Ten individuals in a 2019 Ford Transit van veered off Highway 67 one mile north of the Arkansas state line at 3:20 p.m. Monday. Officers of the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the accident.
According to the crash report, a van transporting workers drifted off the left side of the roadway and overturned. Driver Gary Blevins of Pocahontas was transported by air to Regional One Health in Memphis, Tennessee with serious injuries. Gregory Ortlip of Neelyville needed a survival flight to the same hospital. Jeffrey Winters of Poplar Bluff was flown to St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau with moderate injuries.
EMS transported Poplar Bluff residents Keegan Miller, Kylan Lee, Alex Durbin, Herbert Smith, William Councilor, Willard Lance and Thomas Brown to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center with injuries ranging from minor to moderate.
Janet McNece, owner of Productive Staffing, confirmed the company contracted the van from Victory Shuttle to transport workers from Poplar Bluff to the Peco Foods plant in Pocahontas, Arkansas.
“Our prayers are with everyone involved,” McNece stated, “Praise God there have been no fatalities.”
While unable to release more details, she confirmed some individuals have been released from the hospital. City Manager Matt Winters commented on the accident during Monday’s Poplar Bluff City Council meeting.
He referenced the $18 million improvement fund to expand Highway 67 into a divided four-lane highway.
“It was important for two reasons: economic development and safety. And unfortunately, we’re seeing the lack of safety having some really bad impacts,” Winters said.
Once improvements are completed, the route will be part of I-57.