 416.

Logan A. Middleton, 19, of Nixa, MO, Lance D. Porterfield, 19, of Sparta, MO, Landon C. Potts, 17, of Nixa, MO, and Cody R. Uber, 19, of Nixa, MO, all died when the vehicle Potts was driving southbound on Pleasant View Road traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree. Four additional passengers were injured in the crash. Two passengers sustained minor injuries; two sustained serious injuries. Middleton, Porterfield, Potts, and Uber were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. Three of the four additional passengers were wearing seat belts. Stone County Coroner John Cunningham pronounced all four fatalities at the scene. The crash occurred in Stone County on Pleasant View Road west of Highlandville, MO.

Two fatalities occurred on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27, 2014. Wade A. Mathes, 39, of Augusta, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving was traveling too fast for the road conditions and failed to maintain a lane. The vehicle slid off the right side of the roadway and overturned. Mathes was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. A St. Charles County paramedic pronounced Mathes dead at the scene. The crash occurred in St. Charles County on eastbound U.S. Highway 94 west of Hinnah Lane.

John Anderson, 60, of Kansas City, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving ran off the left side of the roadway and struck a guardrail. Anderson was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. Jackson County Medical Examiner Brianna Curtin pronounced Anderson dead at the scene. The crash occurred in Clay County on northbound Interstate 35 south of Brighton, MO.

Four fatalities occurred on Friday, November 28, 2014. Brian C. Barham, 40, of Stockton, MO, died when the right front tire of his vehicle blew out. The vehicle ran off the right side of the road, struck a tree, and overturned. Barham was not wearing a seat belt. Chief Deputy Coroner Thomas D.K. Heiber pronounced Barham dead. Nevada Fire Department, Deerfield Fire Department, and MoDOT personnel assisted at the scene. The crash occurred in Vernon County on U.S. Highway 54 west of Nevada, MO.

Scott J. Mueller, 50, of St. Charles, MO, died when he was traveling too fast for conditions and laid down his motorcycle, which exited the roadway into the median. Dr. S. Marquez at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, MO, pronounced Mueller dead. The crash occurred in St. Charles County northbound U.S. Highway 61 at McHugh Road.

Lawrence Collins, 67, of Newburg, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck a mailbox, then traveled down an embankment. The left front of the vehicle struck a culvert. The vehicle then overturned, struck a fence, and came to rest on its top. Collins was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Phelps County Deputy Coroner Lenox Jones pronounced Collins dead at the scene. The crash occurred in Phelps County on Missouri Route FF east of Edgar Spring, MO.

Mark A. Jolliff, 31, of Bourbon, MO, died after his vehicle struck the trailer of a commercial vehicle, which had stopped. The trailer was in the left lane. Jolliff’s vehicle then struck a third vehicle. It is unknown whether or not Jolliff was wearing a seat belt. A Missouri Baptist Hospital paramedic pronounced Jolliff dead at the scene. Neither driver of the other two vehicles were injured in the crash. The crash occurred in Franklin County on eastbound Interstate 44 at the 225-mile marker.

Four fatalities occurred on Saturday, November 29, 2014. Katie N. Hill, 79, of Walnut Grove, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving failed to negotiate a curve and Hill lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle then traveled off the roadway and overturned. Hill was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Polk County Coroner Roy Harms pronounced Hill dead at the scene. The crash occurred in Polk County on Missouri Highway 215 west of Morrisville, MO.

Patricia R. Stierwalt, 53, of Harrison, AR, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger ran off the roadway. The driver overcorrected, resulting in the vehicle overturning. As the vehicle overturned, debris was set in motion and struck a second vehicle. Stierwalt was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Dr. Salim Rahman at Cox South Hospital pronounced Stierwalt dead at the hospital. The driver of Stierwalt’s vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he sustained moderate injuries in the crash. A passenger in the vehicle was not wearing a seat belt; she sustained moderate injuries in the crash. The crash occurred in Taney County on U.S. Highway 65 north of Branson, MO.

Andrea B. Obermann, 37, of Monett, MO, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger ran off the roadway and struck a tree. Obermann was not wearing a seat belt. Lawrence County Coroner Dan Lakin pronounced Obermann dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he was not injured in the crash. The crash occurred in Lawrence County on County Road 2230 east of Monett, MO.

Darrell A. Kirkland, 52, of Walnut Shade, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving ran off the right side of the roadway and overturned. Kirkland was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Greene County Deputy Medical Examiner David Brown pronounced Kirkland dead at the scene. The crash occurred in Greene County on Missouri Route MM in Republic, MO.

There were no boating incidents, boating while intoxicated arrests, or drownings reported during the 2014 Thanksgiving holiday counting period.

NOTE: The fatality statistics in this news release could change if late deaths occur, or if other departments report fatal traffic crashes after this news release is sent out.

(###)