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. John J. Hotz
122019-1 (573) 526-6115
January 2, 2019
EMPHASIS: MSHP Reports Eight Fatalities Over New Year’s Counting Period; No Boating Fatalities Or Drownings
Eight people died in traffic crashes during the 2019 New Year’s holiday weekend. Last year, there were seven fatalities. The 2019 New Year’s counting period ran from 6 p.m., Friday, December 28, 2018, through 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, January 1, 2019. The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the following:
2019 New Year’s Holiday Traffic Statistics
Crashes ―
352
Inju
ries ―
112
Fatalities ―
7
DWI ―
127
The remaining fatality was investigated by the Columbia Police Department.
[Note: During the 2018 New Year’s counting period, the Patrol investigated 229 traffic crashes, which included 77 injuries and five of the seven fatalities. Troopers also arrested 129 people for driving while impaired during the 2018 New Year’s holiday. There were no boating crashes. No one drowned over the 2018 New Year’s counting period.]
One fatality occurred in each of the Troop A, Lee’s Summit, MO, Troop C, Weldon Spring, MO, Troop F, Jefferson City, MO, Troop G, Willow Springs, MO, Troop H, St. Joseph, MO, and Troop I, Rolla, MO, areas; two of the fatalities occurred in the Troop D, Springfield, MO, area.
One fatality occurred during the counting period on Friday, December 28, 2018. John R. Egly, 39, of Mountain View, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving ran off the roadway, overturned several times, then came to rest on its top. Egly was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Howell County on County Road 2790 west of Mountain View. Howell County Coroner Tim Cherry pronounced Egly dead at the scene.
No traffic fatalities occurred on Saturday, December 29, 2018.
Two fatalities occurred on Sunday, December 30, 2018. Amanda L. Keathley, 40, of Spickard, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving failed to negotiate a curve, left the roadway, struck a culvert, and overturned. Keathley was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash and was ejected from the vehicle. The crash occurred in Ray County on Missouri Highway 13 at Missouri Route FF. Dr. Luis Robles pronounced Keathley dead at Ray County Memorial Hospital. The Ray County Fire and Emergency Medical Services also responded to the scene of the crash.
Savannah V. Green, 16, of Urbana, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving ran off the roadway and overturned. A passenger in Green’s vehicle sustained moderate injuries. Neither were wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Hickory County on County Road 302 northwest of Urbana. Dr. Riley pronounced Green dead at Citizens Memorial Hospital.
Three fatalities occurred on Monday, December 31, 2018. Jessica M. Vincent, 37, of Nixa, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving failed to negotiate a curve, crossed the center line, and struck another vehicle head-on. Vincent was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The driver of the other vehicle was not injured; he was wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Christian County on Missouri Highway 14 west of Nixa. Dr. David Lee pronounced Vincent dead at Cox South Hospital.
Ramya Bharathi Bharathi Mohan, 34, of Eden Prairie, MN, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger traveled off the east side of the roadway into the median and struck an emergency crossover. The vehicle became airborne, impacted the ground, and overturned multiple times before coming to rest on the roadway. Bharathi Mohan was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash and was ejected from the vehicle. Another passenger sustained minor injuries; she was in a child safety seat. The driver was not injured; he was wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Daviess County on Interstate 35 at the 65.2-mile marker north of Cameron, MO. Daviess County Coroner David McWilliams pronounced Bharathi Mohan dead at the scene. Daviess County Fire and Daviess County Emergency Medical Services also responded to the scene.
Phillip E. Farrar Jr., 53, of Steelville, MO, was walking eastbound in the westbound lane of Missouri Highway 8 when he was struck by a vehicle. The driver and a passenger in the vehicle both sustained minor injuries in the crash; both were wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Crawford County on Missouri Highway 8 east of Steelville, MO. Crawford County Coroner Paul Hutson pronounced Farrar dead at the scene.
Two fatalities occurred on Tuesday, January 1, 2019. Andrew J. Lucas, 27, of Festus, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving crossed the center line and was struck by another vehicle. Both vehicles then traveled off the right side of the roadway. Lucas was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The driver of the other vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he sustained moderate injuries. The crash occurred in Jefferson County on Mapaville Hematite Road north of Missouri Highway P. Emergency Medical Services personnel pronounced Lucas dead at the scene.
Jason Harvey, 44, of Lake Ozark, MO, died after he was struck by a vehicle while standing in the right lane of U.S. Highway 63 near Prathersville Road in Columbia, MO. The driver of the vehicle that struck Harvey was not injured in the crash. The Columbia Police Department investigated the crash.
The only 100 percent survivable traffic crash is the one that never happens. Make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint. Every day as we travel on Missouri's roadways, we trust that every driver on the road is going to obey the speed limit, pay attention, and drive sober.
"Don't Violate The Trust."
Follow the Missouri State Highway Patrol on Twitter @MSHPTrooperGHQ
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 was sent to the media.
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