FESTUS, Mo. — A crash on Interstate 55 south of St. Louis caused multiple deaths.
According to a report from KPLR television in St. Louis, three people are dead and several others were left injured in a multi-vehicle crash that shut down Interstate 55 in both directions south of Festus on Sunday.
A crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) stated that the incident occurred shortly before 3:30 p.m. on northbound I-55, involving eight vehicles. Investigators said three people died and five others were injured.
According to MSHP, the crash happened after the driver of a tractor trailer allegedly became inattentive of slow moving traffic on I-55, leading to the vehicle to strike the backend of a Toyota Camry, MSHP said.
The impact of the collision caused more crashes on I-55. The impact pushed the Toyota Camry into the rear of a Nissan Pathfinder, which then went on to strike the rear of a Kia Optima.
The Kia hit the back of a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck, which pushed into the back of a GMC 1500, MSHP said.
After the GMC was struck, MSHP says that vehicle was pushed forward into the rear of a Toyota Corolla before rotating and hitting the rear of a Ford F-150 pickup truck.
Three people were pronounced dead after the crash, including the driver and passenger of the Toyota Camry, a 63-year-old man and woman both from Memphis, Tenn., and the driver of the Kia Optima, a 53-year-old woman from Pevely, Mo.
The crash left five people injured after the crash. Two people sustained serious injuries, two suffered from moderate injuries, and one was left with minor injuries.
Both northbound and southbound lanes of I-55 were closed for an extended period of time as troopers worked to clear the scene.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
