Local News – Monday, March 25th, 2019
An accident happened in Dent County Friday morning at 6:20 on Highway 19 about 16 miles north of Salem that took the life of a man from Steelville. According to the highway patrol report, a 1992 Ford LTL 9000 Dump Truck driven southbound by 56-year old James Whitman of Steelville, traveled off the right side of the roadway, returned to the roadway and began to slide. The Dump Truck then traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck an embankment that ejected Whitman from the vehicle. Whitman was pronounced dead at the scene by Dent County Coroner Gina White at 7:33. Whitman was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. His body was taken to the Dent County Coroner’s Office by the coroner. The Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Dent County Fire Protection District, the Steelville Fire Department, the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office and the Salem EMS. The Ford Dump Truck was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem.
A one-vehicle accident occurred in Phelps County at 2:12 Thursday afternoon on Highway 68 about three miles south of St. James. According to the highway patrol report, a 2014 BMW driven by 23-year old Jerid Land of Salem, traveled off the right side of the roadway, then returned to the roadway crossing the centerline. The driver then overcorrected and traveled back off the right side of the roadway, striking a fence before the BMW came to rest in a field. Land was transported by EMS to Phelps Health for treatment of moderate injuries. According to the report, the driver was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The BMW sustained minor damage and was towed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing.
The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees met Monday, March 18th. Administrator Kendra Mobray reported a new Helmer pharmaceutical refrigerator was scheduled to be delivered on March 19th. After it is inspected by a VFC representative, vaccines can be moved back to the Health Center. Outpatient lab services were provided to 46 clients the month of February. Mobray attended the SEMA quarterly meeting on March 14th as well as the Southwest Health Care Coalition meeting on March 20th. Salem High School students and prevention coalition members presented a tobacco prevention teach-in to R-80, R-1, and R-3 4th graders last week. In Dent County, there was one case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever that was investigated in February. Influenza activity in Missouri is widespread. There have been 163 confirmed cases of influenza reported for Dent County and one influenza-related death. Mobray reported the Health Center is in the process of applying for a Show-Me Healthy Women contract with the Department of Health and Senior Services. If approved, the contract will allow the health center to provide well-woman exams and mammograms at no cost to qualifying individuals. Kelly Miller, the CEO of Your Community Health Center, presented an overview of the services provided at their Rolla facility and discussed how their Health Center is serving people from Dent County as well. The Board of Trustees set the next regular board meeting date for Monday, April 15, at 5:00 at the Health Center. The meeting was then adjourned.
A three vehicle accident occurred Saturday, March 16th, at 9:27 in the morning on Highway 19 near Seventh Street. According to the Salem Police report, a 2004 Chevrolet 1500 driven by Gregory Diehl of Salem; a 2007 Chevrolet Mailbu, driven by Julia Plank of Salem; and a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Richard Ferguson of Salem, were all traveling north on Highway 19. The Diehl vehicle failed to see the Mailbu stop in traffic behind the Silverado, causing a chain reaction accident. The Diehl and Ferguson vehicles sustained moderate damage while the Malibu driven by Plank received extensive damage and was towed from the scene. Plank sought her own medical treatment for a possible minor injury.