One Southeast Missouri man was killed going into the Christmas holiday, while the state saw another eight people die in traffic-related crashes during the 78-hour period that began at 6 p.m. Thursday and ended at 11:59 p.m. Sunday night.
A 38-year-old man was killed Wednesday night in Dexter when a truck struck his motorized bicycle.
According to Dexter Police Chief Hank Trout, city police officers responded to a motor vehicle accident at 9:21 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Cooper Street and Arvin Road. Upon arrival, officers discovered a 2010 Ford pickup truck operated by Ryan Turner, 19, of Dexter had made a left turn from Arvin Road onto Cooper Street and struck a motorized bicycle operated by Brian C. Wicks, 38, of Dexter.
Wicks was transported by ambulance to SoutheastHEALTH in Dexter and later transported by helicopter to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, where he died.
Trout said the investigation is continuing.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, there were six crash-related deaths on state highways in 2020, compared to eight in 2021. State troopers handled two fatal accidents in the St. Louis area and two in central Missouri. The other four fatal wrecks were investigated by police in Kansas City, St. Louis and two St. Louis suburbs — Overland and Wentzville.
State troopers also investigated 310 traffic crashes in Missouri over the Christmas holiday period that began Thursday evening and ended Sunday night, including 92 traffic crash injuries. Troopers also arrested 67 people for driving while impaired during that stretch.
By comparison, troopers investigated 307 traffic crashes during the Christmas holiday period last year, including 86 injuries and 62 arrests for DWI.