ST. LOUIS — Eight people died on Missouri roadways over the long Christmas weekend, two fewer than the holiday period in 2020.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Monday that troopers worked 310 total accidents during the period from Thursday through Sunday, including 92 accidents with injuries. The patrol also made 67 arrests for driving while intoxicated.
State troopers handled two fatal accidents in the St. Louis area and two in central Missouri. The other four fatal wrecks were investigated by police in Kansas City, St. Louis and two St. Louis suburbs — Overland and Wentzville.
Dec. 24
The first deadly crash in the St. Louis area over the holiday weekend occurred on Dec. 24. An 18-year-old man, Cesar Estrada-Lopez, was riding his motorcycle on Interstate 70 just west of North Lindbergh Road near Lambert Airport when he hit the back of a car and was thrown from his motorcycle. A third car swerved to avoid the motorcycle and struck Estrada-Lopez. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital a short time later.
That night, a woman was struck and killed in a hit-and-run. The crash happened about 8 p.m. Friday in north St. Louis. St. Louis police said the woman was struck near the intersection of West Florissant and Thrush avenues in the Walnut Park East neighborhood.
The driver fled and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. She has not been identified.
Dec. 25
A man was struck and killed in another hit-and-run in Overland early Saturday morning. According to the Overland Police Department, a pedestrian was hit in the area of Midland Boulevard and Woodson Road.
In a Facebook post, the department said, "The striking vehicle left the scene and the vehicle/driver have not yet been identified."
Later in the day, a man was killed in a crash involving a motorcycle on David Hoekel Parkway over Interstate 70 in St. Charles County. Officers from the Wentzville Police Department are investigating. No other details have been provided.
Dec. 26
Sunday evening, a 37-year-old woman was driving on Missouri Route H near Dry Creek Road in Jefferson County when she lost control of her car and started skidding. Her car slid to the wrong side of the road where her car was T-boned by another car.
The driver, Amy Veit, was pronounced dead a short time later.
