Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to several accidents on New Year’s weekend, two of which were fatal.
The first fatality occurred Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. Roger Vinson, 63, of Piggott, Arkansas, died when the vehicle he was driving crashed at the intersection of Route C and State Highway 25 in Stoddard County. Vinson was pronounced dead at the scene by Stoddard County Coroner Brent Stidham at 1:14 a.m. The crash is being investigated by the Advance Police Department. Vinson was the 81st fatality of Troop E in 2022.
The second death happened at 1:15 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 1. A 2019 Ford Mustang operated by Roger G. Morrow, 55, of Benton ran off the right side of the road and overturned while northbound on Highway 77. Morrow was pronounced dead at the scene by Scott County Coroner Scott Branam and transported to the county morgue. He was the first fatality of 2023 for Troop E.
Other incidents, including a hit-and-run, only resulted in minor and moderate injuries. The first was a two-car collision at 6:35 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, on Highway 61 at Marston. A 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee operated by Lucy A. Swims, 82, of Wardell failed to stop at a stop sign and struck a 2014 Jeep Latitude driven by Kaitlyn D. Van Onselen, 27, of Portageville. Swims was transported by New Madrid County EMS to Missouri Delta Medical Center with minor injuries.
A pedestrian was struck in a hit-and-run at 1:50 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, on Bates Street in Morehouse. David L. Clapp, 45, sustained moderate injuries when he was hit by a southbound vehicle, which left the scene. He was taken by private conveyance to Missouri Delta Medical Center.
At 2:32 p.m., a 2016 Chevrolet Cruz operated by Devin M. Sturgeon, 29, or Millersville was traveling westbound on Route BB west of Millersville when it traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree. Sturgeon was transported by personal conveyance to St. Francis Medical Center with moderate injuries.
At 8:20 p.m., a 2012 Nissan Sentra piloted by Holly B. Orrick, 30, of Piedmont was traveling northbound on the Iron Mountain cut-off road at Route U when it ran off the roadway and struck a tree. Orrick was taken by private conveyance to Iron County Medical Center with minor injuries.
At 10:05 p.m., a 2004 Dodge 1500 traveling southbound on Highway 21 crossed the centerline and struck a northbound 2002 Jeep Cherokee operated by a juvenile from Caledonia. The teen was transported by ambulance to Iron County Medical Center with minor injuries. Both vehicles were totaled. No information was available on the driver of the Dodge.