Patrol releases names, circumstances of deadly I-70 crash
Men from Kentucky and Missouri died Tuesday morning after a seven-car crash on Interstate 70 in Callaway County.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports Robert Brainerd of St. Louis and Charles Moore of Nicholasville, Kent. both died when their tractor-trailers hit each other head-on. They were both 46.
The Patrol said in its incident report that Brandi Clements, 42, of Williamsburg hydroplaned in the westbound lanes of I-70 near the Kingdom City exit. Moore, also driving westbound, “swerved to the left to avoid striking” Clements truck. Moore ended up in the eastbound lanes of I-70, colliding with Brainerd’s truck in the opposite lane of traffic. Clements’ car became stuck underneath the “towed portion” of Moore’s vehicle. The Patrol said Clements suffered moderate injuries.
Three other cars piled into one another at the back of Brainerd’s truck after the head-on crash. Clara and Sonny Conn, both 71, of Moorehead, Kent. suffered serious injuries there. The Patrol’s report said Moore’s truck hit Mark Goddard 54 and Aaron Shipps, 23, of Oswatomie, Kan., causing serious and moderate injuries, respectively.
Scott Swank, 30, was the third semi-truck driver involved in the crash, and the first car to collide with the back of Brainerd’s trailer. The Patrol did not list any injuries for Swank. Christopher McDonald, 37, also did not suffer any injuries as a part of the three cars originally in the eastbound lanes.
As of Wednesday morning Clara Conn, Aaron Shipps, Mark Goddard are in fair condition at MU Hospital. Sonny Conn is still in serious condition and Brandi Clements has been treated and released.
The Patrol said everyone involved was wearing a seat belt, with the exception of Brainerd, which it lists as “unknown.”
Lanes on both sides of I-70 were closed Tuesday morning, after the deadly, multi-vehicle crash east of Columbia near the Kingdom City exit. The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed a total of seven vehicles were involved, including three semi-trucks. At least two vehicles crossed the median, going into on-coming traffic.
Lt. Paul Reinsch reported two people died in the crash. Reinsch said five other people involved in the crash were taken to the University Hospital in Columbia for treatment. Reinsch said their condition is unknown. Two others were involved but not hurt.
Lt. Reinsch said the crash happened around 9:15 Tuesday morning. He said a tractor trailer was traveling in the westbound lanes when it lost control and crossed the median. That semi then apparently struck another tractor trailer in the eastbound lanes head-on.
Lt. Reinsch said the Missouri State Highway Patrol crash investigation team was on the scene. Reinsch said the team is working to gather the information it needs before crews are able to reopen all of the eastbound I-70 lanes.
I-70 eastbound was completely stopped and a westbound lane was temporarily blocked, with traffic moving very slowly Tuesday morning.
MoDOT Central District tweeted just before 11:00 Tuesday morning saying the westbound lanes were open again at mile marker 147 with traffic still moving slow. The tweet said the eastbound lanes were still closed.
Just before 11:30, MoDOT Central Districttweeted that eastbound traffic was moving again through a narrowed lane slowly.
(Editor’s note, 10/28, 1:18 a.m.: This story features new information from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and removes some time references in the earlier story, titled “Lanes reopen over 8 hours after deadly crash on I-70 in Kingdom City.”)
