It looks like wet conditions during the afternoon rush hour on Wednesday (Sept. 19) contributed to a chain-reaction wreck involving 20 vehicles on southbound I-55 north of Imperial Main Street, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported.
Traffic in the area was snarled for hours following the pileup.
Five people sustained minor injuries in the wreck, the report said.
Everyone in the 20 vehicles was wearing a seat belt, according to the report.
The accident happened at 3:05 p.m. when Mark C. Halbrook, 40, of Festus, driving a 2005 Honda Accord, “lost control of his vehicle on the wet pavement and caused a multi-chain vehicle crash,” the report said.
The Accord was totaled, the patrol reported.
Others involved in the accident included:
■ Francis P. Pounds, 62, Festus, driving a 1998 GMC Savana van (minor damage).
■ William J. Wilmering, 36, Imperial, 2015 Ford F-550 truck (minor damage).
■ Keenan T. Johnson, 20, Park Hills, 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo car (totaled).
■ Gary L. Ridings, 59, Kimmswick, 1999 Chevrolet Silverado truck (minor damage).
■ Anthony Thompson, 56, Kevil, Ky., 2018 International LT truck (extensive damage).
■ Allan Byers, 50, Bismarck, 2015 Ford Fusion car (moderate damage).
■ Tommie Williams, 37, Bonne Terre, 2004 GMC Sierra truck (moderate damage).
■ Dalton K. Umbdenstock, 22, De Soto, 2014 Chevrolet Cruze car (moderate damage).
■ Ella Brown, 68, Festus, 2010 Ford Explorer SUV (moderate damage).
■ Ashley Hanewinkel, 29, Arnold, 2010 Dodge Avenger car (moderate damage).
■ Lisa G. Ramey, 55, Festus, 2010 Ford Fusion car (minor damage).
■ Jennifer Zoellner, 44, Frohna, 2017 Ford Escape crossover (extensive damage).
■ Laura E. McAtee, 54, Festus, 2012 Toyota Corolla car (totaled).
■ Gary E. Sloan, 61, Festus, 2007 Ford Ranger truck (moderate damage).
■ Davor Jagar, 32, Festus, 2016 Dodge Ram truck (minor damage).
■ David A. Follmer, 53, Pevely, 2014 Chevrolet Cruze car (moderate damage).
■ Cheryl L. McKnight, 54, Festus, 2016 Ford F-150 truck (moderate damage).
■ Ryan P. Jones, 24, Pevely, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu car (minor damage).
■ Bobby Kirkpatrick, 37, Pevely, 2005 Chrysler Pacifica (minor damage).
Byers, Williams and Umbdenstock were taken by Rock Township Ambulance to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County, where they were treated and released, a hospital spokesman said.
McAtee and a passenger in her car, Pamela M. Harmon, 65, Crystal City, were taken by Rock Township Ambulance to Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Crystal City.
No information about their conditions was available today (Sept. 21).
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office worked two other accidents in the Arnold area linked to the original accident near Imperial Main Street. A Sheriff’s Office spokesman said the reports on those accidents had not been completed as of today.