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: Lt. Eric F. Brown - (573) 526-6115

Q772025
July 7, 2025

EMPHASIS: Preliminary Reports Indicate Eight Traffic Fatalities, Zero Boating Fatalities, & Zero Drownings Over July Fourth Holiday Counting Period

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the following preliminary 2025 July Fourth holiday statistics for the counting period of 6 p.m. Thursday, July 3, 2025, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 6, 2025:

Traffic Statistics

Crashes -- 246
Injuries -- 115
Fatalities -- 8
DWI -- 114

Boating Statistics

Crashes -- 9
Injuries -- 4
Fatalities -- 0
Drowning -- 0
BWI -- 13

[During the 2024 counting period, 14 people were killed and 560 were injured in Missouri over the holiday in 1,366 traffic crashes. Last year during the counting period, troopers arrested 149 people for driving while intoxicated. In 2024, there were 10 boating crashes, which included seven injuries and no fatalities. No one drowned during last year's July Fourth holiday. Troopers made 12 boating while intoxicated arrests over last year’s July Fourth holiday weekend.]

2025 July Fourth Holiday Boating Statistics

Troopers worked nine boating crashes, which included four injuries and zero fatalities. Troopers made 13 boating while intoxicated arrests. No one drowned during the counting period.

2025 July Fourth Holiday Traffic Statistics

Troopers worked 246 traffic crashes, which included 115 injuries and eight fatalities. Troopers also made 114 DWI arrests.

Fatality Traffic Crashes

One traffic fatality occurred in the Troop D, Springfield area, Troop H, St. Joseph area and Troop I, Rolla area. Two fatalities occurred in the Troop B, Macon area. Three fatalities occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring area.

No traffic fatalities were reported on Thursday, July 3, 2025.

One person died Friday, July 4, 2025. A 62-year-old man from Bonne Terre, MO, died after being ejected from the motorcycle he was driving. The crash occurred after the man had passed a vehicle as they were entering a curve. The motorcycle was traveling too fast for the conditions and the rider failed to negotiate a curve. The motorcycle traveled off the right side of the road and the driver was ejected. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by Dr. Ruggeri of Mercy Hospital. He was not wearing a helmet. The crash occurred on westbound Missouri Route Y, west of Snowdell Road, in St. Francois County. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office.

Seven people died on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Two people died when the vehicle they were driving traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck and tree, and began to burn. The driver and passenger were pronounced at the scene by Putnam County Coroner Fleshman. The crash occurred on eastbound Highway 136, 5 miles east of Lucerne, in Putnam County. This crash is still under investigation.

A 53-year-old man from St. Louis, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the road and struck a street sign. The vehicle returned to the road and traveled off the left side of the road. The right side of the vehicle struck the ground; the vehicle overturned and struck a utility pole. The vehicle came to rest off the left side of the road. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by Christian Hospital EMS. The man was not wearing a seatbelt. The crash occurred on northbound Natural Bridge Road, at Brown Road, in St. Louis County.

A 68-year-old man died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the roadway and overturned. The man was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead by Dr. Keith Butvilas at Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, MO. The crash occurred on East 430th Road one-half mile west of Bolivar.

A 32-year-old man died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner G. Armstrong. The man was wearing a seatbelt. The crash occurred on Cedar Falls Road, at Flat River Bridge, in St. Francois County. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office.

A 27-year-old female died when the northbound vehicle she was riding in began to hydroplane. The vehicle began to rotate and crossed the center of the road. The rear of the vehicle was struck by a southbound vehicle. The female was pronounced dead by Dr. Riggings at Mercy Hospital in Lebanon, MO. The female was not wearing a seatbelt. The male driver of the northbound vehicle sustained serious injuries in the crash; he was wearing a seatbelt. A female occupant of the northbound vehicle sustained serious injuries in the crash; she was wearing not wearing a seatbelt. A male occupant of the northbound vehicle sustained minor injuries; he was wearing a seatbelt. The female driver of the southbound vehicle sustained minor injuries in the crash; she was wearing a seatbelt. A juvenile male and an adult female passenger in the southbound vehicle sustained minor injuries; they were wearing seatbelts. A juvenile female, an adult female, and an adult male passenger sustained serious injuries in the crash. The adult male and juvenile female were wearing seatbelts; the adult female was not wearing a seatbelt. The crash occurred on Highway 5, at Lake Shore Drive, in Laclede County. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Laclede County Sheriff’s Office.

A 71-year-old female died when she walked into the path of an eastbound vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Harrison County Coroner Andre Remmer. The crash occurred on eastbound U.S. 136, west of I-35, in Bethany, MO. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office and the Bethany Police Department.

No traffic fatalities were reported on Sunday, July 6, 2025.

NOTE: The fatality statistics in this news release could change if late deaths occur, if other departments report fatalities after this news release was sent out, or if a fatality is determined to be caused by a medical condition rather than a traffic/boating/drowning incident.

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