A 27-year-old Utica man was seriously hurt early Friday after his SUV overturned on Highway 36 in Caldwell County and threw him from the vehicle. The crash happened despite the driver wearing his seat belt, according to investigators.
The wreck occurred at approximately 4:28 a.m. east of Highway A, according to KTTN. The man was driving a 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer westbound on Highway 36 when the SUV began to slow and drifted off the north side of the roadway, per the Missouri State Highway Patrol's account relayed by the outlet.
The Trailblazer overturned and ejected the driver before coming to rest on its roof, facing east, the station reported. Investigators noted that the driver was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, even though he was thrown from the vehicle. The Highway Patrol classified his injuries as severe, the station's report says, while KQ2 separately described him as seriously injured.
Emergency Crews Respond, Vehicle Towed
Caldwell County Emergency Medical Services transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center for treatment, according to the same account. The Trailblazer was totaled in the crash and was towed from the scene by Tate's Towing, the report notes.
Trooper J.M. Tanner of the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the crash, assisted by Corporal V.R. McBride, per the outlet's reporting. No further details on the driver's condition following his hospital transport were included in the report.
Seat Belts and Ejection Risk
Ejections remain among the most dangerous outcomes of a rollover crash. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report notes that in crashes with known restraint use, 82 percent of passenger-vehicle occupants who were totally ejected from their vehicles were killed, and the agency says seat belts are very effective at preventing total ejections. The Caldwell County crash remains under investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
