3 from Joplin in serious I-44 crash near Mount Vernon

LAWRENCE COUNTY, Mo. (KOAM) — About 12:45 p.m. Saturday reports of a serious crash along I-44 west of Mount Vernon, Mo. alerted Lawrence Co E-911.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Tpr A. Poulson has releases a preliminary report on what occurred as a 2017 Ram 1500 crashed alone. Leaving from I-44 down into a creek bed below the interstate.

Dustin Guthrie , 45, of Joplin, Mo. was the driver, he suffered serious injuries. He was taken by Mercy AMB to Springfield.

Passenger Ashley Wise , 41, of Joplin, suffered serious injuries and was flown Mercy Helicopter to Springfield.

16-year-old female teen passenger , of Joplin, Mo. suffered serious injuries. She was taken by Mercy AMB to Springfield.

“Crash occurred as [Ram 1500] was eastbound and drove off the left side of the roadway into the median. The [Ram 1500] went down an embankment into a creek bed.”

— Tpr A. Poulson

The creek that flows under I-44 there is called the Freistatt Branch. The bridges above were replaced last year.

Stop and Shop Towing removed the crashed pickup and debris.

Traffic was disrupted for about 90 minutes.

Watch for updates to this breaking news story here on Joplin News First.