Local News – Monday, November 8th, 2021

An accident occurred the afternoon of October 31st around 1:45 in Salem on Highway 32 at the intersection with Askins Street that left a Salem resident with serious injuries. According to the Salem Police Department report, a 2005 Silver Kia Sedona, owned and operated by Christina Wheeler of Salem, was westbound approaching the intersection of Highway 32 and Askins Street. At that time, a 2003 white Chevrolet S-10, owned and operated by Kevin Cooper of Rolla, was exiting the Wal-Mart parking lot and was making a left turn to head west on Highway 32. The report stated that the Kia Sedona ran the red light causing it to collide with the front passenger side of the Chevrolet causing the Chevrolet to spin around from the northwest to face the southeast. The Chevrolet then rolled over one and a half times and come to rest on the passenger side facing southeast. Wheeler came to a stop in the right driving lane and sustained no injuries. Cooper was extricated from the Chevrolet and was flown from the scene by Air Evac. The Chevrolet sustained extensive damage and was towed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing. The Kia had moderate damage to the driver side door and was driven from the scene. The Salem Police Department was assisted by the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Dent County Fire Protection District.

A fatal accident occurred Saturday evening at 11:24 in Phelps County on Phelps County Road 7240 about twelve miles south of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a 2007 Honda 4-Wheeler driven by 29-year-old Kayla Gooch of Newburg was travelling westbound and went off the right side of the roadway. The Honda then returned to the roadway where it overturned and ejected the driver. The Honda then came to rest on top of the driver. Gooch was pronounced dead on the scene by paramedic Marge Bartich at 11:36. Gooch was not wearing any safety equipment at the time of the accident. Her body taken to the Null and Sons Funeral Home. The Honda sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by the owner.

A fatal accident occurred early Saturday morning at 3:48 in Maries County on Highway 28 about five miles west of Belle. According to the highway patrol report, a 2004 Chrysler 200 driven by a 16-year-old male juvenile of Vichy was travelling westbound and struck 36-year-old Anthony Border of Rolla who was walking westbound in the roadway. Border was pronounced dead at the scene by Maries County Coroner David Martin at 5:42 that morning. Border’s body was transported to Birmingham Martin Funeral Home in Vienna by the Maries County Coroner. The Chrysler sustained moderate damage and was driven from the scene.

The Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri State Highway Patrol have signed the Missouri Open Roads Agreement, a first-of-its-kind document that provides guidance to emergency responders clearing incidents from Missouri highways. In the agreement, the agencies adopted a goal to clear traffic incidents safely from the roadway in no more than 90 minutes from the arrival of the first responder. MoDOT, the highway patrol and other emergency responders are calling on drivers to do their part by staying alert, slowing down and, when possible, moving over to give them room to work. To remind motorists what’s on the line, the Federal Highway Administration has declared this week, the week of November 8th through the 14th, as Crash Responder Safety Week. There were more than 131,000 traffic crashes in Missouri in 2020. As part of MoDOT’s work to maintain a safe and reliable transportation system, the department’s emergency response personnel respond to more than 6,000 traffic incidents each month on average. When motorists approach any responders or emergency vehicles on the side of the highway with flashing lights, they should move over. Missouri’s Move Over law requires drivers to either change lanes or slow down when approaching stationary MoDOT, law enforcement or other emergency vehicles with flashing lights. To help protect those who protect us, all 50 states enforce some form of the Move Over law. For more information about Crash Responder Safety Week and what drivers can do to protect Missouri’s emergency responders, visit savemolives.com.

The City of Salem Park and Recreation Board will be meeting this evening at 5:30 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. At the meeting, new members will be introduced before Park and Recreation Director Melissa DuBois gives her report that will include basketball signups and Light up the Park. The board will then address other business before they adjourn. The City of Salem Park and Recreation Board meeting is open to the public.