Two killed in separate crashes over weekend

SiKESTON -- A Bernie woman and a Butler County man were fatally injured in separate crashes involving vehicles over the weekend in Southeast Missouri.

The first crash occurred at 5 a.m. Saturday on Route W, three miles north of Catron, as the southbound vehicle driven by 33-year-old Rebeca S. Mead of Bernie ran off the road and overturned. Mead was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:20 a.m. by Stoddard County coroner Kenny Pope.

Then at 9:28 p.m. Sunday on Route T, half a mile south of Butler County Road 569 in Poplar Bluff, the northbound vehicle driven by Brian Kearbey, 33, of Poplar Bluff struck a pedestrian, Charles R. Colbert III, 26, of Wappapello, who was attempting to cross the road. Colbert was pronounced dead at 9:45 p.m. by Butler County coroner Jim Akers.

Mead's and Colbert's death marked the 60th and 61st fatalities for the Patrol's Troop E this year.