The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

Published April 3, 2024

Collision sends woman to hospital

LAKE OF THE OZARKS – An Eldon woman has received moderate injuries in a two vehicle accident last Thursday.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) at 6:30 p.m. at Highway 52 and Highway 54 in Miller County, a southbound 2008 Dodge Caravan, driven by a 16-year-old male from Eldon, MO, pulled out in front of a westbound 2014 Nissan Versa Note, driven by Mitzi McCormick, 68, of Eldon, MO.

The Nissan ended up hitting the Caravan.

McCormick had minor injuries and was taken by Ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, MO.

A passenger in the Nissan, Betty Counter, 95, also of Eldon, MO, suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Lake regional Hospital. Both were wearing their seat belts but the juvenile driver of the Caravan was not.

The Caravan had extensive damage and the Nissan was totaled in the crash.

Two accidents occurred in Morgan County last Tuesday (March 26) with only minor injuries in each.

The first one took place at 10:22 a.m. on Highway 52 east of Gates Road, when a 2018 Mack Pinnacle, driven by Travis Cooper, 53, of Sedalia, MO, went off the road and hit a tree due to the driver losing consciousness.

He suffered minor injuries and was taken by EMS to Bothwell Hospital in Sedalia, MO. He was wearing a seat belt and the vehicle had moderate damage.

The second accident took place later that day at 5:09 p.m.

According to the MSHP, a 2001 Ford Sport Trac, driven by Jeffery Griggs, 59, of California, MO, was traveling east on Route C at Ridgewood Drive in Morgan County when Griggs steered the vehicle to the right to avoid hitting a vehicle crossing the roadway.

Hs vehicle then went off the right side of the road and crossed Ridgewood Road.

The driver then overcorrected causing his vehicle to return to the road where it skidded off the left side of the road, hit an embankment and overturning before hitting a fence and coming to a stop.

Griggs had minor injuries and was taken by EMS to Capitol Region Medical Center in Jefferson City, MO. He was wearing a seat belt. The Ford had moderate damage.

Three people, including two juveniles were injured in a one-vehicle accident last Saturday.

At 9:25 a.m., a 2016 Kenworth T880, driven by Elvin Hoover, 40, of Versailles, MO, was Southbound on Route J south of Tierra Lane in Morgan County when the vehicle exited the right side of the road. The driver overcorrected causing the vehicle to return to the road, cross the centerline, overturn and go off the left side of the highway.

Hoover suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Capitol Region Medical Center in Jefferson City, MO by EMS. The MSHP said he was not wearing a seat belt.

Two passengers in the vehicle, 14-year-old males, both of Versailles, MO, suffered minor injuries and were also taken to Capitol Region Medical Center. They were wearing their seat belts.

The Kenworth had extensive damage.

A short time later (12:50 p.m.) anther single-vehicle accident also in Morgan County sent a juvenile to the hospital.

The MSHP reported that a 2005 Nissan Sentra was being driven by Darla Warfield, 67, of Barnett, MO, north on Golden Beach Road near Route W when the car went off the right side of the road.

Warfield overcorrected causing the vehicle to return to the roadway and cross the centerline. The Nissan then overturned, went off the right side of the road and hit a tree.

A 16-year-old female, also of Barnett, MO, received minor injuries and was taken by EMS to Capitol Region Medical Center. She was wearing her seat belt as was the driver. The Nissan was totaled in the crash.

Morgan County saw another accident, this time with a motorcycle that same day at 2:52 p.m.

A 2019 Harley Davidson motorcycle, driven by John Withington, 81, of Ozark, MO, was northbound on Route TT near Three Oaks Road when he failed to negotiate a turn, went off the right side of the road and overturned.

He suffered moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital. He was wearing a helmet. The motorcycle had minor damage.

Miller County joined the accident roundup later that day at 5:55 p.m. at Highway 54 and Cave Drive when a 2017 Toyota Tacoma, driven by Evelyn Ruppel, 74, of Eldon, MO, was crossing over Highway 54 from Cave Road.

At that time an eastbound 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse, driven by Sergio Morales-Maldonado, 30, of Columbia, MO, was going east when the Toyota crossed into his path and he hit the back of the Toyota.

A passenger in the Toyota, Pamela Coffman, 70, also of Eldon, MO, received minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital. All involved were wearing their seat belts. The Mitsubishi was totaled and the Toyota had moderate damage.