A Tuesday morning drive turned tragic in Jefferson County when a four-vehicle crash killed a 68-year-old woman from Fenton and sent one van pinballing into a parked SUV and a nearby building, authorities said.
How the crash unfolded
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the collision happened around 8:35 a.m. on April 14 at the intersection of Little Brennan Road and Emerson Road.
Troopers say a Honda Odyssey attempting a left turn failed to yield to oncoming traffic and was hit on the right side by a northbound 2017 BMW 740i. After that initial impact, the Odyssey struck the front right of another 2017 BMW 740i, then left the roadway, hit a curb and a highway post, struck a yard sewer access, and finally entered a private parking lot where it slammed into a parked 2006 Toyota Highlander and a building before coming to rest.
Victim, injuries and response
As reported by KTTN, the driver of the Odyssey, a 68-year-old woman from Fenton, was not wearing a seat belt. She was taken by the North Jefferson County Ambulance District to Mercy Hospital South, where medical staff pronounced her dead at 12:12 p.m.
The drivers of the two BMWs, a 33-year-old man from High Ridge and a 56-year-old man from Fenton, reported minor or no injuries and were wearing seat belts, according to the outlet. Multiple agencies responded to the scene. The parked Toyota Highlander was unoccupied when it was hit, the report notes.
Seat belt safety
The lack of a seat belt likely increased the Odyssey driver's risk of severe injury, safety experts say. Using lap-and-shoulder belts cuts the risk of fatal injury for front-seat occupants of passenger vehicles by about 45 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Investigation ongoing
The Missouri State Highway Patrol's crash log lists the incident as a fatal collision and records the time and location while investigators continue to gather information. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported the crash in local coverage. Authorities have not yet released the victim's name publicly.
