Two Jefferson County men were hurt Wednesday night (Feb. 6) in a one-vehicle accident on Hwy. 21 in the Shady Valley area. Both the men were arrested following the accident, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported.
At 9:02 p.m., a 34-year-old Imperial man was driving a northbound 2005 Ford F-250 south of the Shady Valley exit, and the pickup ran off the left side of the road, struck several trees in the median and overturned, the report said.
The driver was seriously injured, and a passenger in the pickup – a 31-year-old Festus man – was moderately hurt. Both were taken by Rock Township Ambulance to Mercy Hospital South in south St. Louis County, where the driver was listed in satisfactory condition and the passenger was treated and released, a hospital spokesman said today (Feb. 7).
The driver was not wearing a seat belt, and the passenger was wearing one, the patrol reported.
The pickup was totaled, the report said.
The highway patrol will seek charges against the driver for first-degree tampering, and it will seek charges against the passenger for second-degree tampering and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the report.
The passenger already was wanted on outstanding warrants from Jefferson County for a probation violation stemming from a drug charge and from Crystal City for possession of drug paraphernalia.
While the driver was still hospitalized this afternoon, the passenger was being held in the Jefferson County Jail.