The Missouri State Highway Patrol has identified the two people who died from injuries they sustained in head-on collision that happened at 12:23 p.m. today (March 25) on Hwy. 21 between the Hwy. 141 and Shady Valley exits in the Imperial area.
James R. Sybert, 25, of De Soto and Mary E. Burke, 82, of St. Louis were the victims, the report said.
Burke was driving a 2000 Toyota Camry the wrong way, headed north in the southbound lanes, on Hwy. 21 and struck Sybert’s southbound pickup head-on, the report said.
After the collision, the car caught fire, and the pickup, a 1994 GMC Sonoma, ran off the left side of the road, according to the report.
Burke was ejected from the car and died at the scene, said Sgt. Al Nothum of the Highway Patrol.
Sybert was transported to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County, where he was pronounced dead at 1:13 p.m., the report said.
“It was a pretty horrific collision,” Nothum said.
He said troopers suspect the woman got on the highway, headed the wrong way, at Hwy. M, which, if true, means she had driven four miles before the collision.
“We haven’t confirmed that,” Nothum said.
It’s possible the woman got on Hwy. 21 at the Shady Valley exit, which is 1.2 miles away from where the collision occurred, Nothum added.
Burke was not wearing a seat belt and Sybert was wearing one, the report said.
Nothum said Hwy. 21 was shut down after the accident and traffic was diverted to Old Hwy. 21.