In two moments of violent collisions, five lives were ended this past weekend. Two of those killed were teenagers and one was just 20 years old in the car accidents north of Joplin.
Two University of Central Missouri students died in a three-vehicle accident this past Saturday afternoon. A 49-year-old man was also killed in that incident, law enforcement officials said.
The fatal crashes were in the Clinton, Missouri, area about 130 miles northeast of Joplin.
The crash that killed the two students began when their vehicle crossed the center line of Missouri 13 as they headed north. Their vehicle sideswiped one southbound vehicle and then hit another head-on, according to reports.
Their vehicle then tumbled down an embankment.
The 49-year-old was the driver of the vehicle hit head-on.
The three victims were all pronounced dead at the scene of the horrific crash.
The driver of the sideswiped vehicle was not injured.
Law enforcement officials say they do not yet know why the college students’ vehicle crossed the center line.
That same night, an accident not far away took two more lives. This time a 17-year-old boy and a 53-year-old man were killed.
It was not clear from the news report which of the two was driving the vehicle that police say failed to stop at an intersection. Their car was hit so hard by an oncoming vehicle that it ended up in a ditch upside-down, police said.
Officials did not give a reason for this crash either.
In some cases, weather contributes to car accidents. People drive too fast for conditions and lose control of their vehicles. In other cases, factors such as impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding and the like are involved.
Victims’ families should discuss all their legal options with an attorney experienced in wrongful death litigation
