Thirteen people died in traffic crashes during the 2020 Labor Day holiday weekend. Last year, there were nine fatalities. The 2020 counting period for the Labor Day holiday ran from 6 p.m., Friday, September 4, through 11:59 p.m., Monday, September 7, 2020.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the following enforcement activity during 2020 Labor Day Holiday:
MSHP Traffic Statistics:
Crashes — 274
Injuries — 124
Fatalities — 10 (13 statewide)
DWI– 145
Drug Arrests — 89
MSHP Boating Statistics:
Crashes — 15
Injuries — 6
Fatalities– 0
BWI — 7
Drownings — 0
Drug Arrests — 12
(Note: During the 2019 counting period, the Patrol investigated 284 traffic crashes, which included 118 injuries and four of the nine fatalities. Troopers made 115 arrests for driving while intoxicated last year. Also, over the Labor Day holiday 2019: Troopers investigated 11 boating crashes involving four injuries and no fatalities; and arrested 10 people for boating while intoxicated on the state’s rivers and lakes. There were no drownings over the 2019 Labor Day holiday weekend.]
Troopers investigated 10 of the 13 fatal traffic crashes over the 2020 Labor Day holiday weekend. Three fatal traffic crashes occurred in both the Troop C, Weldon Spring, MO, area, and Troop G, Willow Springs, MO, area. Two fatal traffic crashes occurred in the Troop D, Springfield, MO, area. One fatal traffic crash occurred in each of the Troop A, Lee’s Summit, MO, and Troop F, Jefferson City, MO, areas. The remaining three fatalities were investigated by the Florissant (MO) Police Department, Columbia (MO) Police Department, and the Springfield (MO) Police Department.
Four fatalities occurred on Friday, September 4, 2020. Jason M. Olliges, 46, of St. Louis, MO, died when the ATV he was operating traveled off the left side of the road and struck a tree and concrete traffic barrier block. Both Olliges and a three-year-old passenger were ejected from the ATV. Neither were wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in St. Genevieve County on Lakeview Drive east of Ocelot Drive. Dr. Javad Vaziri pronounced Olliges dead at Mercy Hospital. The passenger sustained serious injuries in the crash.
Cody J. Selders, 25, of Springfield, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the left side of the roadway and overturned. Selders was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Barry County on Farm Road 2175 west of Exeter, MO. Barry County Coroner Gary Swearengin pronounced Selders dead at the scene. A passenger in the vehicle sustained serious injuries. She was not wearing a seat belt.
Chris M. Eye, 43, of Sedalia, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. Eye was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Pettis County on the KATY Trail west of Missouri Route BB. Cooper County Coroner James Hurt pronounced Eye dead at the scene.
Kurtis J. Birke, 36, of Gerald, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving ran off the right side of the roadway, he overcorrected, and the vehicle ran off the left side of the roadway and overturned. Birke was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Franklin County on Missouri Route YY at Missouri Highway 185. New Haven Ambulance personnel pronounced Birke dead at the scene.
Four fatalities occurred on Saturday, September 5, 2020. A three-year-old male passenger died when the driver of the vehicle lost control, ran off the left side of the roadway, crossed the median, struck another vehicle and overturned. The crash occurred in Wright County on U.S. Highway 60 east of Cedar Gap, MO. The driver and a second passenger sustained serious injuries in the crash. It is unknown whether the driver was wearing a seat belt. Neither of the passengers was wearing a seat belt.
Trampus A. Bell, 44, of Springfield, MO, was struck by a vehicle. No further details are available. The Springfield (MO) Police Department investigated the crash.
Christopher Jones, of Ferguson, MO, died when he swerved to avoid striking a vehicle and struck another head on. The crash occurred in St. Louis County on Lindberg Boulevard. Dr. Krits pronounced Jones deceased at De Paul Hospital. The Florissant Police Department investigated the crash.
Brian Sam, 43, address unknown, was walking in the driving lane of Interstate 70 when he was struck by a vehicle, then struck by a second vehicle. The crash occurred in Boone County at the 126.6-mile marker of I-70. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Columbia Police Department investigated the crash.
Four people died on Sunday, September 6, 2020. Drew A. Johnson, 26, of Marion, IL, died when the vehicle he was driving failed to negotiate a curve, traveled off the left side of the roadway, struck a tree and a fence, and came to rest against another tree. Johnson was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Cole County on Missouri Highway 179 south of Claysville Road. Cole County Medical Examiner Dr. Carl Doerhoff pronounced Johnson dead at the scene.
Donna H. Young, 75, of Hollister, MO, died when the driver of the golf cart in which she was a passenger lost control, it overturned, and all three occupants were ejected. The crash occurred in Taney County on Emerald Point Drive south of Hollister, MO. The driver and another passenger sustained serious injuries. Dr. Damsteadter pronounced Young dead at Mercy Hospital Springfield.
Jeremy A. Denholm, 47, of Mountain Grove, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving crossed the median, both southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 63, and struck an embankment and a large tree before coming to rest. Denholm was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Howell County on U.S. Highway 63 at Olden. Howell County Coroner Tim Cherry pronounced Denholm dead at the scene.
Dav’Yon D. Horton, 18, of Florissant, MO, died when he was struck by a vehicle. The crash occurred in St. Louis County on Lewis and Clark Boulevard at Sunbeam Lane. Horton was a pedestrian. Dr. Osbourn pronounced Horton dead at Barnes Jewish Hospital. The driver of the vehicle was not injured in the crash; he was wearing a seat belt.
One person died on Monday, September 7, 2020. Qindi You, 27, of Little Rock, AR, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger crossed the center line and struck another vehicle head on. Qindi was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Ozark County on Missouri Highway 5 north of the Arkansas state line. The driver and a second passenger in the vehicle with Qindi sustained moderate injuries; both were wearing seat belts. The driver and passenger in the second vehicle sustained moderate injuries in the crash. The driver was wearing a seat belt, the passenger was not. Dr. Robert McCurduy pronounced Qindi dead at Baxter County Hospital.
NOTE: The fatality statistics in this news release could change if late deaths occur, if other departments report fatal traffic/boating crashes after this news release was published, or if a fatality is determined to be caused by a medical condition rather than traffic/boating incident.
