Two Wednesday morning traffic crashes that happened at almost the exact time resulted in two area women losing their lives, reports the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Linda K. Walker, 55, Ava, suffered fatal injuries in a rollover crash at 7:28 a.m. Wednesday on N Highway, 7 miles east of Squires in Douglas County.
Sgt. L.S. Elliott with Troop G of the patrol, Willow Springs, reported Walker’s westbound 2001 Ford F150 ran off the left side of the road and overturned. She was reportedly not wearing a seat belt.
Cox Health Paramedic Jesse Sparks pronounced Walker dead at 8:14 a.m. at the scene. Her death is the 12th traffic fatality in the nine-county Troop G area, compared to 14 in the same time frame in 2023.
Wanda L. Franklin, 63, Houston, was the victim of a fatal crash at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday on west U.S. 60 in Texas County, 5 miles west of Willow Springs.
Tpr. J.J. Smith reported Franklin was a passenger in an eastbound 2019 Chevrolet driven by Leslie H. Franklin, 67, also of Houston. The Chevrolet ran off the right side of the road and struck an embankment and a tree, Smith reported.
Wanda Franklin was transported by Willow Springs Ambulance to Ozarks Healthcare in West Plains, where she was pronounced dead at 8:42 a.m. by Dr. Dana Kinney, the report shows.
Leslie Franklin suffered minor injuries and refused treatment, Smith reported. Neither driver nor passenger wore a seat belt at the time of the crash, according to the patrol.
Smith was assisted at the crash scene by Tpr. J.M. Kenyon, the Willow Springs Fire Department and the Cabool Fire Department.
The death is the 13th traffic fatality in the Troop G area to date this year.
