A 40-year-old Arnold man was arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated following a two-vehicle accident on Wednesday night (Dec. 8) on I-55 south of Imperial Main Street that left three people injured, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported.
While the man’s vehicle was disabled in the traffic lane from that crash, it was involved in a second accident that left him injured, the patrol reported.
At 9:50 p.m., the man, in a northbound 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, reportedly was speeding along the interstate and struck the rear of a northbound 2005 Ford F550 heavy-duty truck driven by Scott R. Niemetz, 43, of Arnold. After that collision, the Cruze began to slide, finally coming to rest facing west on the interstate, the report said.
Then, a second accident occurred at 9:51 p.m., when Kristopher R. Shelton, 43, of Jackson, Miss., was driving a 2011 Ford F150 north on the interstate, and the front of the pickup struck the front driver’s side of the Cruze.
No injuries were reported for Niemetz or Shelton.
However, three passengers in the Cruze – Brenden J. Gaines, 24, of House Springs, J. Minor Jones, 24, of House Springs and Ronald J. Stage, 25, of Fenton – were moderately injured in the first accident and taken by Rock Township Ambulance to Mercy Hospital South in south St. Louis County, where they were treated and released, a hospital spokesman said.
The driver of the Cruze was moderately injured in the second accident and taken by Rock Township Ambulance to Mercy Hospital South, where he was treated and released, the spokesman said.
The driver of the Cruze and Jones were not wearing seat belts, but Niemetz, Gaines, Stage and Shelton were wearing them, the patrol reported.
The Cruze was totaled, and the heavy-duty truck and pickup were moderately damaged, the report said.
The highway patrol arrested the driver of the Cruze at 11:19 p.m. at the hospital for allegedly driving while intoxicated, causing injury to three people, the report said.
His name will not be released unless charges are filed against him, and as of this morning (Dec. 10), none had been filed.