Local News – Thursday, January 27th, 2022
An accident happened Tuesday afternoon around 1:40 in Dent County on Highway 32 about fifteen miles east of Salem. According to the report released by the highway patrol, a 2021 International being driven by 52-year-old Robert Crocker of Salem, was passing a 1999 Chevrolet S-10 being driven by 60-year-old Walter Acord, also of Salem. As the International was passing, the S-10 changed lanes and collided with the International. The Chevy then traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck a tree, and overturned. Acord suffered minor injuries but refused treatment at the scene. The International sustained minor damage and was driven from the scene. The S-10 was totaled and removed from the scene by American Automotive Towing. The report indicated that both drivers were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident.
An accident happened Tuesday night at 7:50 in the Salem Memorial District Hospital parking lot when 69-year-old Robert Wood of Salem, was driving a 1999 Jeep Wrangler eastbound when he lost consciousness due to a medical emergency. The front of the Wrangler made contact with the west side of the building. Wood suffered moderate injuries and walked into the Salem Memorial District Hospital Emergency Department after the crash. He was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.
A Poplar Bluff resident was injured in a one vehicle accident Wednesday morning just before 9:00 in Dent County on Highway 32 about 8 miles east of Salem. The highway patrol reports that a 2010 Dodge Nitro being driven by 35-year-old Arika Ballenger lost control of the vehicle on a curve. The Dodge traveled off the right side of the roadway striking two signs and a tree. Ballenger was taken by EMS to Salem Memorial District Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The Dodge was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitakers Towing. The report went on to state that Ballenger was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.
Missouri’s 2021-2022 deer-hunting season ended January 15th with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reporting a preliminary total deer harvest for the season of 293,670. Of the deer harvested, 143,049 were antlered bucks, 26,599 were button bucks, and 124,022 were does. Top harvest counties for the overall deer season were Franklin with 6,392 deer harvested, Texas with 5,478, and Callaway with 5,452. Other counties in our area harvest numbers were Dent with 4,183, Crawford 4,002, Shannon 3,360 and Phelps with 2,937 deer taken. Hunters harvested 297,214 deer during the 2020-2021 deer hunting season with 140,855 being antlered bucks, 28,652 being button bucks, and 127,707 being does. MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle said that this year’s harvest total was slightly behind last year’s mark and about 3% above the previous five-year average. He added that we’ve seen an increasing trend in statewide deer harvest for about the past eight years and that the deer population has continued to increase across much of southern Missouri while we’ve seen a population recovery in most of the counties impacted by the severe hemorrhagic disease outbreak that occurred in 2012. For more information on deer hunting in Missouri, visit mdc.mo.gov. MDC reported four firearms-related hunting incidents during deer season with all being self-inflicted and three non-fatal with one fatal.