A crash on Saturday night in Franklin County resulted in the death of a 76-year-old man and serious injuries to three teens, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report.
The fatality occurred when the man, from St. Clair, Missouri, was driving a 2010 Mazda 3. He was alone in the vehicle and died about an hour after the 9 p.m. crash while being transported in an ambulance, before reaching the hospital.
Three teens from St. Clair survived, though they suffered serious injuries. The victims included an 18-year-old woman and two girls, aged 15 and 17. The girls were passengers in a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by the 18-year-old.
Emergency responders transported the girls to Mercy Hospital Washington, while the driver of the Jeep was taken to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan. The MSHP report notes that both vehicles were on the North Outer Road near Marcus Drive when the incident occurred.
The 76-year-old man was driving west, while the 18-year-old was headed east.
“The man was inattentive to the roadway around him,” the MSHP report stated, noting that his Mazda crossed the centerline.
After veering into the opposite lane, the Mazda collided with the Jeep, causing the Mazda to spin out and leave the road. The Jeep slid across the centerline, striking a guardrail.
