NEWS RELEASE
For further information please contact: Capt. Christian T. Ricks
Q12031 (573) 526-6115
December 1, 2003
EMPHASIS: 17 Fatalities During Thanksgiving Holiday
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that 17 people died during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday counting period--from 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 26, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 30, 2003. The Highway Patrol investigated 15 fatalities; the Columbia Police Department investigated one fatality; and the Platte County Sheriff’s Department investigated one fatality. This year, the Patrol investigated 304 traffic crashes, which included 153 injuries. Troopers also arrested 148 persons for driving while intoxicated during the Thanksgiving weekend. In 2002, troopers investigated 350 traffic crashes including 159 injuries. There were 123 people arrested for driving while intoxicated in 2002. (Statewide, there were 14 people killed in Missouri last year.)
Of the 15 fatalities investigated by troopers, four occurred in Troop A, Lee’s Summit; three occurred in Troop F, Jefferson City; two occurred in Troop B, Macon; Troop C, St. Louis; and Troop D, Springfield; and one fatality occurred in Troop E, Poplar Bluff; and Troop I, Rolla.
One fatality occurred on Wednesday, November 26, 2003. Jason L. Luckett, 28, of Wright City, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving exited the roadway and overturned several times. Luckett was traveling at a high rate of speed when the crash occurred. He was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. The crash occurred in Warren County on Route J north of the North Outer Road. Luckett was pronounced dead by Dr. Sallis of DePaul Hospital.
Four fatalities occurred on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2003. Allen D. Gessling, 26, of Slater, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving was struck in the rear by another vehicle. His car then skidded into the median and began to overturn. Gessling’s vehicle came to rest on its top. Gessling was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, which occurred in Boone County on U.S. Highway 63 south of Pinnacles Road. Dr. Measles of the University Hospital pronounced him dead. A passenger in Gessling’s vehicle sustained serious injuries in the crash. She was also wearing a seat belt. The driver of the vehicle that struck Gessling’s sustained minor injuries and was also wearing a seat belt. Debris from the crash struck a third vehicle, but no one was injured.
Justin L. McBee, 18, of Clark, MO, died when the vehicle in which he was a passenger ran off the road, overturned several times, and struck a tree. The driver and another passenger sustained serious injuries in the crash. A third passenger sustained moderate injuries. None of the four people in the vehicle were wearing a seat belt; all were ejected. The crash occurred in Randolph County on Highway B south of Moberly.
William E. Kabler, 53, of Sedalia, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving went off the right side of the roadway. He overcorrected, the vehicle went off the left side of the roadway, struck a ditch, overturned twice, and came to rest on its wheels. Kabler was not wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Morgan County on Missouri Highway 135 north of Route DD. Kabler was pronounced dead at the scene by Morgan County Coroner Gary Garber.
Thomas D. Short, 52, of Corpus Christi, Texas, died when the vehicle he was driving ran off the right side of the road and struck an embankment before overturning. Short was not wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Iron County on Route E east of Arcadia, MO. Dr. Curtis Jones pronounced Short dead at St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Louis.
Six fatalities occurred on Friday, November 28, 2003. Glenn D. Madison, 44, of Salem, MO, died when he failed to negotiate a curve, causing his vehicle to travel off the left side of the road and strike an embankment and a tree. Madison was not wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Dent County on Missouri Highway 68 north of Salem. Dent County Coroner Eddie Wilson pronounced Madison dead at Salem Memorial Hospital.
Gladys R. Farnsworth, 74, of Independence, MO, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger turned into the path of another vehicle. Farnsworth was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. It is unknown whether or not the driver of the vehicle Farnsworth was in was wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Johnson County on Missouri Highway 58 south of County Road SW 200. The driver of the other vehicle was not injured in the crash, he was wearing a seat belt. Farnsworth was pronounced dead at the scene by Coroner C.L. Holdren.
Three people died in a crash in Clay County. No further information is available at this time.
Alice Bruce, 72, of Olathe, KS, died when the vehicle she was driving ran off the road, struck a telephone box, overturned, and came to rest against a tree on its side. Neither Bruce nor a passenger in her vehicle was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Both were partially ejected from the vehicle. The crash occurred at Route N and Village Circle Drive. The crash was investigated by the Platte County Sheriff’s Department.
Three fatalities occurred on Saturday, November 29, 2003. Garrett B. Hammontree, 17, of Macon, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the roadway. He overcorrected, causing his vehicle to travel off the opposite side of the road, striking a large rock and overturning. It is unknown whether or not Hammontree was wearing a seat belt; He was ejected from the vehicle. A passenger in Hammontree’s vehicle sustained serious injuries. Seat belt use is unknown. The crash occurred in Macon County on Route PP east of Macon.
Frank W. Davis, 17, of Bolivar, MO, died when he attempted to pass another vehicle on a curve and lost control of the vehicle he was driving. He overcorrected causing his vehicle to go off the roadway, strike an embankment, and overturn. Davis was not wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Polk County on South Outer Road south of Bolivar. Davis was pronounced dead by Dr. Vance at Citizen’s Memorial Hospital.
Joseph W. Stegner, 23, of Jefferson City, MO, died when the vehicle in which he was a passenger left the pavement at an entrance ramp onto U.S. Highway 63. The vehicle traveled in the grass to a bridge where it went over an embankment and fell to a creek bed. It came to rest on its roof. The crash occurred in Boone County on U.S. Highway 63 at Broadway Street. The crash was investigated by the Columbia Police Department.
Three fatalities occurred on Sunday, November 30, 2003. Allison E. Davis, 24, of New Franklin, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving left the road, traveled down an embankment, and struck a culvert. Her vehicle then became airborne, struck a bridge culvert, and overturned, striking a grass embankment before coming to rest on its wheels against a fence. Davis was not wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Howard County on Route J west of Missouri Highway 5. Davis was pronounced dead at University Hospital by Dr. Koivunen.
Thomas S. Lamarre, 20, of Crane, MO, died when the vehicle in which he was a passenger crossed the centerline and struck another vehicle. Neither Lamarre nor the driver was wearing a seat belt. Both were ejected; the driver sustained serious injuries. The driver of the other vehicle sustained serious injuries. It is unknown whether or not he was wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Stone County on Missouri Highway 413 south of Elsey, MO. Coroner Rick Stumpff pronounced Lamarre dead at the scene.
Jennifer A. Francis, 19, of Louisiana, MO, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger traveled off the roadway and struck a road sign. The vehicle then overturned. Neither Francis nor the driver of the vehicle was wearing a seat belt. The driver sustained serious injuries. The crash occurred in Pike County on Route H east of Route W. Francis was pronounced dead at the scene by Pike County Coroner Mark Capstick.