Eight traffic fatalities over Christmas holiday weekend

Eight people died in traffic crashes during the 78-hour counting period, which began at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021, and ended at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021.

2021 Christmas Holiday Traffic Statistics:
Traffic Crashes — 310
Traffic Crash Injuries — 92
Traffic Crash Fatalities — 4
DWI — 67

Last year during the 78-hour Christmas counting period, there were 746 traffic crashes statewide. In those crashes, 10 people were killed and another 10 were injured. During the 2020 Christmas holiday, troopers investigated 307 traffic crashes which included all 10 fatalities and 86 injuries. Troopers arrested 62 people for driving while impaired in 2020.

There were no boating crashes or drownings over the 2021 Christmas holiday counting period.

Of the four fatality traffic crashes investigated by troopers, two occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring area, and two occurred in the Troop F, Jefferson City area. The remaining four fatalities were investigated by Kansas City Police Department, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Overland Police Department, and Wentzville Police Department.

Dec. 23
There were no traffic fatalities on Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021, during the holiday counting period.

Dec. 24
There were five traffic fatalities on Friday, Dec. 24, 2021.

- Zachary M. Sutton, 32, of De Soto, died when the vehicle he was operating crossed the center line and struck a pickup truck head-on. Sutton was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred on Missouri Highway 28 one mile west of Missouri Route A in Osage County. The driver of the pickup truck sustained moderate injuries in the crash. He was wearing a seat belt.

- Kenneth H. Mustain, 57, of Camdenton, died when the ATV he was operating traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. Mustain was ejected from the ATV. The crash occurred on Greenview Drive near Hermit Holler in Camden County.

- Cesar Estrada-Lopez, 18, of Bridgeton, died when the motorcycle he was operating struck the rear of a vehicle and he was ejected onto the highway. A third vehicle swerved to avoid striking the motorcycle and struck Estrada-Lopez. Estrada-Lopez was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The crash occurred on Interstate 70 west of North Lindbergh Boulevard in St. Louis County.

- Zachary M. Ward, 28, of Kansas City, died when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving while taking an exit. The vehicle struck a guardrail, went off the roadway, traveled down an embankment, and overturned multiple times. Ward was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected. The crash occurred at the exit for Shoal Creek Parkway on U.S. Highway 169 in Clay County.

- A pedestrian was struck and killed in the vicinity of West Florissant and Thrush Avenue in St. Louis.

Dec. 25
There were two traffic fatalities on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2021.

- A pedestrian was struck and killed at Midland Boulevard and Woodson Road in St. Louis County.

- A fatal crash involving a motorcycle occurred on David Hoekel Parkway over Interstate 70 in St. Charles County.

Dec. 26
There was one traffic fatality on Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021. Amy L. Veit, 37, of Lonedell, died when her vehicle traveled partially off the right side of the roadway and she overcorrected. Her vehicle began skidding, traveled across the center of the roadway and rotated counter clockwise striking the front of another vehicle. Veit was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred on Missouri Route H east of Dry Creek Road in Jefferson County. The driver and a passenger in the other vehicle sustained minor injuries. They were wearing their seat belts.

 

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Lawrence County Record

312 S. Hickory St.
Mt. Vernon, MO, 65712
www.lawrencecountyrecord.com

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