A one-vehicle crash Monday night in Stoddard County injured five people and resulted in several alleged violations against the vehicle's driver.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol report said Dawson Duckworth, 19, of Dexter, Missouri, was northbound on County Road 249 near its intersection with Route PP when the 2018 GMC Sierra he was driving left the right side of the roadway, struck a tree and came to rest in the roadway.
He and four passengers -- none of whom were wearing a safety device, according to the report -- sustained injuries. Four of the vehicle's occupants -- Duckworth; Kailee Powell, 18, of Dexter; Bryce Johnson, 20, of Dexter; and Stephany Kelley, 20, of Ellsinore, Missouri -- sustained "moderate" injuries, while the report said Nerissa Gurley, 20, of Portageville, Missouri, sustained serious injuries.
Bryce was taken to a Poplar Bluff, Missouri, hospital, while the others were taken to a Cape Girardeau hospital, with Gurley being airlifted to the hospital.
Duckworth was arrested for alleged felony driving while intoxicated, failure to wear a seat belt and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway. He was released for medical treatment.
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.