Two teens died Monday (Jan. 8) after they got out of their stalled SUV along Hwy. A and an approaching Jeep crashed into the stalled vehicle, a 2002 Land Rover Discovery, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported.
The accident happened at 5:55 p.m. east of Old Hwy. 21 just outside of Hillsboro where Genevieve A. Brown, 19, of Festus, who had been driving the westbound Discovery before it stalled, was standing outside of it, as was a passenger in the vehicle – Warsha L. Kumar, 18, of Yakima, Wash.
As the two teens stood near the SUV, which was partially blocking the lane, a westbound 2015 Jeep Cherokee driven by Jackie R. Schneider, 84, of Festus struck the right rear of the Discovery, which then struck both Brown and Kumar, the report said.
Two other vehicles – a 2011 GMC Terrain and a 2004 Infiniti G35 – were stopped on the right shoulder of westbound Hwy. A ahead of the Discovery, and the Cherokee continued forward and struck the front of the Terrain and then the rear of the Infiniti.
Michael A. Maas, 40, of Barnhart was driving the Terrain, and Jeremiah R. Brown, 21, of Jonesboro, Ark., was driving the Infiniti, but both were outside their vehicles when the accident ocurred, the report said.
Cpl. Juston Wheetley of the highway patrol said authorities believe those two men stopped to help the teens in the stalled vehicle. No injuries were reported for Maas and Brown.
Schneider and a passenger in the Cherokee – John C. Battle, 91, of Festus – were moderately injured in the wreck and taken by Valle Ambulance to Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Crystal City, the report said.
Schneider was transferred to Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur, where he was listed in satisfactory condition Tuesday (Jan. 9).
Battle was treated and released at Mercy Jefferson, a hospital spokesman said.
Brown was pronounced dead at the scene, and Kumar was transported by Joachim-Plattin Ambulance to Mercy Hospital St. Louis, where she was pronounced dead at 8:50 p.m., according to the report.
Schneider, Maas, Brown and Battle were wearing seat belts, the patrol reported.
The Discovery and Cherokee were totaled, and the Terrain and Infiniti were moderately damaged, the patrol reported.