Trooper injured in Saturday accident

MARSTON - A Missouri Highway Patrol car was involved in a crash as the officer was on the scene of another accident.

At 11:40 a.m. Saturday on Interstate 55, one mile south of Marston, a Patrol car driven by Conrad L. Purnell, 28, of Poplar Bluff, was parked with its emergency lights activated, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's report. Purnell's car was struck in the rear by a northbound vehicle driven by Stanley A. Partin, 57, of Portageville.

Partin received serious injuries in the collision and was air-lifted to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Purnell, who had minor injuries, was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center for treatment.

Also during the weekend, a driver was injured when his utility vehicle overturned in the roadway. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred a half mile east of Portageville on Highway 162 at 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

The driver of the eastbound vehicle, Billy W. Cook, 37, of Portageville was moderately injured in the accident and taken by ambulance to Missouri Delta Medical Center for treatment.

Two people received minor injuries in an accident at 8:40 a.m. Saturday on Interstate 55, five miles south of Steele.

The Patrol reported Alfonso Casas-Garcia, 37, of Senath was driving southbound when his vehicle ran off the left side of the roadway and struck the median barrier cable. The vehicle then returned to the roadway striking the front of a southbound tractor-trailer driven by Travis C. Davis, 32, of Anderson, Ind.

Both drivers sought treatment for their injuries on their own, according to the report.