St. Louis Post-Dispatch movie critic dies in one-car accident

ST. LOUIS -- The longtime movie critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has died in a one-car accident.

Joe Williams died Sunday night in Jefferson County, south of St. Louis.

Williams, 56, was a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. He had been at the Post-Dispatch since 1997 and had been film critic since 2000.

"Joe had a love of movies that was infectious," said Jody Mitori, assistant managing editor for features. "He loved to watch them, talk about them and share his opinions about them. Readers -- and his editors -- looked forward to seeing what Joe thought of the latest releases and how he would write about the films he loved and the ones he didn't. He was a gifted writer with a sharp wit and a generous spirit."

Williams, of Brentwood, Missouri, was driving south on U.S. 67 when he veered too far to the left, overcorrected and drove into a ditch on the right side of the highway, police said. His car came to a rest on its roof. The crash remains under investigation.

Williams' mother, Marie Williams, said she believes her son was on his way to the Starlite Drive-In Theater in Cadet, Missouri.

"He was the son I always wanted," she said. "I was so proud of him."