Snowfall, slick roads cause two fatal accidents

Slick, snowy conditions led to two fatal accidents in the area Tuesday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

One accident, on Missouri Highway 116, three miles east of Plattsburg, occurred when Douglas Tomlin, 45, lost control of his 2000 International tractor-trailer on the snow-covered road. His truck crossed the center line, struck a rail of the Little Platte River bridge, and jackknifed in the road. The truck was then struck by another tractor-trailer, driven by Johnathon Willmon, 35, of Bonner Springs, Kan.

Mr. Willmon was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Tomlin, from Shawnee, Kan., refused treatment.

In another accident, Steven J. Hooper, 52, of Arlington, Texas, was killed when his pickup drove across a patch of ice on U.S. Highway 65, about five miles north of Trenton, went off the side of the road and overturned. He was not wearing a seat belt.

A passenger, Kimber Jeenks, 21, of Arlington, was taken to Wright Memorial Hospital in Trenton with moderate injuries. The crash occurred shortly before 4 p.m.

In an accident not related to the weather, a man from Jameson, Mo., was killed Monday at Missouri Route H and Missouri Highway 13, about eight miles south of Bethany, the patrol said.

William Rogers, 81, failed to stop at the intersection, and his pickup struck a pickup driven by Jerry Rouner, 60, also from Jameson, the patrol said. Mr. Rogers was pronounced dead at Harrison County Community Hospital. Mr. Rouner was taken by ambulance to the same hospital, but was later transferred to KU Medical Center.

Share Your Thoughts

Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. We do not review every post or respond to every removal suggestion. Comments that threaten someone or degrade them on the basis of gender, race, class, national origin, religion or disability will be removed. Comments containing abusive, vulgar or sexually-oriented language will be removed. Comments that spread rumors or lies will be removed. Please discuss only what has been factually proven. Comments posted in all caps will be removed. Stay on topic! Brief quotes are okay as long as the source is given. Blatant cutting and pasting is not acceptable. Comments must be kept under 250 words or less. Stjoenews.net moderators also reserve the right to remove comments for any reason they deem worthy. Click here for our full user agreement.