One man was killed and three others seriously injured Saturday in a head-on crash on Highway 65 near Manila Road.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, at 8:06 p.m.. a white 2006 Ford Taurus, driving southbound on Highway 65, crossed the median and struck a 2009 Honda Pilot traveling northbound head on, killing the driver the Taurus and seriously injuring its passenger. The driver of the Honda sustained moderate injuries and a female passenger sustained serious injuries.
Donald W. Egelson, 63, of Lincoln, the driver of the Taurus was killed and his passenger, Elizabeth F. Hayes, 52, of Marshall was seriously injured and life flighted to University Hospital in Columbia. The driver of the Honda Pilot, Stephen Kucynda, 69, of Sedalia sustained moderate injuries and was transported to Bothwell Community Medical Center by ambulance and passenger Rhonda E. Kucynda, 69, also of Sedalia, was seriously injured and life flighted to Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence. The status of the injured victims was unavailable Sunday.
The wreck shutdown both lanes of northbound Highway 65 near Manila Road for several hours while rescue crews attended to the victims, investigated and cleared the scene. At least a dozen law enforcement vehicles from the MSHP and Pettis County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and at least two engines from the Pettis County Fire Department responded. Fire rescue personnel used the jaws of life to extricate the victims from both vehicles.
The crash is still under investigation by the MSHP and it was unknown Sunday why the driver of the Taurus crossed the highway median.