Herbert L. Bruce Jr., 57, of Byrnes Mill died Thursday afternoon (Aug. 16) from injuries he sustained in a one-vehicle accident on Hwy. 185 at Black Road in Washington County. In addition, three Potosi residents were hurt in the accident, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported.
At about 3:45 p.m., Katherine L. Daegele, 35, of Potosi was driving a northbound 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer and she came to the crest of a hill and found several vehicles stopped ahead. So, she applied the brakes and swerved to the left in an attempt to avoid an accident, and the SUV ran off the left side of the road and overturned, ejecting Bruce, who was a passenger in the vehicle, the report said.
Daegele was seriously hurt, and two other passengers in the TrailBlazer – Wyatt D. Valentine, 15, and Bailee R. Valentine, 10, both of Potosi – were hurt. Wyatt Valentine was moderately injured, and Bailee Valentine had minor injuries, according to the report.
Bruce was taken by Washington County Ambulance to Washington County Memorial Hospital in Potosi, where he was pronounced dead at 4:39 p.m., the report said.
Daegele and the Valentines were taken by Washington County Ambulance to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in south St. Louis County, where all three were treated and released, a hospital spokesman said today (Aug. 17).
Bruce was not wearing a seat belt, while Daegele and the Valentines were wearing them, the patrol reported.
The TrailBlazer was totaled, the report said.