Motorcycle and ATV wrecks injure several within 24-hour period

SIKESTON -- Several people were injured in five motorcycle and ATV accidents occurring within 24 hours of each other this weekend in Southeast Missouri.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the first accident occurred at 5:45 a.m. Friday, half a mile south of Scott City.

Dewey L. Veal, 55, of Scott City was traveling southbound on a closed section of County Road 305 when his motorcycle became stuck on railroad tracks. Veal dismounted his bike prior to it being struck by the westbound Union Pacific train driven by Jeffery R. Smith, 36, of Salem, Ill. Injury information for the accident was unavailable.

Then, at 8:30 a.m. Friday, in Pemiscot County, Ronnie V. Rutledge, 63, of St. Louis sustained minor injuries when he was traveling south on Interstate 55 and his motorcycle lost control after hitting loose gravel, coming to rest in the median. Rutledge was transported by ambulance to Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti.

At 5:05 p.m. Friday, two miles east of Wyatt, a motorcycle accident resulted in injuries for an Oklahoma man. Mark A. Rich, 56, of Quapaw, Okla., was traveling eastbound on Highway 60 when his motorcycle traveled off the right side of the road and overturned. Rich sustained moderate injuries and was air evacuated to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

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