A St. Louis man was arrested on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine and two women, including one from Imperial, were hurt in a two-vehicle traffic accident Friday morning (Sept. 27) on I-55 between Pevely and Barnhart.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that the 36-year-old St. Louis man was driving a 2019 Ford F350 south on I-55 at the 188.4 mile marker at 9:37 a.m. when he drove off the right side of the road and onto the I-55 West Outer Road, where he ran into the front of a northbound 2014 Mercedes Benz ML350 driven by Rena Mooney, 60, of Imperial.
Mooney sustained moderate injuries and a passenger in the Ford pickup, Ashley Schrum, 26, of St. Louis was seriously hurt. Both were taken by Rock Township Ambulance to Mercy Hospital South in south St. Louis County, the report said.
Updates on their conditions were not available.
The pickup driver was not reportedly injured, but he was arrested by Highway Patrol officers on suspicion of felony possession of a controlled substance; according to the report, he had 8 grams of methamphetamine.
He will not be named unless he is charged with a crime by the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
All involved in the accident were wearing seat belts, the report said. Both vehicles were totaled.