A Valles Mines woman was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated after she was hurt in a three-vehicle accident Saturday evening (April 9) on I-70 west of Hwy. 141 in Earth City in northwest St. Louis County and another woman and a 3-year-old boy were seriously injured.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that Matthew Morrison, 31, of St. Louis was driving a 2012 Ford Taurus east on I-70 at 10:35 p.m. and had slowed due to congestion ahead. His car was struck from behind by a 2017 Jeep Patriot driven by the 26-year-old Valles Mines woman, and the impact caused the Taurus to hit a 2020 Hyundai Elantra driven by Brooke Ingram, 24, of Florissant, and then the median barrier. The Hyundai went off the right side of the road, the report said.
The Valles Mines woman sustained minor injuries and she was taken by Pattonville EMS to SSM Health DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, the report said.
She was arrested by the Highway Patrol on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and causing serious physical injury, the report said.
She will not be named unless she is charged with a crime by the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Two passengers in the Taurus, Natasha Thomas, 25, of Florissant, and a 3-year-old boy, also of Florissant, were seriously injured. Thomas was taken to Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur by Pattonville EMS, which also took the boy to a children’s hospital.
Updates on their conditions were not available.
The Valles Mines woman was wearing a seatbelt, the report said, but Thomas was not and the boy was not in a safety seat, the report said. The Hyundai had minor damage, the Jeep moderate damage and the Taurus was totaled, according to the report.
The Highway Patrol does not release the names of juveniles who are involved in accidents.