2 seriously hurt in separate Mid-Missouri wrecks

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two people were seriously hurt in separate crashes Thursday afternoon in separate Mid-Missouri counties.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to both crashes.

Troopers said the first wreck was called out at 12:23 p.m. in Moniteau County.

Heather Lunsford, 53, of Latham, was driving a truck south on Route E north of Potter Road, reports said.

The patrol said Lunsford overcorrected and drove off the right side of the road causing the truck to rollover.

She was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. Troopers said Lunsford was the only person hurt in the crash.

Troopers said the second crash was called out at 12:48 p.m. in Cole County.

The crash report said 24-year-old Aubrey Sluyter and 73-year-old Joyce Dearixon were driving in opposite directions on Route C at the Route V intersection.

Sluyter's SUV turned left in front of Dearixon's passenger car when the wreck happened, troopers said.

Troopers said Dearixon was taken to a Columbia hospital by an ambulance and Sluyter was driven to SSM St. Mary's in a private vehicle. Dearixon had serious injuries and Sluyter had minor injuries, the patrol said.

According to the report, neither driver was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.