Two die on local highways during patrol’s Christmas holiday counting period
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Two people died in crashes over the Christmas holiday counting period in Mid-Missouri and a man was arrested on suspicion of DWI in one of those crashes, according to the highway patrol.
Statewide crash numbers were also down.
Susan Graham, 73, of Arcola, Missouri, was killed Monday afternoon on Highway 54 in Camden County. The patrol says Graham was riding in a Ford pickup truck when another vehicle went out of control and hit the truck. The truck's driver, Larry Graham, 75, of Arcola, suffered moderate injuries and went by ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital.
Susan Graham was pronounced dead at the hospital, the patrol says.
The driver of the other vehicle, Steven Vonderschmidt, 51, of Linn Creek, Missouri, was arrested on suspicion of DWI causing death and other crimes, according to a patrol arrest report. He suffered serious injuries in the crash.
He was later charged with DWI - causing the death of another and DWI - causing personal injury. A $150,000 bond was set, according to Casenet.
The other death during the counting period happened Christmas Eve in Morgan County when Kristan Price, 26, of Florence, Missouri, hit another vehicle on Highway 50.
Troopers in Troop F investigated 27 crashes over the counting period with seven injuries, four DWI arrests and two deaths.
Troop F Holiday Travel Crash Statistics from 12/23 — 12/26:
— MSHP Troop F (@MSHPTrooperF) December 27, 2022
Crash Investigations - 27
Injured - 7
Fatalities - 2
DWI Arrests - 4
*The 2023 New Year’s holiday counting period begins at 6 p.m. Friday, December 30, 2022, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, January 2, 2023. pic.twitter.com/3bZI6Td5b9
The patrol worked 306 crashes statewide between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Monday with 84 injuries. The agency reported three deaths, including the two in Central Missouri, and troopers made 52 DWI arrests.
The numbers wereup from last year's period when troopers worked 227 crashes with four deaths and 67 DWI arrests.
