Fatal Four-Vehicle Crash on Route 185 Leaves One Dead and Three Injured in Washington County
A Friday evening collision on Missouri Route 185 in Washington County claimed the life of a 60-year-old St. Charles man and left three others injured, according to an accident report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. First Alert 4 reported that the multi-vehicle crash unfolded around 5:30 p.m. just north of Hamilton Hollow Road, involving four distinct vehicles in a chain of events triggered by an ill-fated passing maneuver.
According to the official crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a northbound Ram 1500 pickup truck attempted to pass a Volvo XC90 by moving into the southbound lane. The Ram struck the front of an oncoming Jeep Liberty head-on, sending both vehicles into violent rotations that ultimately sent the Jeep off the west side of the roadway and the Ram off the east side.
The Chain Reaction on Route 185
As the initial wreckage settled, secondary impacts rippled down the highway. The Volvo struck debris scattered from the head-on collision and began to slow down. Behind it, an 18-year-old man driving a Chevrolet Silverado 2500 failed to notice the deceleration, crashing directly into the back of the Volvo. The drivers of both the Volvo and the Chevrolet reported no injuries.
The human toll of the crash fell heavily on the occupants of the primary impact vehicles. The 60-year-old man driving the Jeep Liberty was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger, a 30-year-old woman, sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital. Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Potosi man driving the Ram pickup suffered moderate injuries, and a 7-year-old girl riding as a passenger in his truck was transported to a hospital with minor injuries.
Route 185 remained temporarily disrupted as emergency responders cleared the wreckage and investigators mapped the debris field along the rural Washington County corridor. State troopers continue to review the exact sequence of events leading up to the initial northbound pass.
