Fatal Accident on Highway 65 Over Labor Day Weekend

There was a two-vehicle accident that caused one fatality on Saturday evening at 8  on Highway 65 in Pettis County.

63-year-old Donald Egelston of Lincoln was driving southbound on Highway 65, when his vehicle traveled off the left side of the roadway, crossed the median and struck a vehicle traveling northbound head-on, driven by 69-year-old Stephen Kucynda of Sedalia.

Egelston was not thought to have been using a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at University Hospital after Staff For Life flew him to Columbia. Egelston's passenger, 52-year-old Elizabeth Hayes of Marshall had serious injuries and was taken to University Hospital, via Staff For Life. Stephen Kucynda had moderate injuries and was wearing a seat belt. Kucynda was taken to Bothwell Regional Health Center, via Pettis County Ambulance. Another passenger, 69-year-old Rhonda Kucynda had serious injuries and was taken to Centerpoint Medical, via Lifeflight Air Ambulance.

The accident caused Highway 65 to be closed from the Benton County/Pettis County line and Route V for a period of about two hours, before it was all cleared at 10:47 p.m.