City of Columbia Missouri Police Department

600 E. Walnut Street
Columbia, MO 65201

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 19, 2015

CONTACT: Officer Latisha Stroer, Public Information Officer
Columbia Police Department
(573)874-7448
[email protected]

Traffic Crash I70 Westbound at US 63 Connector

(COLUMBIA, MO) -

TYPE OF INCIDENT: Vehicle Crash

LAW INCIDENT: 2015108125

DATE & TIME OCCURRED: 06/19/15 @ 12:47 AM                

           

ACCIDENT LOCATION:  I70 Westbound @ US 63 Connector          

DRIVER 1:                            Richard Van Bebber           

                                                Liberty, MO

                                                Age: 50

                                                Seatbelt: Yes

                                                Injury: Non-life threatening

                                               

DRIVER 2:                            Craig Bryan

                                                Killen, AL

                                                Age: 44

                                                Seatbelt: Yes

                                                Injury: Non-life threatening

PASSENGER VEHICLE 2: Rhonda Tingle

                                                Leighton, AL

                                                Age: 38

                                                Seatbelt: Yes

                                                Injury: Non-life threatening

DRIVER 3:                            Edward Deards

                                                Wilmington, OH

                                                Age: 52

                                                Seatbelt: Yes

                                                Injury: Non-life threatening

PASSENGER VEHICLE 3: Jerri Deards

                                                Wilmington, OH

                                                Age: 48

                                                Seatbelt: Yes

                                                Injury: Non-life threatening

 

DRIVER 4:                            Raymond George

                                                Fort Meyer, FL

                                                Age: 44

                                                Seatbelt: Yes

                                                Injury: No

PASSENGER VEHICLE 4: Regina Wright

                                                Greensville, SC

                                                Age: 49

                                                Seatbelt: Yes

                                                Injury: Non-life threatening

DRIVER 5:                            Leon Tiller

                                                Belleville, IL

                                                Age: 49

                                                Seatbelt: Yes

                                                Injury: No

                                               

                                                     

                                                                       

INCIDENT DETAILS:

                        The crash occurred as Vehicle 1, a semi-truck with trailer, was traveling westbound on I70 at US 63 Connector when vehicle one left the right side of the roadway and struck the concrete median. Driver one over corrected back to the left and struck the metal guardrail on the left side of the roadway. Driver one's vehicle went off the south edge of the roadway into the ditch.

                        Vehicles two, three, four and five were also traveling westbound on I70 approaching US 63 Connector behind Vehicle 1. Due to vehicle one's collision with the median and guardrail, the other vehicles attempted to break but were unable to stop before colliding with vehicle one and each other. This started a chain reaction of collisions between all vehicles.

                        Both lanes of westbound I-70 were blocked from 12:47 A.M.  The driving lane was open to normal traffic at 2:02 A.M.  All lanes were open for normal traffic at 6:40 A.M.      

                       

                        Two drivers and three passengers were transported by ambulance to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries. All vehicles were semi-trucks pulling trailers. There were moderate to heavy damage to all vehicles involved in the collision. All vehicles were towed from the scene.

                       



City of Columbia Vision
Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.

City of Columbia Mission
To serve the public equitably through democratic, transparent and efficient government.

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