Missouri State Highway Patrol Reports 14 Traffic Fatalities over Fourth of July Counting Period

With the 2017 July Fourth counting period behind us, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reports 14 people died in traffic crashes, no one died in a boating crash, and zero drownings.

The counting period began at 6 p.m., Friday, June 30, and ended at 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, July 4. According to the MSHP, there were 494 crashes with 186 injuries and 14 fatatlities. 172 DWI's were recorded along with 118 drug arrests.

On the water across the state, four injuries were the result from seven different crashes. There were zero fatalities and drownings during the counting period. 23 individuals received BWI's and there were 33 drug arrests.

Locally, a Versailles man died when the UTV he was operating crossed the center line, traveled off the left side of the roadway, struck a bridge support, and slid down an embankment. Martin E. Callaghan, 57, was ejected from the UTV. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

In 2016, five people were killed and 565 injured in Missouri over the holiday in 1,370 traffic crashes.