Boone County crash kills teen driver

BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A teen died in a crash late Sunday east of Columbia.

The Boone County Sheriff's Department said Ethan Simkins of Columbia died after the crash in the 1700 block of South Purdy Lane, near Millersburg.

Authorities shut down South Purdy Lane during the investigation.

A deputy said the driver was traveling south when he lost control on the gravel road, started to fishtail and rolled the vehicle. The sheriff's department said in a news release that the vehicle overturned and hit a fence and a tree.

Simkins was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger, an 18-year-old from Columbia, walked away from the crash with minor injuries and did not require medical attention, the sheriff's department said.

The sheriff's department said excessive speed is believed to be a factor in the crash.