A 20-year-old Festus man was arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated following a two-vehicle accident on Wednesday morning (Aug. 18) on Hwy. 67 north of Hwy. CC in the Festus area, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported.
At 5:53 a.m., the man was driving a 2001 Dodge 1500 north on Hwy. 67 and reportedly fell asleep before losing control of the pickup, which struck a guardrail and began sliding before traveling into the northbound lanes, where the front of the pickup struck the right rear side of a northbound 2020 Ford transit van. After that, the pickup ran off the left side of the road and struck a concrete median, the report said.
Mark A. Tesson, 51, of Fredericktown was driving the transit van. No injuries were reported for him.
However, the Festus man was moderately injured and taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Crystal City, where he was treated and released, a hospital spokesman said.
The Festus man was not wearing a seat belt, and Tesson was wearing one, the patrol reported.
The pickup was totaled, and the van had minor damage, the report said.
The highway patrol arrested the Festus man at 6:25 a.m. at the hospital for DWI.
His name will not be published unless charges are filed, and as of this afternoon (Aug. 20), none had been filed.