A Labadie woman lost consciousness Tuesday morning (Feb. 26), and the car she was driving ran off I-44 and hit two vehicles in the commuter parking lot on Hwy. 66 in Eureka. People were asleep inside each of the vehicles struck on the commuter lot, authorities reported.
Just before 9 a.m., Toni Templeton, 32, of Labadie was driving a 2007 Dodge Caliber east on I-44 when she passed out and the car ran off the right side of the interstate, went airborne over the grass embankment and crashed into a chain link fence before hitting the two parked vehicles in the commuter lot, Eureka Police Capt. David Wilson said.
Eureka Fire got a call at 8:57 a.m. about the wreck and arrived on the scene at 9:03 a.m., said Scott Barthelmass, public information officer for the Eureka Fire Protection District.
Loyed Longenecker, 55, of Eureka and Peggy Longenecker, 53, of Chesterfield were sleeping in a 1997 Dodge Ram in the northeast corner of the lot when the Caliber hit their pickup, which was pushed out of the parking space into a ditch. Both the Longeneckers had to be extracted from the pickup, Wilson said.
The second vehicle struck by the Caliber was a 1998 Ford Crown Victoria, and two people were asleep inside that vehicle as well – Lex Longenecker, 21, of Chesterfield and Destiny Donelly, 19, of Eureka. The Crown Victoria was parked facing east next to the Dodge Ram, and the Caliber came to rest on the passenger side of the Crown Victoria, Wilson said.
Templeton and Loyed and Peggy Longenecker were transported by Eureka Fire to Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur, where Templeton and Loyed Longenecker were treated and released. Peggy Longenecker was listed in satisfactory condition as of today (March 1), a hospital spokesperson said.
The Dodge Caliber and Dodge Ram were totaled and the Crown Victoria had minor damage, Wilson said.
Eureka Fire was on the scene until 9:37 a.m., Barthelmass said.