ST. LOUIS — A crash involving a car and a semitruck killed a 3-year-old girl Thursday morning.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department reported the crash at about 8 a.m. Thursday on eastbound Interstate 70 at Salisbury Street.
According to a preliminary investigation, a Dodge Challenger was speeding and weaving in and out of traffic when it struck the semitruck and overturned.
Police said a 3-year-old, who was unrestrained in the Challenger's backseat, was ejected in the crash. She was rushed to an area hospital, where she later died. A 22-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man in the Challenger were also hospitalized and in "stable" condition, police said.
Debris from the semitruck went into the express lanes, causing another crash involving three vehicles, police said. Non-life-threatening injuries were reported.
At about 8:30 a.m., police announced they were closing all eastbound lanes at the Grand Boulevard exit as crews continued to work the scene.
The crash was cleared and all lanes were reopened at about 11:30 a.m., according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.
“I rode past it. I saw all the traffic backed up, and then on my way by on the other side it was still backed up a long time from them cleaning up,” said driver Nick Earl.
Earl soon saw the many social media posts that revealed a 3-year-old girl died.
“It would have helped if the baby was in car seat. It’s real sad man. I see a lot of people driving fast. I drive slowly. I drive under the speed limit,” Earl said.
“A lot of times, a truck driver will try to get on the highway and there’s no space and another driver will just step on the gas. That needs to stop,” said Oline Miller, who has been a professional driver for more than 40 years.
He too, had a message for drivers after the heartbreaking crash.
“I just wish more people would wake up. Pay attention,” said a concerned Miller.
“People please, slow down,” added Earl.
As of Thursday night, the driver of the Dodge Challenger had not been charged.