(Missourinet) – Missouri state troopers will be visible on the road during the New Year’s holiday weekend.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain John Hotz says the five-day holiday fatality counting period begins Friday evening at 6 and ends at 11:59 on New Year’s night, which is Tuesday.

“We’ll have heavier than normal numbers of troopers out there looking for people who may be both exceeding the speed limit, driving impaired, driving inattentively,” Hotz says.

Troopers will also be assisting motorists.

Captain Hotz urges you to obey the speed limit, wear your seat belt and plan ahead if you drink alcohol.

He says nine people died and another 291 were injured in 845 traffic crashes during Missouri’s 2018 New Year’s holiday counting period.

“That’s a tremendous amount of people that are being killed out there on Missouri highways,” says Hotz. “We want to see that number go down. We’re committed to doing everything we can enforcement-wise, but also through education.”

Troopers say one person was killed or injured every 15 minutes in Missouri traffic crashes, during the 2018 New Year’s holiday counting period.

Hotz wants motorists to designate a sober driver or to take a taxi, if they decide to drink alcohol.

“We’re also encouraging people again to, if alcohol is going to be part of your celebration, to make those decisions in advance before anybody starts drinking as far as how you’re going to get home safely,” Hotz says.

He says the roadway is no place for a driver who’s been drinking.

When it’s time to take the Christmas decorations down, the City of St. Joseph will be accepting used live Christmas trees for disposal.

According to the St. Joseph Parks Dept., used, undecorated Christmas trees can be dropped off at the Drake Field parking lot at South 22nd and Commercial St.

The city asks that all decorations, including tinsel, be taken off the tree.

Trees can be dropped off anytime until January 21st.

City staff will be using the trees for mulch.

Nine people died in traffic crashes during the 2018 Christmas holiday weekend.

Last year, there were seven fatalities. The 2018 Christmas counting period ran from 6 p.m., Friday, December 21, 2018, through 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, December 25, 2018. The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the following:

2018 Christmas Holiday Traffic Statistics

Crashes ― 294

Injuries ― 80

Fatalities ― 6

DWI ― 106

The remaining three fatalities are the result of a two-vehicle traffic crash in Blue Springs, MO. The Blue Springs Police Department is investigating.

[Note: During the 2017 Christmas counting period, the Patrol investigated 491 traffic crashes, which included 125 injuries and five of the seven fatalities. Troopers also arrested 92 people for driving while impaired over last year’s Christmas holiday. There were no boating crashes. No one drowned over the 2017 Christmas counting period.]

Three fatalities occurred in the Troop A, Lee’s Summit, area; two of the fatalities occurred in each of the Troop C, Weldon Spring, and Troop H, St. Joseph, areas; and one fatality occurred in each of the Troop D, Springfield, and Troop I, Rolla, areas.

One traffic crash fatality occurred on Friday, December 21, 2018. Brett L. Bruenn, 17, of La Russell, MO, died when the driver of the vehicle in which he was a passenger went off the left side of the roadway and overturned. Bruenn was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected in the crash. The crash occurred in Jasper County on Missouri Route U north of Sarcoxie, MO. The driver of the vehicle was wearing a seat belt and was not injured. A second passenger was wearing a seat belt and sustained minor injuries in the crash. Jasper County Deputy Coroner Mike Woodward pronounced Bruenn dead at the scene.

Five people died in traffic crashes on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Correna S. Masters, 57, of Kearney, MO, died when the vehicle in which she was a passenger traveled off the east side of the roadway, drove down an embankment, and crashed into the north bank of Shoal Creek. The vehicle came to rest on its wheels in the creek. Masters was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The driver was not wearing a seat belt and sustained serious injuries. The crash occurred in Clinton County on Interstate 35 northbound at the 48.8-mile marker south of Cameron, MO. Clinton County Coroner Lee Hanks pronounced Masters dead at the scene of the crash. Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and Cameron Fire and Rescue personnel also responded to the scene.

Preston T. Strittmatter, 44, of Villa Ridge, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving failed to negotiate an approaching curve and crossed the center of the roadway. The right side of Strittmatter’s vehicle struck the front of a second vehicle. Strittmatter was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The driver of the second vehicle and two passengers were all wearing their seat belts; all sustained minor injuries. The crash occurred in Franklin County on St. Louis Rock Road east of Lakeshore Drive. Dr. Scarato pronounced Strittmatter deceased at Mercy Hospital in Washington, MO.

The remaining three fatalities occurred as the result of a two-vehicle crash in the Blue Springs, MO, area. The crash is being investigated by the Blue Springs Police Department. The Patrol’s Major Crash Investigation Team 1 is assisting.

One person died in a traffic crash on Sunday, December 23, 2018. Thomas L. San Roman, 70, of Lenox, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. Roman was not wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Dent County on Missouri Highway H west of Salem, MO. Dent County Coroner Gina White pronounced Roman dead at the scene.

Two people died in traffic crashes on Monday, December 24, 2018. Edward R. Gault, 80, of Kansas City, KS, died when the vehicle he was driving crested a hill at a high rate of speed, became airborne, then traveled off the north side of the roadway. The vehicle continued down a ditch, struck and embankment, became airborne a second time, then overturned onto its top off the north side of Missouri Highway 190. Gault was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash. A passenger in Gault’s vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he sustained serious injuries. The crash occurred in Livingston County on Missouri Highway 190 west of Chillicothe, MO. Livingston Coroner Scott Lindley pronounced Gault dead at the scene. Livingston County Sheriff’s Department personnel also responded to the scene.

Lee E. Schickendanz, 44, of Colorado Springs, CO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the left side of the roadway, traveled down an embankment, overturned, and caught fire. It is unknown whether Schickendanz was wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Franklin County on Missouri Route VV near Missouri Highway 100. Dr. Falch pronounced Schickendanz deceased at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, MO.

There were no fatality crashes on Christmas Day, December 25, 2018.

 

– MSHP News Release –

A Kansas City, Kansas, man died in a crash Monday afternoon in Livingston County.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, shortly after 2:30 p.m., 80-year-old Edward R. Gault was driving a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette west on MO 190 about eight miles west of Chillicothe. The vehicle crested a hill at a high rate of speed, became airborne and went off the north side of the road. The vehicle then went down a ditch, hit an embankment, became airborne again and overturned onto its top.

Gault was pronounced deceased at the scene at 3:45 p.m.

A 15-year-old passenger in the vehicle, was life-flighted to Truman Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries.

According to the crash report, both were wearing seatbelts.

The 24th Annual Eagle Days at Smithville Lake will offer visitors a chance to see wild eagles on the wing and rehabilitated captive raptors.

Eagle Days is hosted by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Clay County Parks and Recreation, and private conservation groups.

According to an MDC press release, Eagle Days takes place Jan. 5-6 at the Paradise Pointe Golf Course Clubhouse, 18212 Golf Course Drive, in the Little Platte Park at Smithville.

Outdoor eagle viewing and indoor activities at the clubhouse will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6, and from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 7. Featured indoors at the clubhouse will be live birds, talks about raptors, and nature displays. Presentations will be made by Operation Wildlife, the Friends of the Lakeside Nature Center, the Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary of Liberty, Wings of Love, Clay County Parks, and Missouri Master Naturalists. Presenters often display captive birds rehabilitated from injuries, from owls big and small to raptors such as turkey vultures.

Outdoors, spotting scopes will be set up at locations where migrating eagles are feeding or resting at the lake. The location will be chosen the morning of the event. Weather dictates where eagles and waterfowl visit the lake. Eagles also feed on fish, including at the spillway below the dam. Event organizers at the clubhouse will direct visitors to the best outdoor eagle viewing areas, and signs may be posted as well. Bitter cold and a hard freeze up of the lake can send eagles and waterfowl on south. But most years, visitors get to see eagles at the lake.

Attendees are encouraged to bring cameras, binoculars, spotting scopes, and warm clothes. Refreshments will be on sale at the clubhouse. For information about Smithville Lake Eagle Days, call 816-532-0174.

For information about viewing bald eagles at other locations and at MDC events, click here.