Washington County Missouri Deputy Michael G. Triplett Killed in One Car Accident
Washington County Missouri sheriff Michael G. Triplett was killed yesterday while responding to a domestic violence call near Irondale, Missouri. Deputy Triplett was also a security guard at a local college. Deputy Triplett was 48 years old.
The Missouri Highway Patrol is currently doing an accident reconstruction of the accident to determine exactly how this horrible car accident happened. Any time there is a death in a car accident in Missouri, the highway patrol does accident reconstructions. During accident reconstructions, speed of the vehicle and other unknown factors are determined. In addition, the electronic module control inside the patrol car will be downloaded. These on board computers can tell very detailed information regarding the crash. Washington County patrol vehicles are not equipped with dashboard cameras, unlike the Missouri Highway Patrol, so no video will aid investigators in this crash. However, some initial information is already known.
Around 12:05, Deputy Triplett was heading south on Highway U near Potosi heading towards Irondale. At the scene of this crash, Highway U is a very curvy and windy road lined with many trees. The deputy failed to stay on the roadway as he approached a curve to the left, went off the roadway, hit a sign and two trees and landed in a ditch.
The patrol vehicle was so badly damaged, Deputy Triplett was trapped inside and had to be cut out of the vehicle.
