PHELPS COUNTY, Mo. — Three were injured, including two workers from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and a trucker, in a crash on Interstate 44 on Wednesday afternoon.
A crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol stated that the incident occurred at the 179.8 mile marker going west on I-44.
MSHP said a 2022 Freightliner Cascadia struck a 2019 International MoDOT truck that was stationary “with active placards” in a work zone.
The Freightliner, driven by a 69-year-old man from Cleveland, Texas, struck the rear of the MoDOT vehicle.
All three victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries.
The Doolittle Rural Fire Protection District (DRFPD) in Phelps County also issued information regarding the crash.
DRFPD stated when it arrived on scene, crews found “a heavily damaged tractor-trailer blocking the roadway and a MoDOT truck in the median that had been struck from the rear.”
DRFPD said the MoDOT truck was equipped with a Truck-Mounted Attenuator (TMA), which sustained significant damage during the collision.
“These devices are specifically designed to absorb and dissipate the tremendous energy generated when another vehicle strikes the rear of a highway work vehicle,” the release stated. “The damage to the attenuator demonstrates exactly why this equipment is so important. It absorbed a substantial portion of the impact before that force could reach the MoDOT truck and the two workers inside. Given the severity of the collision and the damage to the tractor-trailer, the outcome could have been considerably worse without that protection in place.”
DRFPD reported that the two victims inside the MoDOT truck remained inside the vehicle following the collision and reported multiple injuries. The driver of the tractor-trailer reported minor injuries.
“Due to the number of patients, Command requested a second ambulance to the scene,” the release stated.
Both occupants of the MoDOT truck were transported by Phelps Health EMS to Phelps Health for treatment as the MSHP report stated, but DRFPD stated that the tractor-trailer driver declined medical treatment.
DRFPD stated that once all patients had been evaluated and transferred to the care of EMS, its personnel turned their attention to an oil spill and other hazards created by the collision.
“Crews worked to contain the spill and assist with making the roadway safe,” DRFPD stated.
“This incident is another reminder of the dangers faced by highway workers every day,” DRFPD added. “The attenuator on this MoDOT truck did exactly what it was designed to do—take the hit and help protect the people working behind it. When approaching highway workers, emergency vehicles, or work zones, slow down, move over, and give them room to work safely.”
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.
