Update 4 p.m. 10-3-2022: Hayden Mercer was not injured in the crash per changes to the report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Licking, MO. – One individual died in a recent accident that occurred on Friday afternoon on Highway VV near Licking.
Hayden Mercer, 30 of Searcy AR, was driving Eastbound in his 2022 GMC Sierra. At roughly 4:20pm, Mercer changed lanes in an attempt to overtake and pass another vehicle, and struck a vehicle in the other lane head-on. The second vehicle was a 2003 Ford Taurus being driven by Richard Strom, 55 of Licking.
Strom was fatally injured in the crash. Mercer was wearing his safety device, while Strom was not. This takes us up to Troop G’s 20th Fatality for 2022.
This accident was investigated by Trooper Z.B. Tate of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Troop G.
The Highway Patrol Report can be found here: https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/HP68/AccidentDetailsAction?ACC_RPT_NUM=220523198
