Highway Patrol Releases Labor Day Holiday Statistics

Fifteen people died in traffic crashes during the 2016 Labor Day holiday weekend.

Last year, there were 10 fatalities. The 2016 counting period for the Labor Day holiday ran from 6 p.m., Friday, September 2, through 11:59 p.m., Monday, September 5, 2016.
During the 2016 counting period, the Patrol investigated 299 traffic crashes, which included 108 injuries and 14 fatalities. The Platte County Sheriff’s Department investigated one fatality. Troopers made 91 arrests for driving while intoxicated and 119 drug arrests in 2016. (Note: In 2015, the Patrol investigated 348 traffic crashes, which included 167 injuries and eight fatalities. Also in 2015, troopers made 121 arrests for driving while intoxicated.)

There were zero boating fatalities over the 2016 Labor Day holiday. Troopers investigated 15 boating crashes involving 10 injuries. Troopers arrested 11 people for boating while intoxicated and made 25 drug arrests on the state’s rivers and lakes. There was one drowning over the 2016 Labor Day holiday weekend. (Note: In 2015, troopers investigated 11 boating crashes involving 10 injuries and two fatalities. There were three drownings reported last year. Troopers also arrested 22 people for boating while intoxicated over the 2015 Labor Day weekend.)

Of the 14 traffic crash fatalities troopers investigated, three occurred in each of the following areas: Troop A, Lee’s Summit, MO, Troop D, Springfield, MO, and Troop F, Jefferson City, MO. Two fatalities occurred in both the Troop B, Macon, MO, and Troop C, Weldon Spring, MO, areas. One fatality occurred in Troop E, Poplar Bluff, MO, area.

One person died in the counting period on Friday, September 2, 2016. Sean M. Hite, 35, of Imperial, MO, died when another vehicle struck the vehicle Hite was driving headon. The other vehicle was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes. The crash occurred in St. Louis County on Manchester Road at Joncliff Lane. Hite was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Dr. LaPlante pronounced Hite dead at Mercy Hospital. A passenger in the other vehicle sustained serious injuries in the crash; she was wearing a seat belt.

Four people died in crashes on Saturday, September 3, 2016. Scott A. Hubbard, 40, of Marshall, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving left the right side of the roadway, struck a concrete bridge support, became airborne, then came to rest on its top in Salt Fort Creek. The crash occurred in Saline County on Mount Olive Road east of Missouri Route E. Hubbard was not wearing a seat belt. Saline County Coroner Willie Harlow pronounced Hubbard dead at the scene of the crash. The Saline County Sheriff’s Department and Marshall Fire Department responded to the scene.

Howard B. Young, 74, and Maureen L. Young, 73, both of Laddonia, MO, died when Maureen Young lost control of the vehicle she was driving, skidded off the left side of the roadway, then crossed the median and struck another vehicle headon. The crash occurred in Marion County on U.S. Highway 61, 10 miles north of Palmyra, MO. Neither Howard nor Maureen were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. Marion County Coroner Darrell McCoy pronounced both Youngs deceased at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he sustained serious injuries in the crash. The Marion County Sherriff’s Office, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Palmyra Fire Department, Marion County Ambulance, and Air Evac Lifeteam responded to the scene.

Brock A. Griffith, 47, of Holts Summit, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving exited the left side of the roadway and overturned. The crash occurred in Howard County on Missouri Highway 5 west of Missouri Business Route 240. Griffith was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Howard County Coroner Frank Flaspohler pronounced Griffith dead at the scene.

Four people died in traffic crashes on Sunday, September 4, 2016. Ethan J. Brumbeloe, 17, of O’Fallon, MO, died after he walked into the path of a commercial vehicle on Interstate 70 east of Bryan Road in St. Charles County. Dr. R. Dean pronounced Brumbeloe deceased at SSM Health St. Joseph in Lake St. Louis. The driver of the commercial vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he was not injured in the crash.

Mary G. Fox, 75, of Advance, MO, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger was struck headon by a second vehicle. The crash occurred in Bollinger County on Missouri Highway 91 north of Advance, MO. Fox was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Dr. Roettger pronounced Fox dead at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. The driver of the vehicle in which Fox was a passenger was wearing a seat belt; he sustained moderate injuries. A second passenger in the vehicle was wearing a seat belt; she sustained serious injuries. The driver of the vehicle that struck Fox's vehicle was wearing a seat belt; she sustained moderate injuries.

Phoula Phomdouangsy, 32, of Wheaton, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving ran off the roadway, struck a culvert, overturned, and then struck a tree. The crash occurred in Barry County on Farm Road 1035 east of Wheaton, MO. Barry County Coroner Jim Fohn pronounced Phomdouangsy dead at the scene of the crash.

Shannon K. Rector, 43, of Iatan, MO, died when the vehicle she was driving left the right side of the roadway, traveled along a steep embankment, then struck a tree. The crash occurred in Platte County on Missouri Highway P near the intersection of Hardesty Lane. The Platte County Sheriff's Department investigated the crash.

Six people died in traffic crashes on Labor Day, September 5, 2016. Jeffery D. Meeks, 26, of Galena, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving crossed the center line and struck another vehicle headon. The crash occurred in Stone County on Missouri Highway 76 west of Reeds Springs, MO. Meeks was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Stone County Coroner John Cunningham pronounced Meeks dead at the scene of the crash. The driver and a passenger in the vehicle Meeks' vehicle struck sustained minor and serious injuries, respectively. Both were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

Jason S. Sumners, 43, of Verona, MO, died when the motorcycle he was operating ran off the roadway and he was ejected. The crash occurred in Lawrence County on County Road 1112 west of Mount Vernon, MO. Sumners was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

Chloe Beaird, 7, and Gavin Beaird, 13, of Warrenton, MO, died when another vehicle struck the vehicle in which they were passengers. The crash occurred when the second vehicle overtook and struck the rear of the Beaird vehicle. The crash took place in Jackson County on Interstate 70 west of Adam Dairy Parkway. Both Chloe and Gavin were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. The driver of the Beaird vehicle and another passenger both sustained serious injuries; both were wearing their seat belts. The driver of the vehicle that struck the Beaird vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he sustained minor injuries. Medical Examiner Peter Bingham, the Blue Springs Police Department, and Missouri Department of Transportation responded to the scene.

Emmit G. Williams, 73, of Marshall, MO, died when he lost control of the motorcycle he was operating, crossed the center line, and was struck by another vehicle. Both vehicles then traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a traffic sign. The crash occurred in Howard County on Missouri Highway 87 south of Missouri Route 3. Williams was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Howard County Coroner Frank Flaspohler pronounced Williams dead at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he was not injured.

Alexander H. Oldenburg, 24, of Leslie, MO, died when the vehicle in which he was a passenger failed to negotiate a turn and went off the right side of the roadway. The driver over corrected causing the vehicle to cross the center line, travel off the left side of the roadway, and overturn. The crash occurred in Gasconade County on Missouri Route C east of Missouri Route B. Oldenburg was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Dr. Timothy Fursa pronounced Oldenburg dead at Phelps County Hospital in Rolla, MO. The driver of the vehicle was not wearing a seat belt; he sustained moderate injuries in the crash. The Gasconade County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene.

One person drowned on Labor Day, September 5, 2016. Bradley, A. Zeorlin, 51, of Noel, MO, was swimming in the Elk River west of Noel, MO, when he drowned. He was not wearing a life jacket. McDonald County Deputy Coroner John Garwacki pronounced Zeorlin dead at the scene.

NOTE: The fatality statistics in this news release could change if late deaths occur, if other departments report fatal traffic/boating crashes after this news release was published, or if a fatality is determined to be caused by a medical condition rather than traffic/boating incident.