Highway Patrol reports two fatalities over holiday weekend

(From the Missouri State Highway Patrol)

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

2 people died and 75 were injured in 243 traffic crashes during the 2023 New Year’s holiday counting period, which began at 6 p.m. Friday, December 30, 2022, and ended at 11:59 p.m. Monday, January 2, 2023. There were 0 boating crashes and 0 drownings over the 2023 New Year’s holiday counting period.

2023 New Year’s Holiday Traffic Statistics

Troopers investigated the following:

Traffic Crashes — 243
Traffic Crash Injuries — 75
Traffic Crash Fatalities — 1
DWI — 104

[Note: During the 2022 New Year’s holiday counting period, one person was killed and 331 injured in 1,045 traffic crashes statewide. During last year’s New Year’s holiday, troopers worked 321 of those crashes which included 98 injuries and no fatalities. Troopers arrested 96 people for driving while intoxicated last year.]

Both fatal traffic crashes occurred in the Troop E, Poplar Bluff, MO, area.

There were no traffic fatalities on Friday December 30, 2022.

One fatality occurred on Saturday, December 31, 2022. Roger Vinson, 63, of Piggott, AR, died when the vehicle he was driving crashed at the intersection of Route C and State Highway 25, in Stoddard County. Vinson was pronounced dead at the scene by Stoddard County Coroner Brent Stidham. The crash is being investigated by the Advance Police Department.

One fatality occurred on Sunday, January 1, 2023. Roger G. Morrow, 55, of Benton, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving travelled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. 

The crash occurred in Scott County on Missouri Highway 77 near Scott County Road 352. Morrow was pronounced dead at the scene by Scott County Coroner Scott Branam. Morrow was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

There were no traffic fatalities on Monday, January 2, 2023.

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.