LEDE: Several people sustained minor injuries in two separate traffic crashes caused by hydroplaning on Interstate 70 in Cooper County on Saturday.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the first incident occurred in the eastbound lanes at the 113.4 mile marker around 3:47 p.m. A 22-year-old woman from Eldon was driving a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee when the vehicle hydroplaned, veered off the road, and struck the median cables. The driver and her three passengers—two women, aged 24 and five, from Versailles, and two boys under one year old—sustained minor injuries and were transported to University Hospital for evaluation.
The second crash took place approximately one-tenth of a mile away at the 113.2 mile marker at 4:50 p.m. A 53-year-old woman from Rose Hill, Kansas, was operating a 2012 Ford Expedition eastbound when she lost control on the slick roadway. The Ford collided with the median wall and then crossed both lanes of traffic before hitting the guard rail on the right. The driver was also taken to University Hospital with minor injuries.
Both accidents caused blockages in the eastbound lanes; however, the Missouri State Highway Patrol did not specify if the road has since reopened. An investigation into the incidents is ongoing.