SULLIVAN, Mo (News First) – Two women and a five-year-old died in an accident in Franklin County over the weekend. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the accident occurred around 9:30 on Saturday night on I-44 at the 228-mile marker near Steelville, a few miles from the scene of a fatal shooting involving law enforcement a few hours earlier.
The crash report says two semi-trucks and a 2008 Toyota Avalon were stopped in traffic from the earlier incident when a third semi and a 2017 Nissan Sentra approached. A semi driven by a 25-year-old Merced, California resident hit the Avalon, driven by 25-year-old Bailey Snider of Rolla and the Sentra, driven by 32-year-old Chelsea Smith of Steelville, hit the semi, causing a chain reaction into the other two stopped semis.
Snider, Smith, and a 5-year-old passenger in Smith’s vehicle died at the scene. One of the semi-drivers received minor injuries. The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirms no one has been cited as the accident is still under investigation.
