A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper and a De Soto man were seriously injured Tuesday afternoon (March 17) in a two-vehicle accident at Hwy. A and Old Hwy. 21 north of Hillsboro, said Cpl. Juston Wheetley of the highway patrol.
At 2:20 p.m., the trooper – Seth M. Kmetz, 25, of Weldon Spring – was responding to an accident and was headed west on Hwy. A in a 2019 Dodge Charger patrol car with its lights and siren activated, nearing the intersection, Wheetley reported.
At the same time, Paul W. Conaway, 52, of De Soto was driving a 2004 Toyota Tundra north on Old Hwy. 21, approaching the intersection. The patrol car and pickup entered the intersection at the same time, and the front left side of the patrol car hit the front right side of the pickup, the patrol reported.
After the collision, the patrol car and pickup ran off the northwest side of the road, and the pickup overturned, according to the report.
Kmetz and Conaway were transported by Valle Ambulance to Mercy Hospital South in south St. Louis County, where Kmetz was treated and released, and Conaway was listed in satisfactory condition today (March 20), a hospital spokesman said.
Wheetley said Kmetz has worked for the patrol for about a year.
Both drivers were wearing seat belts, and both vehicles were totaled, the report said.
Wheetley said the patrol was still investigating the accident today.