More than 100,000 without power in Missouri, with second ice storm expected

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- More than 100,000 customers remained without power Monday morning after an ice storm swept through much of Missouri, and forecasters predicted another bout of freezing rain that could be even more severe.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said a motorist was killed Sunday evening after he got out of his vehicle to check on a previous accident on U.S. 63 north of Jefferson City and was struck by another vehicle that skidded on an ice-covered bridge. The patrol on Monday identified the deceased man as Neilson Rudd, 22, of the St. Louis suburb of Wildwood.

Gov. Matt Blunt declared a state of emergency Sunday and activated state emergency operations and the Missouri National Guard to aid communities affected by a storm.

Conditions were expected to become worse Monday as freezing rain over southern Missouri spreads north, according to the National Weather Service. The storm is expected to last through Monday night and possibly into Tuesday morning.

The brunt of Monday's power outages were in southwest and central Missouri, according to Susie Stonner, spokeswoman for the State Emergency Management Center.

Empire District Electric in southwest Missouri said 46,600 customers were without power, including 39,000 in the Joplin area and nearby Webb City.

St. Louis-based AmerenUE reported 30,000 without power, including 20,000 in the Jefferson city and Eldon areas.

Electric co-ops reported another 27,000 customers without power scattered around the state.

"There are trees and power lines down all over the county," said Rich Nordell from the combined Jasper County and Joplin emergency management office.

Ice on smaller roads and streets continued to cause problems, although major highways were mostly clear, he said.

The Cedar County towns of Stockton, Caplinger Mills and Jerico Springs in west-central Missouri also were without power.

Susie Stonner with the State Emergency Management Agency said Missouri was hit by two storm systems this weekend that dropped sleet and freezing rain.

One storm moved east across the state from Kansas City; a second one traveled northeast from Springfield up the Interstate 44 corridor.

Communities reported ice as much as three-quarters of an inch thick, said National Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Sipprell

A Lamar man was injured when a tree fell on him. A portion of Interstate 70 in Montgomery County was closed when a large power line fell across the highway. A nursing home in the county was without power, and its generator was not working.

Numerous churches and other places of worship canceled services.

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Associated Press writer David Lieb in Jefferson City contributed to this report.