A 66-year-old Sunrise Beach man died Thursday morning, September 3, 2026, after the heavy truck he was driving veered off the left side of Missouri Route 135 in Morgan County and struck a tree. The Morgan County coroner pronounced him dead at the scene at 11:26 a.m., about 30 minutes after the crash was first reported.
According to KTTN, the man was driving a 2022 International HV507 southbound on Highway 135 when the truck left the roadway and struck the tree, leaving the vehicle totaled. An official Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, logged under report number 260374144, places the crash at 10:56 a.m. along Highway 135 about 564 feet south of Spirit Lane, with Trooper S.D. Sears investigating alongside Corporal C.R. Mistler, per the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The report also lists Federated Mutual as the vehicle's insurance carrier and confirms the driver's body was transported to Kidwell-Garber Funeral Home.
A Heavy Commercial Truck, Not a Passenger Vehicle
The vehicle involved was not a typical pickup or passenger truck. The listing from Rush Truck Centers describes an International HV507 as a severe-service vocational chassis equipped with a Cummins engine and Allison automatic transmission. The dealer listing shows an HV507 configured as a dump truck.
Several details about the crash remain unresolved. It is not publicly known whether the driver's off-road drift was caused by a medical emergency, mechanical failure, or another factor, and no toxicology or autopsy findings have been released. The state crash report also lists the driver's seat belt use as unknown. Missouri law requires drivers and front-seat occupants to wear safety belts, with violations carrying a fine of no more than $10.
Troop F's First September Fatality
The crash was later recorded as Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F's 43rd traffic fatality of 2026 and its first recorded road death for the month of September, KTTN reported. Troop F is headquartered in Jefferson City and oversees traffic safety enforcement across 13 central Missouri counties, including Morgan, Camden, Miller, and Cole, according to the highway patrol.
The wreck highlights the risks of road departures. Route 135 includes the crash location in Morgan County.
Traffic Safety Remains a Concern
The Morgan County crash underscores the continuing importance of traffic safety.
Infrastructure safety projects are one way to address risks on roads near crash sites.
Garber Diesel towed the totaled HV507 from the scene, KTTN reported. The driver's body was released to Kidwell-Garber Funeral Home.
