Two people killed after separate accidents

POPLAR BLUFF -- Troop E of the Missouri State Highway Patrol reports two area residents were fatally injured in two separate accidents Monday.

The first accident occurred at 11:08 a.m. in Butler county on Union Pacific tracks, 1.5 miles north of Poplar Bluff, as pedestrian, Henry L. Stradford, 25, of Poplar Bluff was lying between the tracks and was struck by a northbound Union Pacific train driven by Robert A. Plumb, 55, of St. Louis.

Stradford was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:29 a.m. by Butler County Coroner Bruce Goins and was taken by ambulance to Three Rivers Health Care South in Poplar Bluff.

Another fatal accident occurred at 6:58 p.m. on Stoddard County Road 287, one mile north of Puxico, as motorist Rebecca G. Kennedy, 21, of Puxico ran a northbound all-terrain vehicle off the right side of the roadway, overturning several times. Both the driver and her passenger, Courtney N. Kennedy, 8, of Puxico were ejected. Courtney Kennedy was pronounced dead at 7:30 p.m. by Stoddard County Coroner Morgan Sifford and was taken to Sifford Funeral Home. Rebecca Kennedy received minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Three Rivers North Campus in Poplar Bluff.