Three-car accident in Mid-Missouri injures 5
Five people were seriously injured Friday evening in Henry County, Missouri after a three-car accident on Missouri 52.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred when two cars, one driven by Mathew Martinez, 17, and the second by an unidentified driver, stopped on Missouri 52 because of traffic caused by a previous Missouri car accident. A 2004 Pontiac, driven by Mary Hayes, 47, was traveling behind the line of cars and couldn’t stop before crashing into Martinez’s car, which was then forced into the third car.
Mary Hayes and her husband Carl Hayes, 54, were seriously injured and flown to University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri. A third occupant of their car, Sheri Fannon, 28, was also seriously injured and flown to University Hospital. Two passengers in Martinez’s car were also seriously injured and flown to different hospitals. Paige Litz, 18, was flown to St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, and Jennifer Miller, 17, was flown to Children’s Mercy.
An investigation into the accident is ongoing. The initial accident report indicates that charges are pending, but it does not specify what type of charges or why Mary Hayes was unable to stop her vehicle.
Often, in cases were a line of cars has a chain reaction-type crash, each driver is considered responsible for the damages their vehicle causes to the one directly in front of them. This is because drivers are expected to keep a safe distance between them and any cars in front of them. Many other factors, such as the speed Hayes was traveling, must first be examined by a Missouri car accident attorney. The charges filed by the Highway Patrol will also help a personal injury lawyer to flesh out the details of the case so that the injured parties can receive the help they need.
