Eleven people died in traffic crashes over the 2022 Memorial Day weekend counting period of 6 p.m. Friday, May 27 through 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 30.
Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers investigated 304 crashes with 115 injuries and nine fatalities, 121 driving while intoxicated arrests and 79 drug arrests.
Marine operations troopers also investigated 19 boating crashes with 13 injuries and no fatalities, one drowning and six boating while intoxicated arrests.
During the 2021 counting period, the Patrol investigated 258 traffic crashes, which included 84 injuries and four of the 10 fatalities. Also, over the 2021 Memorial Day holiday, marine operations troopers investigated 12 boating crashes, which included one fatality and three injuries. Troopers made 57 driving while intoxicated arrests and eight boating while intoxicated arrests. One person drowned over the 2021 Memorial Day holiday.
One person drowned Sunday, May 29. Matthew D. Frazier, 40, of Neosho, drowned after he entered the Elk River to retrieve a boat paddle and was swept downstream. Overcome by exhaustion, Frazier drowned. The drowning occurred in McDonald County on the Elk River a half-mile south of Ginger Blue. McDonald County Assistant Coroner Johnathan Fletcher pronounced Frazier deceased. Frazier was not wearing a life jacket.
Troopers investigated nine of the 11 traffic crash fatalities. Four fatalities occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring, area; two fatalities occurred in the Troop D, Springfield, area; and one fatality occurred in each of the Troop A, Lee's Summit, Troop E, Poplar Bluff, and Troop I, Rolla, areas. The Aurora/Marionville and Florissant police departments each investigated one traffic fatality.
There were no traffic fatalities within the counting period on Friday, three people died in traffic crashes on Saturday, five people died in traffic crashes on Sunday, and three people died on Memorial Day.
