MSHP Reports Five Traffic Fatalities Over New Year’s Holiday Weekend

Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, provides the following preliminary statistics related to the New Year’s holiday weekend:

Five people died and 59 were injured in 115 traffic crashes during the 2024 New Year’s holiday counting period, which began at 6 p.m. Friday, December 29, 2023, and ended at 11:59 p.m. Monday, January 1, 2024. There were 0 boating crashes and 0 drownings over the 2024 New Year’s holiday counting period.

2024 New Year’s Holiday Traffic Statistics

Troopers investigated the following:

Traffic Crashes — 115
Traffic Crash Injuries — 59
Traffic Crash Fatalities — 3
DWI — 139

[Note: During the 2023 New Year’s holiday counting period, six people were killed and 345 injured in 925 traffic crashes statewide. During last year’s New Year’s holiday, troopers worked 236 of those crashes which included 81 injuries and 2 fatalities. Troopers arrested 105 people for driving while intoxicated last year.]

One traffic fatality occurred in each of the following areas: Troop C, Weldon Spring Area, Troop D, Springfield area, and Troop G, Willow Spring area. The Columbia Missouri Police Department and the Kansas City Missouri Police
Department each worked one fatality crash for a total of five fatalities.

One fatality occurred on December 29, 2023. Jeremy L. Moore, 40, of Springfield, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a concrete bridge support. The crash occurred on Farm Road 102, west of Farm Road 151, north of Springfield. Moore was pronounced dead by Dr. Wycoff and Dr. Beard at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, MO. Moore was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

Three fatalities occurred on December 30, 2023. Joseph L. Kish, 42, of Lakeview, AR, died when the vehicle he was driving crossed the center of the road and struck another vehicle. The crash occurred on Highway 5, five miles south of Wasola. Kish was pronounced dead at the scene by Ozark County Coroner Gene Britt. Kish was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The driver of the second vehicle was wearing a seat belt and sustained moderate injuries in the crash. The crash is being investigated by the Patrol's Major Crash Investigation Unit. The Ozark County Sheriff's Office and the Gainesville Fire Department assisted at the scene.

Brady L. Ewing, 55, of Columbia, MO, died after being stuck by a vehicle. Ewing was a pedestrian. The crash occurred on East Broadway, west of North Fifth Street, in Columbia, MO. The driver of the vehicle was not injured. The crash is being investigated by the Columbia Missouri Police Department.

Jeffrey M. Stoppelmann, 52, of Fenton, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the road, returned to the road, traveled off the left side of the road and struck a fence. Stoppelmann's vehicle then struck a large rock, overturned, and struck a tree. The crash occurred on Mapaville-Hematite Road, north of Debbie Drive, in Jefferson County. Stoppelmann was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel. Stoppelmann was not wearing a seat belt.

One fatality occurred on December 31, 2023. Hmdovzoo Vue, 19, of Kansas City, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the road, struck the center guardrail impact attenuator, and overturned. The crash occurred on 71 Highway near Truman Road. Vue was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash is being investigated by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.

There were no fatalities on January 1, 2024.

The fatality statistics in this news release could change if late deaths occur, or if other departments report fatal traffic crashes after this news release is sent to the media.

Too many people die in traffic crashes each year in Missouri. The choices you make when you’re behind the wheel matter. Make good choices, so you’ll never have to say, “If I could just go back.”

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