Updated story: 82-year-old recovering in St. Louis following fatal three-car crash

A Broseley man seriously injured in a three-vehicle accident Friday night is recovering at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

Sherman L. Thomas, 82, of Broseley, was air evacuated to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau Friday and later transferred to Barnes, according to reports from law enforcement and family members. His wife, Virginia F. Thomas, 79, was a passenger in his 2010 Ford F 150. She had moderate injuries and was taken to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.

George L. Wright, 68, of Dudley, who was driving a 2016 Honda Pilot sustained minor injuries and transported to PBRMC.

The driver of a third vehicle Zea H. Hawley, 34, of Poplar Bluff died in the accident, which occurred on Business Highway 60 East near C street in Poplar Bluff.

Thomas’s wife has been released from the hospital, said the couple’s nephew, Robbie Myers of Poplar Bluff.

“It’s going to be a while before she can go up there,” Myers said. “At this point, she’s resting, she’s sore and bruised up but right now she’s taking it like everybody’s taking everything, a day at a time, in smaller increments. They were both fortunate to survive the wreck.”

He describes his uncle as “a very devout man, very friendly guy. All the farmers know him because he was at John Deere, first with Cotton Busby, then Larry Busby. He retired just a couple of years ago.”

Myers has talked with the Thomas’s daughter and his cousin, Cindy Thomas Smith of Memphis, Tennessee.

According to Myers, Smith with her mother’s blessing wanted to give an update on her dad. They removed the rods in his left leg today and put a plate in. They are scheduled to operate on his right leg tomorrow.

“He has been his sweet self during all of this and the staff at Barnes have been wonderful,” Smith said. “They are keeping his pain under control. He will have multiple surgeries one step at a time. Thank you all for the thoughts, prayers and support. We all are so blessed to have a tribe of wonderful friends and loved ones and no words can describe our appreciation.”

Myers said, the family appreciates all the prayers and the outreach and also asked for prayers for the family who lost their loved one in this accident.

Along with his daughter, “his fabulous grandchildren also have been helping and making sure he’s in good spirits,” Myers said. “He keeps telling the nurses he’d like to be able to come home and pick tomatoes out of his garden but that probably will have to wait a little bit.”

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Hawley was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier westbound when she crossed the center line and struck Wright’s vehicle and then the Thomas vehicle. They both were traveling east.

According to the report, Hawley was not wearing a safety device, while the others were.

Poplar Bluff firefighters arrived at the scene at 7:30 p.m. and stayed two hours. The five-man crew removed one trapped victim from a vehicle and assisted emergency medical services personnel in preparing the patients to be transported. After the patrol accident reconstruction team finished its investigation, firefighters used 250 gallons of water to clear the scene.

Also at the scene just east of the Pine Boulevard bridge were the Poplar Bluff police, Butler County coroner, Butler County Sheriff’s Department, Butler County EMS and Air Evac.