MSHP reports five fatalities over Christmas

The Missouri Highway Patrol reported five people died in traffic crashes over the Christmas holiday counting period from 6 p.m. Dec. 22 to 11:59 p.m. Monday.

The patrol investigated 491 traffic crashes, which included 125 injuries and four of the five fatalities. Officers from the Springfield Police Department investigated one of the fatalities. Troopers also arrested 91 people for driving while impaired and made 49 drug arrests over the Christmas holiday.

During last year's Christmas holiday counting period, the patrol investigated 260 traffic crashes, which included 86 injuries and five fatalities. In addition, troopers arrested 68 people for driving while impaired and made 40 drug arrests over the 2016 Christmas holiday.

Two of the fatalities occurred in each of the Troop A, Lee's Summit, and Troop D, Springfield, areas; and one fatality occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring, area.

Three fatalities occurred as a result of traffic crashes Dec. 23. Teagan E. Birdno, 19, and Matthew D. Landi, 21, both of Carrollton, died when the vehicle in which they were passengers ran off the road, struck an embankment and a tree, and then overturned. The crash occurred in Carroll County on Route CC east of County Road 261. Neither were wearing seat belts and they were both ejected from the vehicle. Caroll County Coroner Jeff Cohler pronounced both subjects dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle and a third passenger sustained serious and minor injuries, respectively. Neither were wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

Charles Terbrock, 85, of Foristell, died when the vehicle he was driving slid on the icy roadway of a bridge, struck the concrete bridge rail (passenger side of vehicle), returned to the road before striking the guardrail (passenger side) on the opposite side of the roadway, then overturned onto its passenger side. The crash occurred in Lincoln County on U.S. 61 northbound, north of the Lincoln County and St. Charles County line. Terbrock was not wearing a seat belt. Emergency personnel pronounced Terbrock dead at the scene.

Two fatalities occurred as a result of traffic crashes Dec. 24. Steven A. Mayer, 26, of Fair Grove, died after he was struck by a vehicle. Mayer was a pedestrian at the time of the crash, which occurred in Greene County at the intersection of Kansas Expressway and Mount Vernon in Springfield. The driver of the vehicle was not injured in the crash. The Springfield Police Department investigated the crash.

Christopher M. Loch, 38, of Springfield, died after the vehicle he was driving, which had been in a traffic crash and was disabled, was struck by another vehicle. The crash occurred in Lawrence County on Interstate 44 west of Mount Vernon. Loch was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Lawrence County Deputy Coroner Larry Eden pronounced Loch dead at the scene.