The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports five people died in traffic crashes over the Christmas holiday counting period from 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22 to 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 25.

The Patrol investigated 491 traffic crashes, which included 125 injuries and four of the five fatalities. Officers from the Springfield Police Department investigated one of the fatalities. Troopers also arrested 91 people for driving while impaired and made 49 drug arrests over the Christmas holiday. There were no boating crashes. No one drowned over the 2017 Christmas counting period.

During last year’s Christmas holiday counting period, the Patrol investigated 260 traffic crashes, which included 86 injuries and five fatalities. In addition, troopers arrested 68 people for driving while impaired and made 40 drug arrests over the 2016 Christmas holiday. (During the 2016 Christmas holiday counting period, there were 885 traffic crashes statewide, which included five fatalities and 314 injuries.) There were no boating crashes or drownings over the 2016 counting period.

Two of the fatalities occurred in each of the Troop A, Lee's Summit, and Troop D, Springfield, areas; and one fatality occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring, area.

No fatalities occurred as a result of traffic crashes on Friday, December 22, 2017.

Three fatalities occurred as a result of traffic crashes on Saturday, December 23, 2017. Teagan E. Birdno, 19, of Carrollton, MO, and Matthew D. Landi, 21, of Carrollton, MO, both died when the vehicle in which they were passengers ran off the roadway, struck an embankment, struck a tree, and then overturned. The crash occurred in Carroll County on Missouri Highway CC east of County Road 261. Neither Birdno nor Landi were wearing seat belts; they were both ejected from the vehicle. Caroll County Coroner Jeff Cohler pronounced both subjects deceased at the scene. The driver of the vehicle and a third passenger sustained serious and minor injuries, respectively. Neither were wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

Charles Terbrock, 85, of Foristell, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving slid on the icy roadway of a bridge, struck the concrete bridge rail (passenger side of vehicle), returned to the roadway before striking the guardrail (passenger side) on the opposite side of the roadway, then overturned onto its passenger side. The crash occurred in Lincoln County on U.S. Highway 61 northbound, north of the Lincoln County and St. Charles County line. Terbrock was not wearing a seat belt. Emergency personnel pronounced Terbrock dead at the scene of the crash.

Two fatalities occurred as a result of traffic crashes on December 24, 2017. Steven A. Mayer, 26, of Fair Grove, MO, died after he was struck by a vehicle. Mayer was a pedestrian at the time of the crash, which occurred in Greene County at the intersection of Kansas Expressway and Mount Vernon in Springfield, MO. The driver of the vehicle was not injured in the crash. The Springfield Police Department investigated the crash.

Christopher M. Loch, 38, of Springfield, MO, died after the vehicle he was driving, which had been in a traffic crash and was disabled, was struck by another vehicle. The crash occurred in Lawrence County on Interstate 44 west of Mount Vernon, MO. Loch was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash. Lawrence County Deputy Coroner Larry Eden pronounced Loch dead at the scene of the crash.

No fatalities occurred as a result of a traffic crash on Dec. 25, 2017.

A close-up photo of Emergency lights at night
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