Preliminary reports indicate eight fraffic fatalities, one drowning over the July Fourth holiday period

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the following 2024 July Fourth holiday statistics for the counting period of 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 3 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 7.

2024 July Fourth Holiday

Boating Statistics

Troopers worked 10 boating crashes, which included seven injuries and zero fatalities. Troopers made 11 boating while intoxicated arrests. One person drowned over the holiday weekend. The drowning occurred in Troop D.

The drowning occurred on Saturday, July 6. Craig H. Olson, 60, of Shawnee, Kansas, was swimming near a vessel, went under the water and did not resurface. He was not wearing a life jacket. Cedar County Deputy Coroner Joe Trussel pronounced Olson dead at the scene. The incident occurred at Stockton Lake in the first cove west of the Stockton Dam.

By comparison, in 2023, there were 11 boating crashes, which included two injuries and no fatalities. One person drowned during last year’s July Fourth holiday. Troopers made 10 boating while intoxicated arrests over last year’s July Fourth holiday weekend.

2024 July Fourth Holiday

Traffic Statistics

Troopers worked 382 traffic crashes, which included 159 injuries and eight fatalities. Troopers also made 147 DWI arrests.

One traffic fatality occurred in the Troop I, Rolla area. Two fatalities occurred in both the Troop C, Weldon Spring, and Troop D, Springfield areas. Three fatalities occurred in the Troop B, Macon, Missouri, area.

Two people died on Wednesday, July 34. Jared A. Thrapp, 45, Forsyth, Missouri, died when the driver of a westbound vehicle crossed the centerline, struck the left side of a second vehicle, then struck the front of the vehicle he was driving. All three vehicles traveled off the right side of the eastbound lanes. The crash occurred in Taney County on Highway F, east of Bull Creek. Thrapp was wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene by Taney County Coroner Elijah Goodwin. A passenger in Thrapp’s vehicle was wearing a seatbelt and sustained serious injuries. The driver of the westbound vehicle was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured. The driver of the second vehicle was wearing a seatbelt and sustained minor injuries. Two passengers in the second vehicle sustained minor injuries, and a third passenger sustained moderate injuries in the crash. They were all wearing a seatbelt.

William C. Sweet, 48, Monroe City, Missouri, died when the ATV he was driving traveled off the left side of the road and struck a tree. The crash occurred in Monroe County on Cincinnati Road, south of Ariel Lane, southeast of Monroe City. Sweet was pronounced dead at the scene by Monroe City EMS. He was not wearing a helmet.

One person died Thursday, July 4. Teven J. Blackwell, 20, Troy, Missouri, died when he lost control of the motorcycle he was driving, struck the side of a parked vehicle, ran off the right side of the roadway, and struck a parked trailer. Blackwell was ejected from the vehicle. He was wearing a helmet. The crash occurred on Pike County Road 255, east of Pike County Road 256. Dr. Pugh pronounced Blackwell deceased at Pike County Memorial Hospital.

Four people died on Friday, July 5. Trevor A. Benda, 21, Kirksville, Missouri, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway, stuck an embankment and overturned into a pond. The crash occurred on U.S. 63, two miles north of LaPlata. Benda was not wearing a seatbelt. He was pronounced dead at University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri, by Dr. Ubinas. The Patrol was assisted by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Adair County Ambulance, and the Kirksville and LaPlata Fire Departments.

Sheldonna A. Wood, 60, Joplin, Missouri, died when she was struck by a vehicle that traveled off the right side of Douglas Fir Road, one-half mile south of Joplin, in Newton County. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Newton County Coroner Dale Owen. The driver of the vehicle was not injured.

Darrell D. Rice, 56, Montrose, Colorado, died when he was struck by a vehicle on U.S. 24, west of Keytesville, in Chariton County. Rice was riding a bicycle west on U.S. 24 when he was struck. Rice was not wearing a helmet. He was pronounced dead at Moberly Regional Medical Center by Dr. Lammert. The driver of the vehicle was not injured. An occupant of the vehicle sustained minor injuries. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Chariton County Sheriff’s Office.

Darrell J. Williams, 35, St. Louis, Missouri, died when the front of the vehicle he was driving was struck by a southbound vehicle that crossed the center of the road. The crash occurred on Bellefontaine Road, South of Quiet Lane, in St. Louis County. Williams was pronounced dead at Barnes Jewish Hospital by Dr. Montes. It is unknown if he was wearing a seatbelt. The driver of the other vehicle sustained serious injuries. It is unknown if he was wearing a seatbelt. 

There were no traffic fatalities reported on Saturday, July 6.

One person died in a traffic crash on Sunday, July 7. Joseph R. Bialczyk, 20, Belle, Missouri, died when the vehicle he was operating failed to negotiate a curve, began to skid, ran off the left side of the roadway, and overturned. The crash occurred on Missouri Highway 42, three miles off Missouri Highway 28, in Maries County. Bialczyk was not wearing a seat belt. Maries County Deputy Coroner Sandbothe pronounced Bialczyk deceased at the scene. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Maries County Sheriff’s Office.

By comparison, during the 2023 counting period, 15 people were killed and 646 injured in Missouri over the holiday in 1,505 traffic crashes. Last year during the counting period, troopers arrested 125 people for driving while intoxicated.