Personal Injury Law

Two-car crash in Southern Missouri kills one

By Ryan Bradley, Esq.

Hallie Johnson, 30, was killed Friday when the 1987 Ford Thunderbird she was riding in was hit by another car on Highway 60 in Shannon County, Missouri.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred as John Johnson, 44, who was driving the Thunderbird, was preparing to make a turn onto Sunset Street from Highway 60. A 2006 Ford 500, driven by Sally Adams, 36, was approaching from behind. Adams attempted to pass some other traffic and struck the Thunderbird sending it spinning out into the grass. Hallie Johnson was thrown from the car.

Hallie Johnson was flown to Ozarks Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. John Johnson was also flown to Ozarks Medical Center with serious injuries. Adams did not sustain any serious injuries according to the initial crash report.

Neither Hallie nor John were wearing a seatbelt.

There are at least a couple things to learn from this tragic Missouri car crash. First, always wear a seat belt. There?s no way to know whether Hallie Johnson would have survived had she been wearing a seat belt, but her chances would?ve improved dramatically. Second, use extreme caution when passing on rural highways and roads. It?s perfectly legal to pass slower traffic on two-lane roadways, but only on stretches of road where it is safe to do so. Do not attempt to pass unless you can clearly see the road ahead of you. If are negligent in passing another vehicle and cause an accident, you and your insurance will probably be responsible for paying damages should a personal injury lawsuit arise from the crash.

Full post as published by Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog on June 12, 2009 (boomark / email).