WINONA -- Four children died in a nearly head-on collision involving a Sikeston resident late Sunday in Shannon County.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 9:40 p.m., five miles west of Winona on Highway 60, an accident occurred as motorist Vahedia R. Harris, 27, of Winona crossed the center line and struck the westbound tractor-
trailer driven by Douglas R. Neuhalfen, 36, of Sikeston nearly head-on. Harris' sport utility vehicle ran off the road and overturned. Neuhalfen's tractor-
trailer caught fire and burned completely in the roadway.
Harris' passengers Kaitlin Vermillion, 10, of Republic; Kristopher J. Harris, 5, of Winona; and Jenifer M. Harris, 2, of Winona were pronounced dead at the scene by the Shannon County coroner. Seven-year-old Obriana D. Harris of Winona died later after being flown to a hospital in Mountain View.
Harris sustained serious injuries and was air evacuated to a hospital in Springfield. Neuhalfen got out of his rig before it burned and was not listed as being injured.
Also, a Poplar Bluff resident died Sunday from injuries sustained in a Jan. 28 accident that had previously resulted in two fatalities.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Christian Limpert, 31, of Poplar Bluff died at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.
The accident initially occurred at 5:45 p.m. Jan. 28 on U.S. Highway 67, about 15 miles north of Poplar Bluff, when northbound motorist Limpert lost control on wet pavement, crossed the center line and struck the southbound vehicles driven by Jerry A. Payne, 65, of Poplar Bluff and Gregory A. Tadych, 30, of Desloge.
Payne and passenger, Giles N. Simpson, 68, of Poplar Bluff were pronounced dead at the scene. Payne's passenger and wife, Dorothy L. Payne, 55, of Poplar Bluff and another passenger, Angela M. Simpson, 69, of Poplar Bluff sustained minor injuries. They were taken to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.