Local News – Monday, June 8th, 2020
An accident happened Saturday evening at 11:35 in Dent County on Highway 72 about 1000 feet west of Dent County Road 3175 took the lives of a Rolla woman and Salem man. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Hyundai Sonata driven by 46-year old Tabatha Copeland of Rolla was traveling westbound and passed a witnesses vehicle at a high rate of speed causing the front of the Hyundai to strike the back of a 2004 Buick Park Avenue driven by 43-year old Greg Pugh of Salem who was traveling eastbound. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene by the Dent County Coroner’s office at Sunday morning at 12:18. Both subjects were transported to the Dent County Coroner’s Office. Pugh was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident while Copeland was not. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.
An accident occurred Saturday evening at 6:55 in Crawford County on Route E about six miles northeast of Steelville. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 GMC Sierra driven by 25- year old Bradley Yewell of Bridgeton, was traveling northbound when he traveled off the right side of the roadway. Yewell overcorrected and the Sierra returned to the roadway, then traveled off the left side and Yewell overcorrected again. The Sierra returned back to the roadway before traveling back off the right side of the roadway again when Yewell again overcorrected, and the Sierra returned to the roadway before traveling off the left side of the roadway, overturning into a ditch. Yewell was ejected from the vehicle through the driver’s side window. The vehicle came to rest on its wheels in the ditch. Yewell suffered serious injuries and was flown by Air Evac #13 to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. A passenger in the Sierra, 24-year old Kacie Woods of St. Ann, also suffered serious injuries and was flown to the Mercy Hospital in St. Louis by Air Evac #6. Neither Woods nor Yewell was wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Sierra was totaled and removed from the scene by Miles and Son’s. Troop I was assisted by Crawford County Sheriff’s Department.
An accident happened in Phelps County on Route EE and Phelps County Road 1280 Saturday afternoon at 3:50. According to the highway patrol report, a 2005 Honda Rincon Four-Wheeler driven northbound by 49-year old Ronald Galvin of St. Louis, traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a fence. Suffering moderate injuries were Galvin and two juvenile passengers: a boy who was six-years of age and a girl who was 14-years of age. The juveniles were wearing safety equipment while Galvin was not. All three were taken to Phelps Health by EMS. The Honda had only minor damage and was secured by the owner.
An accident occurred Thursday evening shortly after 5:00 in Phelps County on Highway 68 just south of Route JJ. According to the report from the highway patrol, a 2013 Kenworth tractor was being driven east by 30-year old James Drury of Salem when the load of the vehicle shifted causing the vehicle to overturn and travel off the right side of the road. Drury, who was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident, was transported by a private conveyance to Phelps Health for treatment of moderate injuries. The Kenworth sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Whitakers Towing.
Dent County Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported the new Dent County Jail will be opening soon and be in full operation. Before that happens, the Dent County Commissioners and the Dent County Sheriff’s Department wanted to open the new facility to the public. So beginning this Wednesday, June 10th and continuing through Saturday, June 13th the Dent County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting public tours of the new county jail. Jail staff will conduct tours in groups of five or less. People going on the tour are asked to wear a mask. Tours will start at the public entrance on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening. Tours on Saturday will be given from 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon. The tours are free. For more information, contact the Dent County Sheriff’s office at 729-3241.
Captain Eddie A. Blaylock, commanding officer of Troop I, announces additional locations will resume driver’s license testing. Locations include the Salem City Hall at 202 North Washington from 9:15 AM to 3:45 PM on the second, fourth, and fifth Wednesday of the month. There will be no road tests after 3:15 PM. Testing will also be at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop I Headquarters at 1301 Nagogami Road West in Rolla from 8 AM to 5 PM every Tuesday, Friday, and the first and third Wednesday of the month. There will be no road tests after 4:30 PM. Due to limited capacities at these locations and to avoid extended wait times, we encourage applicants to call prior to testing. All times and locations listed can be found on the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s website.
A public hearing will be held tonight at 7:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers to consider changes to the floodplain management ordinance. The hearing was called my Mayor Brad Nash and is open to anyone. Remember that social distancing guidelines will be followed by the city. Following the public hearing, a special meeting of the Salem Board of Aldermen will be held at 7:15 to consider making changes to the city’s floodplain management ordinance. The board will then review and possibly approve Bill #3451 that would set out provisions for flood damage prevention within the city of Salem. The meeting would then be adjourned. The meeting was called by Mayor Brad Nash and the meeting is open to the public following social distancing guidelines established by the governor and put into place by the city.