Local News – Thursday, December 29th, 2022
An accident happened Wednesday afternoon around 1:12 in Crawford County on Route M about two miles south of Keyesville Road. According to the highway patrol report, 27-year-old David West of Salem was driving a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado southbound when he fell asleep causing the Silverado to travel off the right side of the roadway. The Chevy struck several trees before coming to rest. West suffered moderate injuries and was flown by Air Evac to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. He was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Silverado was totaled and removed from the scene by Miles and Sons Towing.
During the week of December 16th to December 23rd, the Salem Police Department had a total of 122 calls for service. Officers with the Salem Police Department conducted 28 traffic stops for various traffic violations with seven resulting in a summons or arrest. On Saturday afternoon, December 17th at about 5:00, an officer conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 19 and Truman Street for a driver not having their headlights on. During the stop it was found the driver had an active warrant for her arrest out of the Camden County Sheriff’s Office with a bond of $500. The warrant was confirmed to be active and 31-year-old Shanda Sturdivant of Salem was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail awaiting bond or extradition. Later that same evening near 8:30, an officer was dispatched to Walmart for the report of a trespasser. It was reported a man that had previously shoplifted and been barred from the premises was inside the store. Officers contacted the 34-year-old man from Salem and issued him a summons to appear in court for trespassing and escorted him off the premises. During the early hours of Sunday, December 18th at 1:30, an officer conducted a traffic stop near Highway 32 and Pershing for failing to signal and numerous lane violations. The officer immediately upon contact noticed an odor of intoxicants emanating from the driver. An investigation into a suspected DWI was conducted, at which time a 49-year-old Salem man was arrested and issued a summons to appear in court for driving while being intoxicated. On Monday afternoon at around 3:30, an officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near the intersection of Highway 32 and 72 for erratic driving behavior. As a result of the stop, it was found the driver was under the influence of drugs. A 25-year-old Salem man was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.
The City of Salem Finance Committee meeting will be held Tuesday evening at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. At the meeting, the committee will review the budget before discussing a proposal to create additional general revenue. The committee will discuss raising funds to pay for the 2023 fireworks display and discuss holding a public meeting on increasing the sales tax percentage for the General Revenue Fund. The committee will also be discussing the issuance of bonds for the sewer and wastewater project before adjourning. The meeting, called by Finance committee Chairman Kala Sisco, is open to the public.
Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, provided the following preliminary statistics related to the Christmas holiday weekend during the 78-hour counting period, which began at 6:00 Friday evening, December 23rd, and ended at 11:59 Monday night, December 26th. Troopers investigated 306 traffic crashes, 84 of which had injuries and 3 fatalities. Troopers also made 52 arrests for driving under the influence. Last year during the 78-hour Christmas counting period, there were 881 traffic crashes statewide. In those crashes, eight people were killed and another 401 were injured. Of the three fatality traffic crashes investigated by troopers, two occurred in the Troop F Jefferson City area, and one occurred in the Troop D Springfield area. There were no fatality accidents on Friday, December 23rd, then one on each day of the rest of the counting period on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. There were no boating crashes or drownings over the 2022 Christmas holiday counting period.