Jun 29, 2022

Patrol IDs 2 Kansas women who died in Amtrak crash

Posted Jun 29, 2022 9:00 PM
Photo of the accident scene- Missouri State Highway Patrol
Photo of the accident scene- Missouri State Highway Patrol

CHARLTON COUNTY, Mo. —Authorities investigating the fatal Amtrak, truck crash have identified the three passengers killed as 58-year-old Rachelle Cook; 56-year-old Kim Holsapple both of DeSoto, Kansas and 82-year-0ld Binh Pham of Kansas City, Missouri, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Kim Holsapple(center left) and Rochelle Cook (center right)-photo GoFundMe
Kim Holsapple(center left) and Rochelle Cook (center right)-photo GoFundMe

Cook and Holsapple were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the MSHP. EMS transported Pham to University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri where he was pronounced dead.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the truck driver also  as 54-year-old Billy Barton II of Brookfield, Missouri.

Amtrak’s Southwest Chief was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago Monday afternoon when it struck a dump truck and derailed at the crossing near Mendon.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced the fourth death Tuesday afternoon and provided its first estimate of the injured — about 150 people taken to 10 area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to serious.

The collision derailed seven cars, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The truck was broken into pieces.

The crossing in a rural area about 84 miles northeast of Kansas City has no lights or other signals to warn of an approaching train.